Grade UE06: £34,610 - £39,906 per annum pro-rata as part-time plus 30% Premium Band
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
Part-time: 29.2 hours on average per week
Fixed-term: a 14-month maternity cover contract
Shift pattern: 8pm-8.30am shift times working a rolling 4 shifts on, 8 shifts off
As part of this role, you will be expected to cover an equal share of the annual leave in your pod of night RVNs, accruing paid overtime for all additional hours worked.
Your next step starts here. Be part of something bigger.
The University isn’t just any employer. We are part of a local community and a contributor to global thinking, progress and research. In Edinburgh, you are in one of the world’s most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors, while working in a University that has made significant contributions to society, medicine, physics and teaching for over four centuries. Our people have helped create the modern world and are working on more ground-breaking technologies and practices.
The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We are a large University covering a wide range of activities. In Technical Clinical Services, we support the University’s clinical, research and teaching, offering many career and role specialisms.
The Opportunity:
This is a demanding out-of-hours role that calls for dedication, resilience, flexibility, and a proactive approach. You’ll need a strong work ethic and a commitment to delivering the highest standards of patient care. Our dedicated night team covers 365 days a year, ensuring that we provide round-the-clock care to our patients. As part of this team, you’ll handle a wide variety of cases, from ward-based patients—including felines, canines, and exotics—to those requiring intermediate and emergency critical care. You may also assist with surgeries or endoscopies that run out of hours, offering a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills.
Our hospital is equipped with:
We are proud to deliver the highest level of care to patients with life‑threatening conditions as well as those with more routine needs, ensuring every animal receives the attention and expertise they deserve.
Training & Support
We offer a comprehensive 6–8 weeks training programme to help you settle into the role. You’ll normally start by shadowing our friendly and experienced team during standard daytime hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm) to build your confidence and skills. Any hours worked beyond your contracted weekly hours during training will be paid as overtime according to university guidelines.
Shift Pattern
You’ll work a rolling pattern of 4 night shifts on, followed by 8 nights off, providing a great balance of work and rest. You’ll be part of a supportive pod system, sharing annual leave cover equally with your two pod-mates.
Holiday Commitment
As part of the rota, you’ll also cover a fair share of public holidays, including over the Christmas period, if your shifts fall on those dates.
We welcome applications from all RCVS qualified Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) candidates. Contact Out of hours senior nurse Nicola Cochrane Nicola.Cochrane@ed.ac.uk for more details.
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How to apply
Please include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
A competitive salary.
An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits pageand use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 6th July 2026.
Unless stated otherwise, the closing time for applications is 11:59 pm (UK time). If you are applying from outside the UK, the closing time shown on our adverts will automatically adjust to your browser’s local time zone.
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
