Equine Veterinary Surgeon
Permanent, full-time — Central Scotland
There’s a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from doing this job well, the kind you get from a day spent solving real problems for real horses and their owners, surrounded by people who’ve got your back.
If you’re an experienced equine vet with a sharp eye for lameness work and a genuine interest in dentistry, and you’re ready for a role where your clinical curiosity is actively encouraged rather than squeezed out by the day-to-day grind — we’d love to hear from you.
Why Loch Leven?
We’re Scotland’s only independently owned equine practice with our own diagnostic, surgical and hospitalisation facilities under one roof and we’re really proud of it. Our independence means decisions are driven by what's right for our patients and owners, not shareholders. You'll find our practice owners out on the road with you, or in the practice, we’re genuinely one team.
Our purpose-built hospital sits minutes from the M90, giving you the rare combination of varied ambulatory work across Central Scotland and serious hospital-based casework. You’ll work alongside Hugh Somerville, one of just 15 vets in the UK recognised as an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Equine Orthopaedic Surgery, and the only one in the country to hold that status simultaneously in both Orthopaedic Surgery and Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging. That depth of in-house expertise means complex cases, genuine mentorship and clinical conversations that sharpen your own skills daily.
Twenty years in, we’re still independently owned, still part of our local community, and still trusted by both owners and referring vets across Fife, Kinross-shire, Perthshire, the central belt and further afield. Case continuity matters to us — you’ll see your cases through from field to hospital and back, building the kind of client trust that makes this job genuinely satisfying.
The Role
A mix of ambulatory and hospital work across a broad general caseload, with real scope to lean into orthopaedics and dentistry as your particular interests. Day to day you’ll be:
• Carrying out routine and emergency ambulatory visits — lameness, poor performance, dentistry, vaccinations, wound care, colic and field surgery
• Working up lameness and orthopaedic and poor performance cases using our digital equipment and on-site facilities
• Delivering proactive dental care as part of our wider preventative care offering
• Collaborating closely with our nursing and support team on in-patient and post-operative care
• Sharing in our out-of-hours rota, with the back-up of an experienced, supportive team
• The opportunity to develop your professional interests within one of our four pillars (Patient, Client, Team or Business) alongside your clinical work
About You
• An experienced equine vet, confident working independently in an ambulatory role
• A particular interest in orthopaedics and dentistry, with the appetite to develop this further
• A clear, compassionate communicator who builds trust quickly with clients and patients alike
• Positive, solution-focused, and just as happy supporting a colleague as asking for help yourself
• Someone who shares our values — caring, integrity, teamwork and a genuine commitment to learning and development
Salary & Benefits
• We pay what great vets are worth. If you hold a certificate or RCVS Advanced Practitioner status, you can expect a salary that reflects that expertise. For those earlier in their career journey, salary will be tailored accordingly. We’ll always be open and transparent about what that looks like for you.
• Full-time rota: 4 days a week, 8am–6pm
• Out-of-hours at 1:5 weekends and 1:5 week nights
• An extra day of holiday for every year worked, up to a maximum of 6 additional days
• CPD budget, plus a fully funded certificate for those wanting to pursue further study
• Enhanced maternity pay
• Income Protection Plan paying 60% of gross income (tax-free) after 14 days
• RCVS, VDS and BEVA membership covered
Find Out More
Take a look around our website at www.lochlevenequine.co.uk or follow us on Facebook to get a real feel for who we are and how we work.
Get in touch
Liz Somerville — 07796 885709 — liz@lochlevenequine.co.uk
Hugh Somerville MRCVS — 07791 885709 — hugh@lochlevenequine.co.uk