Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

Fancy having the unique benefit of a practice beach hut thoughtfully stocked with paddleboards and wine, where you can enjoy Whitby’s legendary fish and chips?

We are an independent 4-vet mixed practice in beautiful coastal Yorkshire. Our small animal workload has continued to grow and now accounts for approximately 85% of the workload, so we are now looking for a small animal vet with some experience to come and join us and concentrate on this. We also work closely with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue to treat marine wildlife and have strong connections with our local wildlife sanctuary.

The Beck Veterinary Practice has been family-run since it was established in 1946, with three generations of Beck vets providing high-quality care to the local community. Owner Simon joined what was his father’s practice in 1983, and his daughter, Libby (Elizabeth), followed in his footsteps becoming part of the Beck team after graduating from Nottingham in 2012.

Simon enjoys all aspects of mixed practice and particularly enjoys dermatology, orthopaedics, and pig medicine. Libby is always happy to share her love of surgery and enjoys mentoring vets in any procedures including most soft tissue surgeries.

Hugo joined us as a new grad from Glasgow University in 2021. He has now completed his VetGDP and is enjoying the varied caseload. In his words: “My time at Becks has really helped set me up for the best possible start to my career. I’ve been able to develop as my own vet while also having great support.”

“After working at the Beck Veterinary Practice as a locum RVN for almost a year, when a full-time position was available I applied immediately. I enjoy working with a supportive team, covering a wide variety of patients, and always feel my opinion and help are wanted and appreciated.” Chloe RVN

We were so pleased to be able to support the Homes for Ukraine programme and have welcomed Tatiana to stay with us and see practice while she prepares for the RCVS statutory exam. Tatiana enjoyed her time here and hopes to visit us again in August. “I really like the practice and principles of work. The team is very friendly and always helps. Thank you for the opportunity.”

We recently extended our purpose-built building which has fantastic facilities including a separate cat and dog area, digital and dental x-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, and multi-parameter monitoring.

Here we will strongly encourage you to develop your skills and follow your interests, so if you are looking to take on a certificate this will be fully supported and there is also potential partnership prospects long-term, and we would welcome your input and ideas.

Our vets work a 4-day week (8.30 am-6.30 pm) with a set day off. You will start the day either operating or consulting, with dedicated time throughout the day to catch up on admin and phone calls and to have a proper lunch break. Our consults finish at 5.30 pm so there is plenty of time to finish up and get out the door on time, and as the phones go over at 6 pm we’re often able to leave early.

We have a 1:4 weekend rota (just for small animals), which includes Saturday morning consults (9 am -1 pm), and one weeknight on-call. Less experienced vets will have a backup in place for the OOHs, with Libby or Simon being 2^nd on-call to chat through cases, offer advice or provide an extra pair of hands when needed.

We’re a sociable team that likes to get together for a catch-up over a meal and a bottle of wine, and with so many lovely independent restaurants, pubs, and cafes locally we’re always spoilt for choice. We’re also making plans to head off to the practice beach hut, where some of us will have a go at paddleboarding, while others might just work their way through the wine supply!

Whitby is a pretty coastal town famous for many things from the 199 steps which lead up the East Cliff to the gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey, which inspired Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’, to its award-winning fish and chips, fresh seafood, and jumbo scampi. There are lots of outdoor activities to get involved in including paddleboarding and surfing, or you can head off on foot or bike to enjoy the North York Moors National Park, with clifftop pathways making up part of the Cleveland Way and the Lyke Wake Walk finishes by nearby Ravenscar.

We are offering:

• A salary of £40,000 - £60,000
• Five weeks’ holiday, plus bank holidays
• CPD is encouraged, with certificates supported and funded
• Professional fees paid for RCVS, VDS, plus one other membership
• Use of practice beach hut
• Happy to sponsor visas
• Bring your dog to work

If you would like to know more about us, please call us for an informal chat or apply now!