At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We’re committed to supporting the next generation of veterinary professionals, providing opportunities to build practical skills, gain experience and grow in confidence.
Athlone Veterinary Hospital is seeking a motivated and compassionate Student Veterinary Nurse / Animal Care Assistant to join our team on a part-time basis. Designed to fit around your studies, this weekend role offers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience across both animal and client care while working alongside experienced Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses.
As a Student Veterinary Nurse / Animal Care Assistant, you’ll support the day-to-day care and welfare of our patients while also gaining valuable experience of the client-facing side of veterinary practice.
During weekend shifts, you’ll work as part of a two-person team, alternating between reception duties and caring for inpatients and boarding animals. This varied role will help you develop practical animal care, communication and customer service skills while gaining a greater understanding of how a busy veterinary hospital operates.
Key Responsibilities
- Supporting the daily care and monitoring of inpatients and boarding animals
- Assisting with feeding, cleaning, exercise, husbandry and general patient welfare
- Maintaining excellent cleanliness and hygiene standards throughout patient areas
- Welcoming clients and providing a friendly and professional service
- Answering telephone enquiries and supporting appointment management
- Processing payments and supporting general reception duties
- Working closely with Veterinary Surgeons, Veterinary Nurses and the wider practice team
This role has been designed to complement your academic commitments and allow you to gain meaningful veterinary experience alongside your studies.
- Saturdays: 8:30am to 4:00pm
- Sundays: 4 flexible hours – 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening
- Sunday hours will focus on supporting the care of inpatients and boarding animals
- Part-time, fixed-term contract for 3 months
- Potential for the contract to be extended
Athlone Veterinary Hospital is a well-established mixed animal practice providing veterinary care to companion and farm animals across the region.
You’ll join a collaborative team of experienced Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses who are passionate about supporting the next generation of veterinary professionals. We aim to create a positive learning environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, develop their skills and grow in confidence.
We’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic about developing a career in veterinary care and has a genuine passion for animal welfare. You’ll bring:
- Current study towards a Veterinary Nursing qualification, or a relevant Animal Care Assistant qualification
- A genuine interest in animal welfare and veterinary care
- A positive attitude and willingness to learn
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Reliability, organisation and a strong work ethic
- Confidence working both independently and as part of a team
- A willingness to get involved across both patient care and client-facing responsibilities
- Previous animal handling experience would be beneficial
This role offers more than weekend work. It’s an opportunity to build practical experience that can support your studies and future veterinary nursing career.
- Hands-on experience within a busy veterinary hospital
- Exposure to both patient care and veterinary reception
- The opportunity to learn alongside experienced Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses
- Support to develop your practical, communication and client care skills
- A friendly and collaborative team environment
- Valuable experience to support your future career in veterinary nursing
- Potential for the contract to be extended for the right candidate
We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to learning resources.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to gain meaningful hands-on experience while continuing your studies, we’d love to hear from you.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
