We are looking to recruit a Named Veterinary Surgeon to support expanding our activities in Cambridgeshire. The ideal candidate would be a veterinary surgeon with a laboratory animal medicine background. However, newly graduated vets and veterinary surgeons interested in joining the field are also welcome to apply. Internal training under the supervision of our experienced and friendly colleagues will be provided. 

The Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS) is a veterinary specialist legally required for institutions holding animals for research and development under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (ASPA). Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act, the NVS has a professional duty to ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to their care. At Agenda, the NVS will provide, to external clients and Agenda’s facilities, the appropriate level of technical support for ensuring full compliance with ASPA and RCVS and supporting biomedical research and the 3Rs.

Basic Requirements:

• Veterinary degree registrable with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
• Be familiar with the main provisions of ASPA and act as a named person in full capacity as an NVS.
• An ability to concentrate on, and perform, routine and repetitive tasks as an individual and under the direction of Management.
• Be familiar with the husbandry, biology, physiology, surgical and clinical issues relevant to the species for which you will be responsible.
• Qualified to produce export certification as per DEFRA latest guidelines.
• Rodent/lagomorph experience essential.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Fulfil the responsibilities of the NVS role as set out in RCVS “Guide to Conduct” section 24 and in the “Guidance on the operation of the Animal Scientific Procedure Act.”
• Ensuring veterinary advice and relevant information are adequately recorded and accessible to NVS colleagues.
• Actively participating in the out-of-hours service.
• Register and maintain qualification to act as APHA official veterinarian to certify laboratory animal and product exports.
• Being an active actor in promoting animal welfare and the 3Rs to the scientific community. Delivering lectures, seminars or practical workshops on various subjects for internal staff or external clients.
• Collaborating on animal research projects by supporting anaesthesia, surgery and minor procedures on laboratory animals.
• Working toward specialist training (e.g. ECLAM). Attend conferences and courses to fulfil RCVS CPD requirements and apply new information and refinements to improve the service.

Agenda and its clients only recruit people who are passionate about animal care and welfare, people with integrity who are honest and trustworthy and who have a great work ethic.  To enable us to hire the very best people, we will conduct a comprehensive background and pre-employment screening, an essential part of Agenda's recruitment process.