Animal Care Assistant Nights
Job Summary
Grade UE04: 26093 - 28778 per annum pro rata
plus 30 % premium band bonus on salaried hours
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies / Hospital for Small Animals
Part-time: 28 hours average per week
8pm-8am shift times working a rolling 4 shifts on 8 shifts off
Open-ended (permanent) contract
Your next step starts here. Be part of something bigger.
The Universityisntjust any employer. We are part of alocal communityand a contributor toglobal thinkingprogress and Edinburgh you are in one of the worlds most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors while working in aUniversitythat has made significant contributions to society medicinephysicsand teaching for over four centuries. Our people have helped create the modern world and are working on more ground-breaking technologies and practices.
The Opportunity:
Technical Clinical Services
The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We are a large University covering a wide range of Technical Clinical Services we support the Universitys clinical research and teaching offering many career and role specialisms.
This is a demanding out-of-hours Animal Care role that calls for dedication resilience flexibility and a proactive approach. Youll 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 youll handle a wide variety of cases from ward-based patientsincluding felines canines and exoticsto those requiring intermediate and emergency critical care. new skills.
This is a hands-on fast-paced position that plays a vital role in the care of our hospitalised patients during our out of hours service. Youll be involved in a variety of essential tasks including:
- Cleaning and maintaining kennels to the highest hygiene standards
- Supporting infection control protocols
- Feeding and grooming inpatients
- Walking dogs and providing enrichment
- Assisting vets and nurses with procedures involving dogs cats and exotic species
- Managing laundry and general patient care duties
As part of this role you will be expected to cover and equal share of the annual leave in your pod of night ACAs accruing paid overtime for all additional hours worked.
Our hospital is equipped with:
- Three canine wards
- Four exotics wards
- One feline ward
- Purpose-built isolation units
- A fully equipped emergency room
- Dedicated Intermediate Care and Intensive Care Wards
We are proud to deliver the highest level of care (24/7 - 365 days) to patients with lifethreatening conditions as well as those with more routine needs ensuring every animal receives the attention and expertise they deserve.
If youre ready for a rewarding ACA role where no two night shifts are the same wed love to hear from you.
Training & Support
We offer a comprehensive 68 weeks training programme to help you settle into the role. Youll normally start shadowing our friendly and experienced team during standard weekday daytime hours (MondayFriday 8:30am5:00pm) to build your confidence and skills.
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How to apply
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. Contact our Out of Hours Senior Nurse Nicola Cochrane for more details.
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 ourstaff 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.
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 ourright to work webpages.
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 31st 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 browsers local time zone.
Required Experience:
Junior IC
About Company
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.