salary
£44,500 p.a. full-time (pro rata for job share)
Location/travel
New Haw, South East England, KT15 3NB
Hours
37 hours per week
contract type
Permanent. Full-time or job share
flexibility
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
We may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. Part-time hours will only be considered as part of a job share.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), providing services to the Scottish and Welsh Governments, other government departments, and a range of other customers.
APHA is part of the Food, Farming, and Biosecurity (FFaB) system. APHA maintains essential disease investigation and response capability, as well as supporting the trade in plants, animals and associated products through effective certification, audit and inspection. The Agency protects our borders through effective import controls on animals, plants, seeds and products of animal origin.
Our headquarters is located in Weybridge, Surrey. We employ around 2,000+ staff, based at various sites across the UK.
Organisational Aims & Mission: We have one mission, which is to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of everyone in society, the environment and the economy – and every one of our employees is passionate about achieving this mission.
We’re responsible for:
- Identifying and controlling endemic and exotic diseases and pests in animals, plants and bees, and surveillance of new and emerging pests and diseases.
- Scientific research in areas such as bacterial, viral, prion and parasitic diseases and vaccines, and food safety.
- And act as an international reference laboratory for many farm animal diseases.
- Facilitating international trade in animals, products of animal origin, and plants.
- Protecting endangered wildlife through licensing and registration.
- Managing a programme of apiary (bee) inspections, diagnostics, research and development, and training and advice.
- Regulating the safe disposal of animal by-products to reduce the risk of potentially dangerous substances entering the food chain.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.
APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.
This advertised role is to join the Animal Sciences team as part of a team of specialist veterinary surgeons, bio veterinary scientists and animal technicians in the Pathology and Animal Science Department leading the delivery of live animal phases of infectious disease research and statutory disease surveillance functions, ensuring compliance with Home Office regulations (ASPA), providing advice on the welfare and treatment of the animals as Named Veterinary Surgeon, developing and promoting the animal science discipline, and managing specialist staff and facilities within APHA.
The Weybridge site is undergoing a major structural transformation with new high tech animal facilities being constructed to support ongoing and new projects in the years to come.
This is a great opportunity to further your career if you have a keen interest in Animal Science. We have a variety of training opportunities available to support your career at APHA. We seek individuals with a passion for working with animals and promoting their welfare.
Animal science project delivery and capability leadership: to monitor and ensure the welfare of mainly cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, poultry, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and ferrets used in research. Design and lead relevant projects across a range of disease or commercial portfolios. Development of animal science capability and expertise, including development and application of new technologies and advances relevant to Animal Sciences at APHA, and engagement in policy relevant research across disease portfolios. There is an opportunity for further education if desirable. Job holder must have a keen interest in research and proactively seek opportunities to develop modern welfare assessment tools. They will proactively contribute to the “3Rs” (reduction, refinement, replacement), particularly the refinement of experimental or veterinary procedures.
Named Veterinary Surgeon: Provision of advice on implementation of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act (full training will be provided). Ensure veterinary care and attention is given to a range of experimental animals as appropriate. Ensure the veterinary team can always deliver adequate veterinary cover and services. A weekly rota is shared with the other NVSs to respond to animal welfare emergencies out of hours. Advise on the health and welfare needs of a range of species, and the implementation of the 3Rs. Participate in study planning, execution and reviews, and ensuring appropriate records and documentation are kept and quality and safety standards are adhered to.
Veterinary duties: to provide basic medical care to all above mentioned species (diagnosis, treatment, anaesthesia monitoring, prevention of illnesses and injuries) in animals. Out of Hours rotation (currently 1 in 7) for emergency calls or if required to arrive on site within 45 min.
Staff and facility management: line management or functional management of scientific staff working in animal facilities. Responsibility for delivery of high disease containment animal studies (up to ACDP3, SAPO4), with responsibility for animal disease biosecurity and Home Office (HO) compliance, staff training and performance management.
Specialism: The jobholder will be expected to develop as a veterinary specialist with regards to the species and the infectious organisms used in their area of responsibility and an awareness of the policy relevance of the work undertaken. They will lead on the development of the science capability within the department and support the Animal Science discipline champion. They will be encouraged to obtain a personal Home Office licence in order to carry out regulated procedures.
BioEthics, Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB): The jobholder will be an active member of the AWERB and its species care and use subcommittee, participating in meetings as well as have input into project licence applications, study and protocol reviews.
Communication: The jobholder will be required to have excellent interpersonal skills liaising with a very diverse range of people with differing skills and expertise. They should be able to confidently deliver training and presentations, and chair meetings as required as well as write/contribute to scientific reports and publications.
Budget and Financial planning: Sound resource management is important - they will be involved in planning of multidisciplinary work, liaising with departmental administration team to ensure good budgetary management, effective use of resource and workforce planning. They may have contract management duties.
Corporate activities: budget contribution, administrative responsibilities, Continuing Professional Development and other duties as required, including involvement in on call, duty rotas, emergency response, health and safety and quality processes.
Safety: Ensure that adequate training and planning for response to emergency scenarios is in place; actively lead and participate in safety inspections and audits. Work closely with safety representatives in respect of these duties.
Quality: The jobholder will be required to keep up to date on all legislation that could impact on quality issues within the department (GLP, GMP, ISO9001) and will contribute to the preparation and planning of inspections and audits within the department, and be involved as required in pre-start meetings, facilitation on the day, wash-up meetings and management resolution of arising actions.
You will need to demonstrate the following:
Experience
- Clinical practice in small or food animal species or experimental models is required
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills – written and oral, team working and leading
- Previous veterinary experience and skills
For more about life as an APHA Vet, please watch this short video - Disease Investigation roles
Licences
- A valid full UK driving licence is necessary.
Qualifications
- Veterinary degree
Memberships
- The applicant must be registered with, or immediately eligible for RCVS membership (MRCVS is essential for this post).
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Previous experience with experimental models or pathogens at different containment levels if applicable, otherwise how biosecurity and biosafety is part of your current job
The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks.
For this reason, all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria.
Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated.
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the Pay Band. For this role the salary is £44,500 per annum (FTE).
This post offers the successful candidate an additional non-pensionable allowance of up to £3,000 (pro rata) upon appointment. The amount is determined by a calculation and is dependent on base salary.
The allowance awarded is paid as monthly instalments. A further allowance of up to £3,000 may be offered, based on a candidate’s annual capability assessment and any additional roles and responsibilities. These allowances do not form part of the Terms of Employment and may be withdrawn subject to funding.
This post requires you to be working at Weybridge Main Site five days per week due to daily veterinary responsibilities.
Flexibility in working hours is required if called upon to finish a particular urgent task or call upon in an event of an outbreak.
The post is full-time with working hours of 37 per week (excluding lunch breaks) depending on operational needs.
As NVS, out of hours working (very low call out rate) will be required on a rota basis, which will be remunerated accordingly. If called out, you will be required to attend site within a reasonable time, usually no later than 45 minutes after the call.
Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
The role is based at Weybridge where the team is located and due to the nature of the role and duties required. Flexibility in working hours is required if called upon to finish a particular urgent task or call upon in an event of an outbreak.
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.
Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Application Process
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV in the provided template and give a 500-word personal statement describing how you match the skills and experience detailed, two behaviour statements and one technical statement using Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR).
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Working Together. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours, Technical Skills and Experience.
If successful for an interview you may be asked to give a presentation or complete an additional task and details of this will be given at the time.
Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
You will need to comply with a number of health protocols and wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required.
The work of the post can be physically demanding, and due to access requirements to biosecure areas, individuals must be physically able.
Depending on the areas of work involved you will be expected to have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance.
Restrictions on outside/domestic contact with small animals, mainly rodents and rabbits, will/may apply.
You should not keep pigs or poultry or live on premises where there are domestic livestock or poultry.
Staff will be required to work rostered on-call duties, weekends, Bank Holidays and occasional evenings. APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements. You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.
A valid full driving licence is necessary. Periodic travel within the UK may be required to attend training courses and this could include farm or abattoir visits as part of ongoing research or other postmortem facilities. You may have to ensure that no contact is made with farmed animals for a period of 1-2 days or more before visiting these premises and may therefore preclude anyone who lives on a livestock farm.
Out of hours work may be required in the event of an incident. They may be required to facilitate as an Animal Sciences On Call Officer on a duty rota for out of working hours support response to the Department.
Alongside your salary of £44,500, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £12,891 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training as inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time –if accumulated), three paid volunteering days per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.
Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Closing date: 9th September 2025
For informal discussion about this role please contact Tina Booth (Tina.Booth@apha.gov.uk).
For the full details and to apply, click HERE
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