14577 - Animal Care Assistant - Nights

Grade UE04

£26,093 - £28,778 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 University isn’t just any employer. We are part of a local community and a contributor to global thinking, progress and research. In Edinburgh, you are in one of the world’s most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors, while working in a University that has made significant contributions to society, medicine, physics and 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 activities. In Technical Clinical Services, we support the University’s 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. You’ll 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, you’ll handle a wide variety of cases, from ward-based patients—including felines, canines, and exotics—to 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. You’ll 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 life‑threatening conditions as well as those with more routine needs, ensuring every animal receives the attention and expertise they deserve.

If you're ready for a rewarding ACA role where no two night shifts are the same, we’d love to hear from you.

Training & Support

We offer a comprehensive 6–8 weeks training programme to help you settle into the role. You’ll normally start shadowing our friendly and experienced team during standard weekday daytime hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm) to build your confidence and skills.