Veterinarian/Senior Veterinarian Dairy Cattle Health and Production

Are you seeking a change from commercial dairy practice? Are you interested in inspiring and engaging the next generation of veterinarians? Do you want to develop your clinical practice further?  Want to have more time, resources and collaboration to follow cases through? Then this is the ideal opportunity for you!

The School of Veterinary Science at Massey University, invites applications for the position of Practicing/ Senior Practicing Veterinarian in Dairy Cattle Health and Production based in the mighty Manawatū of New Zealand.  This is a 0.8 Full-Time-Equivalent role, or nominal 4 days per week.   You must hold a veterinary degree registrable in New Zealand and have clinical experience.

The position is suited to an ambitious dairy cattle veterinarian who seeks a change in focus and wishes to develop their career in teaching and practice of dairy cattle health and production. You will provide clinical services to clients of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (primarily dairy cattle, but also other production animal species) and participate in teaching on-farm visits, in practicals, tutorials and lectures.  While we do service Massey owned and commercial farms, our focus is on providing high quality, relevant teaching opportunities for our students and therefor you can expect a change of pace and focus away from a traditional commercial practice model.  Our brand new, purpose built Farm Animal Hospital will offer further opportunity to provide excellent clinical care and teaching opportunities.   We have a talented team of Vets, Techs and support staff, including both general practitioners and boarded specialists in dairy cattle and ruminant internal medicine, surgery and reproduction so you will always be supported in providing the best clinical practice and teaching.  

We have a family-friendly working environment with a cohesive and supportive veterinary team, and a focus on wellbeing and work-life balance.  We offer flexibility around work hours and, after a year of employment, generous sick leave.  Afterhours is generally quiet, is shared approximately 1:6 and is paid additional to salary.  In addition to 4 weeks of paid annual leave, you will also be entitled to additional paid university holiday over Christmas and New Year, and an extra day at Easter.

This position will also provide you with a variety of opportunities to develop your career in cooperation alongside veterinary and animal scientists with world class expertise in pastoral animal health, preventative medicine, surgery, pastoral nutrition, information systems, theriogenology and epidemiology.  Continuous professional development is a high priority and employees can undertake further study through the University, including the Master of Veterinary Medicine programme.  Massey also offers a wide range of staff development courses including teaching, IT skills, management, financial wellbeing, research and leadership skills.  The position is very much about the clinical work, which is now recognised by Massey for academic promotion criteria. 

Not persuaded yet? Hear from one of our vet team here!  

WHY MASSEY?

The School of Veterinary Science advances knowledge in animal health and welfare, biosecurity, conservation and sustainable productivity. We are a world-leader in our field, working with governments, other universities, international and national organisations and companies to improve animal health and production, and human health.   

In addition to a base salary and superannuation, the University has additional holidays (including two weeks over Christmas and New Year!) and affiliate services and product discounts. 

If you are not familiar with Palmerston North, it is a family-friendly, eminently bikeable, compact city of approximately 88,000 people and is centrally located in the North Island of New Zealand. There is easy access to outdoor activities such as hiking, road and mountain biking clubs, outstanding golf courses and surfing. The city has a vibrant café culture, abundant restaurants, diverse community groups, large cultural city events and hosts international attractions.

In less than two hours’ drive you can be immersed in the vibrant capital city culture of Wellington, you could tour our world renown wine growing country in the sunny Hawkes Bay or you could be water skiing in NZ’s crown tourist spot; Lake Taupō.  And we cannot forget the outstanding ski fields in NZ’s central plateau. So, are your lifestyle pursuits within easy reach like ours?

Enquiries of an academic nature may be directed to Dr Danielle Gifford ([email protected]).