Senior Veterinary Surgeon – Advanced Surgery & Orthopaedics
Love surgery? What if you could build something of your own, without having to own the business?
Vets of Geelong | Geelong, Victoria
Remuneration from $200,000 + superannuation + surgical revenue incentives
Predominantly Surgical Role | Four-Clinic Referral Network | No Routine On-Call
Are you an experienced veterinary surgeon who loves being in theatre?
Perhaps you’ve developed advanced surgical skills over many years and would love the opportunity to spend more of your working week doing what you enjoy most.
Perhaps you’re already performing orthopaedic and complex soft-tissue procedures but find yourself spending too much time consulting, managing routine cases or dealing with the administrative responsibilities of running a business.
What if you could focus on surgery, develop your own surgical caseload and help build something special — without the financial risk and responsibilities of owning a veterinary practice?
At Vets of Geelong, we’re looking for an exceptional veterinary surgeon to help develop and expand our advanced surgical services across our four-clinic group.
This is not a traditional general practice veterinary position.
We’re looking for someone who wants to spend the overwhelming majority of their clinical time doing surgery, managing surgical cases and developing a high-quality surgical service.
A Surgical Career, Not Just Another Veterinary Job
We believe experienced surgeons should have the opportunity to focus on the work they enjoy and do best.
Our vision is to create a role where approximately 90% of your clinical time is dedicated to surgery, surgical consultations and surgical case management.
The remaining time may include supporting colleagues, discussing surgical cases and providing occasional clinical mentoring.
We are not recruiting someone to spend half their week in routine consultations or to take on a general practice management position.
We want a surgeon who loves surgery.
You’ll have the opportunity to help shape how advanced surgical services are delivered within our group, including case selection, clinical workflows, surgical protocols and the development of a sustainable referral pathway.
An Established Four-Clinic Network
Vets of Geelong is a proudly family-owned veterinary group, operated by veterinarians Dr James and Dr Jane Tiernan.
Our four clinics are located in:
- Highton
- Geelong West
- Lara
- East Geelong
Together, they provide an established source of surgical cases and a large, diverse small-animal patient population.
Initially, your surgical caseload would be developed primarily through internal referrals from our own veterinary teams.
As the service becomes established, there may also be opportunities to develop relationships with external referring veterinarians.
We believe this offers a compelling opportunity: the support and patient base of an established veterinary group, combined with the freedom to help develop a more specialised surgical service.
What Would You Be Doing?
The role would focus on advanced small-animal surgery, particularly orthopaedics and complex soft-tissue procedures.
Depending on your experience and clinical interests, your caseload may include:
- Cruciate ligament surgery, including TPLO
- Patellar luxation procedures
- Fracture repair and other orthopaedic surgery
- Complex abdominal and soft-tissue procedures
- Brachycephalic airway surgery
- Surgical assessment, case selection and treatment planning
- Pre-operative consultations and client communication
- Post-operative case management and follow-up
- Collaboration with referring veterinarians and nursing teams
We recognise that experienced surgeons develop different areas of expertise.
We’re interested in understanding the procedures you already perform confidently, the surgical work you most enjoy and the areas you’d like to develop further.
The objective is to build the service around the capabilities of the right surgeon, rather than force someone into a rigid job description.
Clinical Autonomy With the Support of an Established Business
One of the attractions of this position is the opportunity to exercise meaningful clinical independence without taking on the financial and administrative responsibilities of business ownership.
You’ll be supported by an established veterinary group with experienced veterinarians, skilled nursing teams, reception and administration staff, and operational management.
Our aim is to provide an environment where you can concentrate on:
- Delivering excellent surgical outcomes
- Developing a rewarding and varied surgical caseload
- Building strong relationships with colleagues and clients
- Improving surgical systems and clinical workflows
- Helping develop the longer-term direction of our surgical services
You’ll have the opportunity to influence the service you’re helping to build while working within the clinical and operational framework of Vets of Geelong.
Modern Facilities and Clinical Support
Across our four clinics, we’ve invested in modern facilities, diagnostic equipment and surgical infrastructure.
Our clinical resources include:
- Digital radiography and diagnostic ultrasound
- Endoscopy
- Digital dental radiography
- In-house IDEXX and VetScan laboratory diagnostics
- Modern anaesthetic monitoring equipment
- Established surgical facilities and nursing support
- A dedicated clinical app incorporating our Standards of Care
Our Highton hospital would be the principal base for developing the surgical service, with the broader clinic network supporting case identification, referrals and follow-up care.
We recognise that an advanced surgical service may require additional equipment, instruments and workflow development. These would be discussed with the successful applicant according to their surgical capabilities and the agreed direction of the service.
Remuneration That Recognises Surgical Expertise
We understand that advanced surgical skills are valuable.
We’re offering:
Remuneration from $200,000 per annum, full-time equivalent, plus superannuation.
In addition, the position will include meaningful surgical revenue-based incentives, recognising the contribution of the surgeon to developing and delivering the service.
Higher remuneration packages are negotiable for applicants with exceptional qualifications, experience and demonstrated surgical capabilities.
We’re not interested in imposing an artificial remuneration ceiling on the right person.
Our objective is to develop a commercially sustainable arrangement that rewards clinical expertise, productivity and the ongoing growth of the surgical service.
The precise remuneration and incentive structure would be discussed confidentially with suitable applicants.
A Working Week That Supports Life Outside Work
We want this to be a rewarding and sustainable long-term position.
The role is envisaged as a predominantly weekday surgical position, with a working pattern designed around the agreed surgical caseload and service requirements.
Our broader veterinary roster generally operates around a four-day working week, and we’d aim to establish a practical arrangement that supports both the surgeon and the service.
Importantly:
There are no routine overnight or after-hours on-call requirements associated with this role.
We understand that surgery can involve unexpected developments and that continuity of care matters. Any arrangements for surgical complications, post-operative follow-up or exceptional circumstances would be discussed and agreed as part of establishing the service.
Mentoring Without Becoming a Full-Time Mentor
We value the contribution that an experienced surgeon can make to the wider veterinary team.
There may be opportunities to assist colleagues with surgical case discussions, clinical decision-making and selected procedures.
However, we want to be clear about the balance of the position.
Approximately 90% or more of your clinical focus will be surgical, with mentoring and broader clinical collaboration generally limited to around 10%.
This is not a senior management position or a role primarily devoted to supervising junior veterinarians.
Your principal responsibility will be delivering and developing advanced surgical services.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re interested in hearing from veterinarians with substantial experience and demonstrated capabilities in advanced small-animal surgery.
You may have:
- Extensive experience in orthopaedic and complex soft-tissue surgery
- Membership or Fellowship qualifications through the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists
- Specialist qualifications such as ACVS or ECVS credentials
- Other relevant postgraduate surgical qualifications
- Significant practical surgical experience demonstrating advanced clinical capabilities
Formal specialist registration is not essential.
We’re equally interested in discussing the opportunity with highly capable, experienced veterinary surgeons who have developed advanced surgical expertise through years of clinical practice and further training.
Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who:
- Genuinely loves surgery
- Demonstrates sound clinical judgement and excellent surgical standards
- Is confident managing advanced surgical cases
- Communicates clearly with clients and referring veterinarians
- Values collaboration with veterinary and nursing colleagues
- Takes pride in patient outcomes and continuity of care
- Is interested in helping develop a sustainable surgical service
Why Vets of Geelong?
We’re a family-owned veterinary group that has grown from one clinic in 2010 to four practices serving the greater Geelong community.
Our values are simple:
Kindness. Trust. Teamwork.
We believe in investing in our people, supporting excellent clinical care and creating opportunities for veterinarians to pursue the areas of medicine and surgery they’re genuinely passionate about.
For the right surgeon, this position offers the opportunity to develop an advanced surgical caseload within an established veterinary business, without needing to purchase a practice, employ an entire team or manage the day-to-day responsibilities of business ownership.
And with the Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast and Melbourne within easy reach, Geelong offers an excellent lifestyle outside work.
Curious? Let’s Have a Confidential Conversation.
You might already be in a good position.
You might be working in referral practice, running your own surgical caseload or considering what the next stage of your career could look like.
We’re not expecting you to make a decision based on an advertisement.
We’d simply welcome a confidential, no-obligation conversation about what this opportunity could become.
Tell us about your surgical experience, the procedures you enjoy and what an ideal working arrangement might look like.
No elaborate cover letter or introductory video is required.
Email: jo**@***************om.au
Phone: (03) 5243 0077 (ask for Diane)
Website: www.vetsofgeelong.com.au
Vets of Geelong. Great surgery. Great people. The opportunity to build something special.