Veterinary Technician/Animal Care Assistant – Farm Animal Health & Mobile Veterinary Services
The Lifestyle Vet | West Auckland
Part-time or Casual | Approximately 2.5–3 days per week
Love farm animals, being outdoors and getting stuck into physical work?
The Lifestyle Vet is looking for a physically fit, practical and enthusiastic Veterinary Technician / Animal Healthcare Assistant to join our friendly, close-knit team in West Auckland.
We are an established, high-end veterinary practice specialising in the care of people's much-loved lifestyle block pets, including sheep, goats, alpacas, pigs and cattle.
Our services include preventative Animal Healthcare Plans, mobile veterinary consultations, in-house hospitalisation and specialised referral services.
This is a unique opportunity to join a progressive veterinary practice offering a rewarding combination of preventative farm animal healthcare and hands-on veterinary technician work.
This is a physically demanding, predominantly outdoor role, so excellent physical fitness, practical livestock handling experience and a willingness to work in all weather conditions are essential.
About the role
The position combines two key areas of responsibility.
1. Animal Healthcare Plans – Preventative Healthcare
A significant proportion of your work will involve delivering our established Animal Healthcare Plans to lifestyle property owners.
Responsibilities include:
Safely handling, restraining and moving sheep, goats, alpacas and other livestock
Administering vaccinations, oral drenches and mineral injections under appropriate veterinary direction and protocols
Hoof trimming and routine animal husbandry
Assisting with preventative healthcare procedures
Recognising potential animal health concerns and communicating these to our veterinarians
Providing practical animal healthcare advice and client education within your scope of practice
Maintaining accurate treatment records and completing associated administration
Preparing, transporting and maintaining equipment
Following appropriate training and competency assessment, you'll be expected to independently manage scheduled Animal Healthcare Plan visits.
Excellent time management, organisation and punctuality are essential, as you'll be responsible for managing your daily schedule, arriving at client appointments on time and completing work efficiently without compromising animal welfare or safety.
2. Mobile Veterinary Technician & Hospital Support
You'll also work alongside our experienced veterinarians, assisting with the treatment and care of sick and injured farm animals.
Responsibilities may include:
Assisting with animal handling, restraint and clinical examinations
Preparing equipment and assisting with diagnostic and treatment procedures
Supporting veterinarians during on-farm consultations and procedures
Assisting with the nursing care and monitoring of hospitalised patients
Supporting complex medical and referral cases
Maintaining veterinary equipment and ensuring an organised working environment
Our combination of mobile veterinary services, in-house hospitalisation and referral work offers a fantastic opportunity to develop a diverse range of practical and clinical skills.
Physical fitness is essential!
This is not a traditional clinic-based veterinary nursing position.
Much of our work takes place outdoors on lifestyle properties, often in paddocks, yards and challenging terrain.
Our team works together in all sorts of weather. While the work can be physically demanding, it's also incredibly rewarding and often a lot of fun!
The successful candidate must:
Have a high level of physical fitness, strength and stamina
Be capable of safely handling and restraining large, sometimes uncooperative farm animals
Be comfortable with repetitive bending, lifting, crouching and prolonged periods on their feet
Enjoy working outdoors in hot, cold, wet and muddy conditions
Have a practical, hands-on attitude and genuinely enjoy being active
Safe animal handling and good judgement are essential, and we place a strong emphasis on teamwork and supporting one another during demanding tasks.
Who are we looking for?
We're looking for someone with a positive attitude, a strong work ethic and a genuine passion for animal health and welfare.
Essential attributes and experience:
Previous practical experience handling livestock, ideally sheep, goats or alpacas
Excellent physical fitness and the ability to safely undertake demanding manual work
Strong time management skills and the ability to work efficiently
Excellent punctuality, reliability and a commitment to arriving at appointments on time
Good organisational skills and the ability to independently manage a daily schedule
Confidence and sound judgement when working around farm animals
A friendly, professional manner and excellent client communication skills
A proactive attitude, initiative and good problem-solving skills
The ability to work both independently and as part of a small team
A genuine commitment to animal welfare and high standards of patient care
A full New Zealand driver's licence
Desirable but not essential:
Veterinary nursing or veterinary technician qualifications
Previous experience working in a veterinary practice
Experience with preventative livestock healthcare, including vaccinations, drenching and hoof trimming
Experience working with alpacas, goats and sheep
An interest in developing veterinary nursing and animal healthcare skills
We welcome applications from qualified veterinary nurses and technicians, as well as candidates with strong practical livestock experience who have the right attitude and enthusiasm to learn.
Hours and employment arrangements
We currently have approximately 2.5–3 days of work available per week.
We are open to either a part-time or casual employment arrangement, depending on the successful applicant's experience and availability.
Working days and hours may vary depending on seasonal demand and scheduled veterinary visits.
Why join The Lifestyle Vet?
This isn't your typical veterinary technician position!
You'll be joining a progressive, independently owned veterinary practice dedicated to providing exceptional care to people's much-loved lifestyle farm animals.
We offer:
A unique combination of preventative healthcare, mobile veterinary work and hospital-based patient care
The opportunity to work with a diverse range of farm animal species
Exposure to interesting and complex medical cases through our hospitalisation and referral services
A friendly, supportive team that enjoys working together
Plenty of fresh air, outdoor work and variety
Opportunities to develop specialised animal healthcare and veterinary technician skills
The independence to manage preventative healthcare visits
A rewarding role where no two days are quite the same!
About The Lifestyle Vet
The Lifestyle Vet is an established, independently owned veterinary practice based in West Auckland.
We specialise in providing premium veterinary and preventative healthcare services to lifestyle block animals, with a strong focus on individualised care, animal welfare and long-term relationships with our clients.
Our services include comprehensive preventative Animal Healthcare Plans, mobile veterinary consultations, in-house hospitalisation and specialised referral services.
We pride ourselves on delivering compassionate, progressive and personalised veterinary care, treating our patients as the much-loved pets they are.
Interested?
If you're physically fit, passionate about farm animals, highly organised and would love a rewarding role combining outdoor work with specialised veterinary care, we'd love to hear from you!
Please apply through SEEK with your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant livestock handling experience and why this position appeals to you.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to participate in a supervised practical skills assessment as part of the recruitment process. This will provide an opportunity to demonstrate safe animal handling, practical skills and teamwork in a real-world veterinary environment.