JOB DESCRIPTION AND FURTHER DETAILS
EQUINE TECHNICIAN
EQUINE REFERRAL HOSPITAL
CSD/0001/09
THE POST
Post:
Equine Technician
Grade:
2
Responsible to:
The Hospital Manager through the Yard Co-ordinator
Location:
Equine Referral Hospital, Hawkshead Campus
Summary:
To be an efficient and effective member of the team responsible for
providing technical and animal care services within the Royal Veterinary
College’s Equine Referral Hospital.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide the highest standards of equine husbandry, stable management and technical support
for patients in all clinical areas of the hospital, including the hospital stable barns, lunge and
trot up areas, surgical theatres, diagnostics unit, neonatal intensive care unit, pharmacy,
clinical examination rooms, treadmill room, fields and others. Since we have farm animals as
well as horses on this site, these duties will also include looking after, handling and managing
farm animals.

Provide the husbandry and management for hospitalised cases and out-patients including:
assisting with the admission and discharge of patients; feeding, grooming, mucking out,
preparation and cleaning of stables; supervision, instruction and assessment of students in
equine husbandry and management.

Provide technical support for clinicians including: the setting up and turn-round of procedure
rooms and surgical theatre; setting up and calibration of diagnostic and other equipment;
maintenance, care and cleaning of equipment; liaising with the Head Equine Nurse to ensure
prompt equipment repair and that maintenance is carried out at the recommended intervals.

Assist clinicians with clinical procedures including: holding and restraint of horses; trotting-up
and lunging of horses; collection of samples; assistance, where required with all diagnostic and
treatment procedures including imaging, standing surgery and assistance with induction and
preparation of patients in surgical theatre.

Assist with the supervision and instruction of students working in the hospital; maintenance of
accurate records for college owned animals and patients.

Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and organisation within all areas of the hospital,
ensure that all stock levels (feed, bedding and other consumables) are maintained in all clinical
areas and ensure that all stock, consumables and procedures are accurately recorded for case
management and billing purposes.

Maintain all agricultural machinery held by the hospital.

Work as part of a team; prioritise and complete all tasks effectively and efficiently.

Communicate effectively with all staff, students, clients and visitors.

Take part in continued professional development programmes as required.

Maintain a flexible, positive and at all times professional approach to work in a changing
environment.

Duties are shared with other technicians on a rota basis for which overtime is paid.

Training will be given, where necessary, with specific systems or equipment.

Any other duties, as reasonably requested by your Line Manager, Hospital Manager or
Head of Equine.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Post:
Grade:
Location:
Equine Technician
2
Hawkshead Campus, Near Potters Bar, Hertfordshire
Training and
Education

Experience



Skills and
Knowledge


Behavioural Skills






Special
Circumstances


ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
4 or more GCSEs including
English and Science/Maths and/or
an equine vocational qualification
DESIRABLE CRITERIA
 Equine science graduate
Extensive practical experience of
equine husbandry and
management
Previous experience of working
in a team based environment
Experience of, or interest in,
demonstrating practical skills to
others

Experience of an equine
hospital and/or theatre
environment
Good range of practical skills
within an equine environment
Excellent horse handling skills


Computer and IT skills
Knowledge of veterinary
sector, equine practice and
equine hospitals
Ability to work on own initiative,
with limited supervision
Ability to handle pressurised and
potentially difficult situations
Ability to use tact and discretion
when working with sensitive and
personal issues
Positive and professional attitude
to work
Ability to work in an efficient and
organised manner, with the
ability to handle multiple tasks
Good communication skills. Must
enjoy working with people and
must be “customer-focused”
A good level of fitness/stamina
Able to carry out manual tasks.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
The appointment will be made according to qualifications and experience on the College’s pay
structure, Grade 2, £17,539 - £19,841 per annum, inclusive of £2,323 per annum London Allowance.
Additional supplements will be paid to cover Weekends, Bank Holidays and Sickness which is
non-pensionable, based on 18 Saturdays (5 hours x 1 ½), 18 Sundays (5 hours x 2) based on your
current basic salary. You will be expected to work some Bank Holidays for which overtime will be
paid at normal overtime rate. The out of hours supplement is conditional upon you taking part in
the departments out of hour’s rota and working a minimum of 18 weekends. Due to the
unexpected nature of the work, if you are required to work in excess of this e.g. to cover sickness
and holiday it has been authorised by your line manager you will be entitled to claim overtime at a
rate of 1 ½ on a Saturday and 2 x on a Sunday. This arrangement will be reviewed on an annual
basis in accordance with business needs.
This is a full-time post and normal hours of work are 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday. The
equine Referral Hospital operates a 24 hour 7 day a week emergency service and Technicians are
required to participate in an on call rota for Weekends and Bank Holidays.
The annual leave entitlement is 25 working days per annum, plus Bank Holidays and
concessionary days offered over the Christmas Closure period (usually 3 days between Christmas
and New Year). Due to the nature of our service, you may be required in your post to cover during
Bank Holidays and the Christmas Closure period. All holiday is to be taken at a time agreed in
consultation with your line manager.
You will be eligible to join the Superannuation Arrangements of the University of London Scheme
(SAUL).
The College has a “no smoking” policy. Smoking is only permitted in certain designated areas of
the College campus.
All equipment issued by the college is to be returned on termination of employment.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
For informal enquiries please contact Mr. David Dixon, Practice Manager on 01707 666260 or
email: ddixon@rvc.ac.uk.
For further information and to apply online please visit our website: www.rvc.ac.uk
Closing date for applications: Friday 23rd January 2009
Interviews to be held: Wednesday 4th February 2009
FURTHER DETAILS AND INFORMATION
THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE
The Royal Veterinary College is the UK’s first and largest veterinary school and a constituent
College of the University of London. A detailed history of the College and details of all facilities
can be found by visiting the web site: http://www.rvc.ac.uk
COLLEGE LOCATION AND FACILITIES
The College is situated on two campuses, one at Camden Town in North London (the Camden
Campus) and the other on a 230 hectare site in the attractive Hertfordshire countryside near
Potters Bar (the Hawkshead Campus). The two campuses are 15 miles apart and are easily
accessible by road and rail.
The Hawkshead Campus houses the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and part of the
Departments of Pathology and Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Basic Sciences. The Campus is
also home to the Equine Referral Hospital, the Equine and Large Animal Practices and The Queen
Mother Hospital for Animals (the small animal referral hospital for the College).
At the Hawkshead Campus, there are ample sports facilities including squash and tennis courts
and a swimming pool.
THE EQUINE REFERRAL HOSPITAL
Undergraduate and postgraduate students rotate through these areas during their training.
The Equine Referral Hospital is a centre of excellence for equine clinical science and
undergraduate and postgraduate education. The Hospital has recently been extended to include a
state of the art diagnostic imaging building. The facilities have been enhanced to ensure the most
up to date treatment for referred cases. It acts as a referral centre for second opinion cases,
predominantly from the South of England.
On average, the Hospital sees 600-700 referred surgical and medical cases each year. A large
number of senior vets, with specialist knowledge in a wide range of areas from Cardiology to
Orthopaedics, ensures that every case has the benefit of a huge pool of expertise.
The Equine Practice is expanding and provides an ambulatory service to horse owners and stables
in North London, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. The practice works closely with the
Equine Referral Hospital to ensure practice patients receive priority access to specialist care,
including hospitalisation, when required. The Farm Animal Practice provides ambulatory clinical
services to farms in the SE of England.