Clinical Lead Veterinarian

Locally led, nationally connected, centrally supported 

Animal Emergency Australia (AEA) is Australia’s largest employee-owned emergency veterinary network, operating 14 hospitals across Australia. 

We combine the expertise, resources and collaboration of a nationally connected network with the agility of locally led hospitals, creating an environment where our teams can focus on delivering quality patient care and outcomes. 

You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to something bigger, collaborate with talented colleagues across the country, and access a wider range of development pathways. 

Animal Emergency Service (AES) Hawthorn East  

At AES Hawthorn East, part of the Animal Emergency Australia (AEA) network, you’ll collaborate with some of the most highly skilled ECC professionals in the industry, with a strong culture of mentorship and knowledge sharing. 

AES Hawthorn East is a well-equipped, purpose-built emergency and critical care hospital, providing access to: 

• On-site CT machine  
• Digital radiology 
• Blood gas and advanced point-of-care diagnostics 
• Multiparameter monitoring and anesthetic ventilators routinely used in surgery 
• Dedicated surgical suites with Melbourne city views 
• Separate dog and cat ICU  

We have intentionally designed our roster, workflows, facilities and culture to create a sustainable emergency career where you can practice high-quality medicine, continue growing professionally, and still have time for the things that matter outside the hospital. 

We’re proud to operate with an Open Hospital philosophy 

We believe transparency, empathy, and clinical excellence go hand in hand, with each being central to our philosophy and guiding principles.

We encourage owner involvement through extended visiting opportunities, helping families remain connected with their pets during hospitalisation. We set guidelines for our clients to make our staff feel as comfortable and supported as our clients are.

With a 4.9-star Google rating from more than 600 reviews, we’re proud of the care and experience we provide to pets and their families in our local community. 
  
About the Role 

As the Clinical Lead, you’ll be the trusted advisor and on‑floor mentor for our veterinary team. You’ll drive clinical governance, education, and training, and ensure our standards continue to rise. You’ll be the calm in the chaos and the leader who brings out the best in every clinician. 
You’ll support the clinical success of the hospital by: 

• Leading clinical governance, policy development and continuous improvement 
• Ensuring the team understands and applies best‑practice ECC standards 
• Coaching, mentoring and supporting veterinarians and nurses in real time 
• Guiding decision-making for complex ECC cases 
• Leading induction, training programs and development pathways 
• Supporting recruitment, IDPs and clinician development initiatives 
• Full-time position based onsite in Hawthorn East (Melbourne)  
• Primarily supernumerary roster (9am –9pm) with clinical shifts as required + on-call support 

About you  

• Minimum 5 years’ experience as a veterinarian in a fast-paced ECC environment 
• A passion for teaching, mentoring and developing vets and nurses 
• Experience in leadership or clinical mentorship 
• High-level communication skills and a collaborative mindset 
• Initiative, reliability and a drive to achieve continual improvement 
• Ability to create, review and implement clinical policies 
• Membership with ANZCVS and leadership training (LIVE, Chrysalis, Dare to Lead, Cert IV) are highly regarded. 

What We Offer 

• Remuneration for this role is c. $185,000 base pro rata + super  
• AEA’s full benefits suite: CPD allowance, paid study leave, VIN, mentoring, wellbeing programs 
• Work with a supportive, values‑driven ECC team as part of a national organisation  
• Real career progression into senior leadership pathways 
• A workplace built on kindness, integrity, trust and continual improvement 

Ready for your next challenge?   

If you’re an experienced ECC veterinarian who wants to make an impact by supporting the development of the next generation of ECC, we’d like to hear from you.  

Please submit your CV via the apply link. Applications close Sunday 23rd of August. 

For a confidential discussion, please contact Mitchell Merritt at *******@aes.email

  
At Animal Emergency Australia, we know that different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives make our teams stronger. We’re proud to be an inclusive employer and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ people, veterans, carers and people of all ages. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’re happy to help.