Your career with VSA
Grow your career faster, with the right people behind you
VSA is New Zealand’s leading specialist veterinary organisation, where some of the country’s most complex and rewarding clinical work happens, around the clock.
What sets us apart isn’t the varied caseload or the world-class facilities, it is the support that you receive. It’s not something you have to ask for, it’s built into how we work.
Whether you’re a new graduate finding your feet, or an experienced clinician ready to push further, you’ll join a team with a structured mentorship program, specialist support built into every shift, and a clear pathway forward from day one.
As part of VSA, you’ll have access to New Zealand’s most advanced referral and emergency hospitals and the broader network of specialists, resources, and career opportunities that come with being part of Sterling Group.
Within VSA Animal Emergency , you’ll see the kind of cases that sharpen your skills fast, in an environment designed to help you learn.
If you want to develop quickly, work alongside some of New Zealand’s best specialists, and be part of a team that genuinely invests in the people within it, this is where to do it.
A career pathway for you
Vicky
Head Nurse - Mt Albert
Ryan
Senior Nurse - Sylvia Park
Dr Izzy McEwan
Radiology Registrar
Cori
Veterinary Nurse
Alana
Operations Manager
Our world-class facilities
Our purpose-built hospitals in Auckland West, Sylvia Park, and Christchurch are some of the most advanced specialist and emergency facilities in New Zealand. From CT and endoscopy to spinal surgery, hydrotherapy, fracture plating, and chemotherapy, our teams have the tools and the expertise to deliver outstanding outcomes for patients and their families.
But world-class facilities only matter when you have world-class people to work alongside. Our hospitals are made up of an incredible mix of vets, nurses, physiotherapists, animal care assistants, receptionists, administrators, and support staff, all working together toward the same goal. At VSA, that collaborative culture isn’t incidental. It’s how we operate.
Whether you’re looking to develop specialist skills, build a long-term career in emergency medicine, or find a team that invests in your growth, our three locations offer genuine opportunities across all roles.
If you’re looking for a veterinary career in New Zealand, we’d love to hear from you.
Clinical expertise
Our purpose-built hospitals are equipped with leading technology across surgery, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, anaesthesia, neurology, cardiology, and physiotherapy. But what makes them exceptional is the expertise within them.
Working here means learning from some of New Zealand’s best specialists, across a breadth and volume of cases you won’t find anywhere else in the country. Both Auckland hospitals also offer unparalleled 24-hour emergency services.
Our culture
Our hospitals operate at scale, but our culture is built on connection, support, and genuine investment in the people within them. Across our three specialist hospitals, we place people at the heart of everything we do.
We’re united by a shared passion for our work and a commitment to excellence — and we’ve built an environment where professionals can thrive, feel genuinely supported, and do their best work every day.
Work-life balance
As a leader in the industry, we understand the pressures the veterinary profession can place on people. We work hard to make sure our team can enjoy full lives outside of work, not just talk about it.
Most of our full-time team members work a four-day week, giving you an extra day each week for personal commitments and freeing up time for rest, connection, and time to enjoy living in New Zealand.
Mentorship and growth
Supporting our people to grow is central to how we operate. Through structured internship and mentorship programs, we actively invest in emerging veterinarians and support development at every career stage.
Our nurses are encouraged to pursue ongoing CPD, and we maintain a long-standing commitment to training and supporting future veterinary nurses across all three of our hospitals.
Benefits
- Competitive remuneration
- Kiwi Saver
- Opportunities for staff to gain higher qualifications
- Paid yearly membership to both the NZVA and NZVNA
- Regular Individual Development
- Reviews to make sure staff are progressing well
- Paid conference attendance for both Veterinarians and Nurses
- In-house CPD including both veterinary and nurse journal reviews each month
- Social events
- Flu vaccine
Career development
When you join VSA, whether in the clinical team or as support staff, there are opportunities for growth.
Since 2018, VSA have hosted a symposium for the veterinary community called Winterfest. Winterfest is a full-day educational event with inspirational speakers covering a wide variety of topics including medicine, physiotherapy, surgery, case studies, emergency care, behaviour, dermatology, and anaesthesia. This is not only a chance for our incredible team to learn from each other but to also to inform the rest of the veterinary community on the latest techniques and advances in veterinary medicine.
Giving back and community support
At VSA we take our role in the wider community very seriously. For a number of years we have supported Auckland City Mission, holding collections for both of their winter and Christmas appeals and also helping out in the kitchens and packing food parcels.
Each year, we select a charity to work with and across our hospitals, we work to drive awareness and raise funds. Recently, we have raised funds for:
- Loud Shirt Day, helping to raise funds for children and adults with profound hearing loss
- Pink Shirt Day, which works to create schools, workplaces, communities and whānau where everyone feels safe, valued and respected
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Movember, making a difference in mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer
- Gutter Kitties, Auckland’s largest no kill cat rescue
- Chained Dogs, rehabilitaion and rehoming of dogs in Auckland and around the country
- Jammies in June, which give pyjamas to thousands of children in need across South Auckland through the Middlemore Foundation
Move your Vet Career to NZ
New Zealand consistently ranks as a top destination to emigrate, and it’s easy to see why. With a temperate climate, stunning beaches, scenic countryside, and access to ski resorts, our location offers an ideal balance for work-life harmony and mental wellbeing.
We’re fortunate to have our hospitals close to everything NZ has to offer. In Auckland, enjoy city life, nearby beaches, vineyards, the Waitakere ranges, and the ski slopes of Ruapehu just a short drive away. Christchurch brings its own charm, with easy access to the South Island’s iconic spots like Fiordland, Queenstown, and coastal escapes.
As an Accredited Employer with Immigration New Zealand, we’re here to assist qualified veterinarians with the visa process, making it simple to join us.
Ready to join us?
Whether you’re based in New Zealand or looking to make the move here, we’d love to hear from you. We have opportunities across veterinary, nursing, specialist, and support roles — for those already in New Zealand and for qualified professionals considering a move from overseas. If you’re a vet, vet specialist, physiotherapist, or veterinary nurse, VSA could be your next step.
For those thinking about relocating, New Zealand offers an exceptional quality of life alongside world-class veterinary practice.
Whatever your situation, if you’re passionate about your work and looking for a team that invests in the people within it, get in touch.