As an Official Veterinarian at the Food Standards Agency, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring the safety and authenticity of meat products across the UK. You’ll be part of a dedicated team safeguarding public health and animal welfare, while supporting the UK’s food industry to thrive.
Looking for a career where your expertise can make a big impact? At the Food Standards Agency (FSA), you’ll play a vital role in safeguarding food safety and animal welfare across the UK. As part of the Civil Service, you’ll benefit from job security, competitive pay, and a strong commitment to work-life balance.
This is more than a job – it’s a rewarding career with a future of opportunities for protecting public health and animal welfare. From technical leadership to stakeholder engagement, you’ll develop skills that open doors to senior roles within the Government Veterinary Profession. We’ll support you with continuous professional development, mentoring, and access to training that keeps you at the forefront of public health and food safety.
- Lead and assure delivery of official controls
- Inspect and enforce food safety and welfare standards
- Regulate and influence food business compliance
- Support farm checks, training, and incident response
What You’ll Do
As an Official Veterinarian, you’ll lead technical delivery of meat official controls in approved premises. Your responsibilities include:
• Lead and guide inspection teams to ensure consistent delivery of meat official controls.
• Conduct ante- and post-mortem inspections and verify compliance with food safety and animal welfare standards.
• Oversee technical standards in approved establishments.
• Monitor food business compliance and take proportionate enforcement action when necessary.
• Build strong relationships with Food Business Operators and key stakeholders.
• Carry out unannounced inspections and animal health checks on dairy farms.
• Support training and development for veterinary students and inspection staff.
• Participate in contingency planning for disease outbreaks and food incidents.
What You’ll Need
To apply for this role, candidates must have:
- A veterinary qualification from an RCVS approved university
- Eligibility to work for the UK Civil Service
- Have, or be prepared to work towards, Official Veterinarian designation
What We’ll Offer
The FSA has a wide range of benefits including:
- Competitive salary starting at £38,336 (Novice Official Veterinarian) and £42,596 (Official Veterinarian)
- Career pathways to senior roles within the Government Veterinary Profession
- Protecting public health and animal welfare every single day
- Be part of a supportive, diverse team that values your expertise
Hear from our team
Robert Locker, Head of Field Operations
Working for the Food Standards Agency in Field Operations is a very rewarding hands-on role. You will be right at the heart of ensuring food is safe and that animal welfare is protected by carrying out inspection in meat plants and dairy farms enforcing hygiene standards, and protecting public health. It’s a role with real impact—combining on‑the‑ground variety, strong teamwork, and a supportive, inclusive environment. Plus, the FSA’s focus on work‑life balance and career development makes it a great place to grow professionally.
Jane R Clark – Director of Veterinary Services
Why work as an Official Veterinarian in the FSA? You’ll use your veterinary skills make a difference to Animal Health and Welfare on a national scale, protect Public Health, delivering safe food, and support rural economies through underpinning assurance for both domestic and international trade. It could be the start of a rewarding career in Veterinary Public Health and you’ll also be working with fabulous colleagues in a BVA wellbeing award winning organisation.
Brahyan Alava, Field Veterinary Leader
Having worked as an Official Veterinarian, I’ve seen first‑hand how this work safeguards animal welfare, animal health and public health through visible, accountable and proportionate official controls. You are trusted to make independent, evidence‑based decisions that protect the food chain and uphold high standards. Working closely with food operators, farmers and other government departments also develops strong professional judgement and influence. It’s a role with real responsibility, impact and purpose.
