Director of Veterinary Services

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: 45,000–70,000 AED (consult employer)

Senior veterinary leadership position overseeing veterinary medicine, laboratory operations, diagnostics, welfare programs, quarantine protocols, research, and regulatory compliance within Atlantis Resorts’ marine animal operations.

• Lead the veterinary medical program for marine mammals, aquatic species, and zoological animal collections.
• Oversee preventative healthcare, diagnostics, treatment planning, surgical procedures, emergency response, and long‑term animal welfare management.
• Manage veterinary and laboratory teams by setting priorities, developing talent, reviewing performance, and promoting high clinical standards.
• Establish and maintain quarantine, biosecurity, disease surveillance, and disease prevention protocols.
• Provide advanced clinical oversight in imaging, ultrasound, radiography, endoscopy, surgery, anesthesia, pathology, and post‑mortem analysis.
• Work with animal care, husbandry, life support, water quality, and operations teams to support best‑in‑class animal health outcomes.
• Review population health data, laboratory findings, treatment outcomes, and welfare indicators to guide operational improvements.
• Ensure compliance with UAE regulations, international zoological standards, aquarium practices, animal welfare requirements, and internal policies.
• Develop veterinary protocols, standard operating procedures, clinical records, risk assessments, and reporting frameworks.
• Support aquatic animal husbandry, population management, nutrition, enrichment, welfare monitoring, and medical decision‑making.
• Lead applied clinical research, conservation‑related initiatives, scientific publications, conference presentations, and professional knowledge sharing.
• Manage budgets, resource planning, equipment needs, laboratory supplies, external specialist support, and veterinary operational costs.
• Act as a professional spokesperson on veterinary, marine animal health, welfare, and scientific matters when required.
• Promote continuous improvement, innovation, ethical practice, and evidence‑based decision‑making across marine animal operations.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from an accredited institution.
• Valid veterinary license with eligibility for registration in the UAE.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in zoological, aquarium, marine animal, or aquatic animal health environments.
• Strong exposure to marine mammal medicine and diverse aquatic species care.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience managing veterinary, laboratory, animal health, or zoological medical teams.
• Advanced clinical capability in diagnostics, surgery, imaging, ultrasound, radiography, endoscopy, anesthesia, and post‑mortem analysis.
• Deep understanding of aquatic animal health, husbandry, welfare, population management, and clinical care for varied species.
• Strong knowledge of water quality analysis, life support systems, and their connection to animal health outcomes.
• Proven experience developing quarantine, biosecurity, disease prevention, and regulatory compliance programs.
• Demonstrated involvement in clinical research, conservation research, publications, or conference presentations.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in budget management, operational planning, and resource control.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex scientific and medical information clearly.
• Strategic mindset with strong collaboration skills across animal care, operations, life support, leadership, and regulatory stakeholders.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, accountability, and flexibility to work irregular hours or travel when required.

• Marine mammal medicine
• Aquatic animal health
• Veterinary leadership
• Zoological medicine
• Aquarium veterinary care
• Preventative healthcare
• Animal welfare management
• Clinical diagnostics
• Veterinary surgery
• Ultrasound imaging
• Radiography
• Endoscopy
• Postmortem analysis
• Quarantine protocols
• Biosecurity management
• Disease prevention
• Laboratory operations
• Water quality analysis
• Life support systems
• Population management
• Animal husbandry
• Clinical research
• Scientific publication
• Regulatory compliance
• Budget management
• Veterinary program development

Competitive tax‑free salary in UAE Dirhams, health insurance with dental coverage, annual flights home, life insurance, incentive pro