02 April 2026

Veterinary officers within the Food safety and Security Authority in Malta

About Company / Organization

Food Safety and Security Authority (FSSA)

recruitment.fssa@gov.mt

Job Description

Veterinary officers within the Food safety and Security Authority in Malta

Malta

Open for applications

A Veterinary Officer within the Food Safety and Security Authority (FSSA) are professionals who implements policies related to animal welfare, enforces regulations, and performs veterinary duties such as inspections and procedures. Their primary role consists of protecting animal health, preventing cruelty, and ensuring compliance with laws governing animal establishments. A Veterinary Officer will be reporting directly to the Senior/Principal Veterinary Officer s/he is assigned to.

Key Responsibility

The role and responsibilities of the Veterinary Officer play a crucial role in food safety by overseeing animal health on farms, which is the first step in the food chain, and by inspecting food-producing establishments like slaughterhouses and processing plants to ensure hygiene and compliance with standards. They also control the production and use of animal feed to ensure safety and proper nutrition for livestock. Veterinary Officers work in various units such as animal health, enforcement, slaughterhouse inspection, animal welfare, animal identification checks, Intra-Trade and audits.

Main Accountabilities & Responsibilities:
The Veterinary Officer shall be responsible of the below roles and responsibilities:
· Assumes responsibilities as delegated to him/her by his/her Senior and carries out tasks with the greatest competence.
· Performs tasks assigned to him/her as long as they do not breach the ethics of the Veterinary Profession and be responsible for the occupational health and safety of his/her support staff.
· Carries out tasks assigned by his/her superior, tasks which are out of the routine functions and out of the remit of the same Authority in case of shortage of staff.
· Carries out assigned tasks, in case of emergency situations, where s/he would be directed by other officers to carry them out, as long as these activities do not breach the code of ethics
produced by the Veterinary Surgeons’ Council and that his/her direct superior is informed in writing on his/her temporary new post.
· Assumes responsibilities conferred to the Veterinary Officer by his/her superior, which shall lie solely within the functions assigned to him/her at a Division level.
· Monitors through compliance checks, regulates and enforces all Maltese and European legislations and international standards in the sector to which s/he is assigned.
· Attends at EU meeting and other meetings as assigned to him/her during the course of the duties.
· Assists with the preparation of dossiers, polices, standards, guidelines and specifications of other documents which are of a technical nature, and which pertain to animal welfare or the veterinary field.
· Collects evidence, carries out veterinary assessments/examination including necropsies, draft reports and present such evidence in court as, when and if necessary.
· Ensures that the relative Health and Safety Regulations are scrupulously adhered to.
· Attends training courses as directed by the Authority.
· Undertakes any clinical consultation/examination, administers treatments and carries out surgical operations which include neutering and general surgery.
· Undertakes any other tasks, which the superior may delegate to him/her, as may be required.
· Performs any other duties as directed by the Chief Executive Officer.
Job Entry Requirements

By the closing time and date of this call for applications, applicants must be:
i. a. citizens of Malta; or
b. citizens of other Member States of the European Union who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters of employment by virtue of EU legislation and treaty provisions dealing with the free movement of workers; or
c. citizens of any other country who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters related to employment by virtue of the application to that country of EU legislation and treaty provisions dealing with the free movement of workers; or
d. any other persons who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters related to employment in terms of the law or the above-mentioned EU legislation and treaty provisions, on account of their family relationship with persons mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c); or
e. third country nationals who have been granted long-term resident status in Malta under regulation 4 of the “Status of Long-Term Residents (Third Country Nationals) Regulations, 2006” or who have been granted a residence permit under regulation 18(3) thereof, together with family members of such third country nationals who have been granted a residence permit under the “Family Reunification Regulations, 2007”; or
f. in possession of a residence document issued in terms of the “Residence Status of United Kingdom Nationals and their Family Members in Malta in accordance with the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community Regulations”.
The advice of the Citizenship Unit within Community Malta Agency and the Expatriates Unit within Identita` should be sought as necessary in the interpretation of the above provisions.
The appointment of candidates referred to at (b), (c), (d) and (e) above would necessitate the issue of an employment licence in so far as this is required by the Immigration Act and subsidiary legislation. Jobsplus should be consulted as necessary on this issue.
ii. able to communicate in the Maltese or English languages in order to sufficiently and adequately carry out the duties applied for.
AND
iii. warranted graduates in Veterinary Medicine.

Terms and Conditions

· This appointment is subject to a probationary period of twelve (12) months.
· The salary for the post of Veterinary Officer is Salary Scale 9, which in the year 2026 is equivalent to, €28,701.02 per annum, rising by annual increments of €447.33 up to a maximum of €31,385.00.
· A Veterinary Officer (Scale 9) will be promoted to the grade of Veterinary Officer in Scale 8 (€30,405.02 x €486.83 - €33,326.00) on completion of two (2) years’ service in the grade subject to satisfactory performance.
· A Veterinary Officer in Scale 9 who already possesses proven work experience as a Veterinary Officer shall be placed in Salary Scale 8 (€28,792.02 x €486.83 - €31,713.00 in 2025) upon satisfying two years of experience.
· A selected applicant in possession of a Warrant to practice as Veterinary Surgeon and who has not less than two (2) years of professional practise after obtaining the warrant will be appointed Veterinary Officer in Scale 8 (€30,405.02 x €486.83 - €33,326.00).
· A Veterinary Officer (Scale 8) will progress to Scale 7 (€32,158.00 x €531.17 - €35,345.02) in 2026) subject to satisfactory performance, on completion of four (4) years satisfactory service in Salary Scale 8.
· A Veterinary Officer in Salary Scale 8 who is in possession of a related post-graduate qualification at MQF Level 7 (subject to a minimum of 90 ECTS/ECVET credits, or equivalent*) shall progress to Salary Scale 7 (€32,158.00 x €531.17 - €35,345.02) after two (2) years of satisfactory service in Salary Scale 8.
*A recognised Masters qualification with a minimum of 60 ECTS/ECVET credits is only accepted subject to an MQRIC formal Masters recognition statement being submitted with the application. A recognised Masters qualification from the University of Malta (awarded pre-2009) with less than 60 ECTS/ECVET credits is acceptable provided that it is verified by MQRIC or the University of Malta that the workload is comparable to at least 60 ECTS/ECVET credits.

· Appointees will also be entitled to such other benefits and such other conditions and obligations as stipulated in the Veterinary Class Agreement.

· Selected candidates must be of conduct which is appropriate to the post/position applied for. Prior to appointment, selected candidates from outside the Public Service must produce a Certificate of Conduct issued by the Criminal Records Office or other competent authority not earlier than six (6) months from the closing date of this call for applications, which should be submitted by the selected candidate within one (1) week from the date of the notification of appointment