Optometrist Early Career Opportunity

Just qualified and ready to take on a challenge thatll grow your confidence fast? Our Client an Optometrist in Kirkwall, Orkney, offers a career-defining first role for an ambitious optometrist who wants to develop real clinical skills in a supportive, hands-on environment, all while living somewhere truly special. Why start your career in Orkney? Orkney offers the kind of early-career experience thats hard to find anywhere else. In a single-practice island community, our client provides care across the full spectrum of patient needs, from routine exams to acute presentations and complex pathology. Our clients location means they play a key role in managing conditions locally, working closely with highly supportive secondary-care specialists. For newly qualified optometrists, this creates an exceptional learning environment : Youll see a wider variety of conditions than in most early-career roles, helping you quickly build confidence in recognising and managing pathology. Youll follow patients through from first presentation to resolution, gaining a depth of continuity that strengthens your clinical reasoning. Youll have the opportunity for regular placements with the local NHS hospital (around one day per month) with structured support to gain broader experience of ophthalmology. Youll develop adaptability and problem-solving skills that are the hallmark of strong, independent clinicians. Youll have autonomy when youre ready, but never isolation. Unlike many remote or rural posts, youll always be working alongside experienced colleagues, with immediate access to support and second opinions whenever you need them. Youll gain hands-on experience that accelerates your development far beyond whats typical in a busy, high-street environment. But what truly sets Orkney apart is the community itself. Our clients patients are warm, appreciative, and often families they have cared for across generations. That trust adds a uniquely rewarding dimension to your clinical work, one where your decisions matter, your care is valued, and your contribution is genuinely felt. This is an environment where newly qualified optometrists grow quickly, broaden their skills, and build solid clinical confidence in a supported, encouraging setting. Life beyond the practice Orkney has a thriving community of young professionals, from fellow healthcare workers to creative freelancers, engineers, and teachers. Whether youre into wild swimming, gym sessions, live music, island sports, photography, or just good pub chats, theres a brilliant social scene here if you know where to look (and our client will happily show you!). Youll also enjoy : Stunning coastal walks Regular events and festivals Great cafés, bakeries, and breweries Clubs, gigs, galleries, and sports leagues Its a fantastic place to start your career, meet new people, and enjoy a lifestyle thats both inspiring and grounded. What we offer £55,000K salary (Negotiable) Help with relocation costs Completion Bonus (£5,000 bonus paid upon completion of full years work) 1-year fixed term contract, with the option to extend Structured NHS placement opportunity in partnership with the local hospital Accommodation provided for the year 2 fully paid for return flights per year for visiting friends / family Flexible terms, including support with buying out pre-reg tie-in contracts if youre currently tied to a role you dont wish to continue in Modern tech including OCT imaging Supportive, friendly team who love what they do If youre ready to kick-start your career, build your skills, and live somewhere youll never forget, wed love to hear from you.