Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

OBJECTIVE:
The Animal Behaviorist performs required behavioral/enrichment/compatibility assessments for all species housed at a designated facility. They maintain behavioral database information, monthly social housing reports, quarterly behavioral assessments and other documents as needed/requested.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:
• 4 year Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (Primatology, Anthropology, Psychology, etc)
• 2+ years of direct experience with animal behavioral assessments and NHP management.
• AALAS certification (ALAT preferred or willingness to obtain within a year)

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Adhere to the BEEP (BIOQUAL Behavioral and Environmental Enhancement Plan) at designated BIOQUAL Inc. animal facility
• Perform requested/required behavior/enrichment assessments on NHPs and evaluate temperament and compatibility for NHP Housing
• Provide NHPs with positive reinforcement training and positive human interaction sessions
• Create/Update Additional Behavioral Observations (ABO) list and Abnormal Behavior Management Plans (ABMP)
• Order, help sanitize & fill, and monitor stock & proper use of edible & non-edible enrichment
• Determine new and entertaining enrichment
• Maintain facility budget for all department spending
• Create behavioral studies to help increase the understanding of various aspects of NHPs and other animals in captivity, to be directly applied to the animals housed at BIOQUAL, Inc.
• Create and perform required trainings regarding animal behavior and enrichment
• Meet periodically with veterinary staff to discuss behavior/enrichment issues/concerns, work with veterinary staff on case-specific behavior concerns and contribute to quarterly and monthly behavioral assessments.
• Perform temperament assessments on NHPs to determine compatible social partners
• Introduce and monitor NHPs deemed compatible to form social pairs
• Perform quarterly colony behavioral assessments and social group behavioral assessments
• Determine if changing room setups may decrease atypical/abnormal behaviors and increase species-typical behaviors, monitoring the improvement of abnormal/atypical behaviors of NHPs
• Update the database, and notify the Senior Behaviorist with social housing, behavioral assessments, and other department information
• Create monthly social housing breakdowns
• Perform other duties as assigned

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