

Position Description
If you’re looking to be a part of a collaborative environment where your skills can make an impact, explore our current opportunities in creating a better future for public health.About Harris County Public Health: Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more ...

The Animal Behaviorist will assess and manage animal behavior, develop behavior modification plans, and train staff and volunteers. Responsibilities include conducting behavioral evaluations, monitoring and documenting animal behavior, providing recommendations for humane euthanasia, collaborating with veterinary staff, developing individualized behavior modification plans, training staff and volunteers on animal handling, assisting in community outreach and education, and staying informed on the latest research in animal behavior.

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Master's degree in animal science, zoology, biology, psychology, or ethology.

Bachelor’s degree in animal science, zoology, biology, psychology, or ethology.

At least five (5) years of experience working with cats and dogs in a behavior or training role, preferably in a shelter or rescue environment.

Valid Texas Driver's License.

Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Behavioral Evaluation

Behavior Monitoring

Risk Assessment

Collaboration

Behavior Modification Plans

Staff Training

Community Education

Microsoft Office Proficiency

Animal Welfare Knowledge

Animal Behaviorist

JOB TITLE:                                                      Animal BehavioristFLSA STATUS:                                              Exempt, Full-timeREPORTS TO:                                                Behavior and Rescue ManagerSummaryUnder the direction of the Behavior and Rescue Man...

Provide leadership and oversight for the behavioral health, enrichment, training, and overall well-being of animals across both shelter locations. Develop and implement behavior support strategies, focusing on individualized behavior planning, humane handling, enrichment, and behavior modification. Collaborate with veterinarians and medical professionals to develop behavior modification plans and provide training to staff and volunteers.

JOB TITLE:                                                      Animal BehavioristFLSA STATUS:                                             Exempt, Full-timeREPORTS TO:                                              Behavior and Rescue Manager SummaryUnder the direction of the Behavior and Rescue Manager, the Behavior Supervisor provides leadership and oversight for the behavioral health, enrichment, training, and overall well-being of Pets In Need animals across both shelter locations. This role is responsible for developing and implementing behavior support strategies from intake through placement, with an emphasis on individualized behavior planning, humane handling, enrichment, behavior modification, volunteer training, and cross-functional collaboration.The Behavior Supervisor serves as a key resource for staff, fosters, volunteers, and leadership on animal behavior, with a strong focus on canine behavior and welfare. This position supports organizational decision-making related to quality of life, placement pathways, housing, behavior intervention, and safe, effective handling practices.Essential Duties<ul data-depth="1" data-pattern="discCircleSquare" style='font-family:"Basel Grotesk",Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;margin:8px 0px;line-height:1.6;padding:0px 0px 0px 32px;list-style-type:disc;'><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Develops, implements, and evaluates individualized training, behavior modification, enrichment, and socialization plans for animals in shelter care and foster care.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Provides clear written and verbal guidance to staff, fosters, and volunteers to ensure consistent implementation of behavior plans and handling protocols.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Monitors and evaluates the behavioral health and welfare of animals across both shelter locations and identifies appropriate interventions to support emotional well-being, safety, and successful placement.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Assesses and recommends optimal housing, handling, enrichment, and management strategies for shelter animals based on behavior, stress level, medical needs, and quality of life considerations.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Collaborates with Pets In Need veterinarians, veterinary behaviorists, and other medical professionals to develop and implement behavior modification plans, including behavior medication support when appropriate.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Provides leadership, coaching, and training to animal care staff, foster caregivers, and volunteers on animal behavior, humane handling, training techniques, and shelter behavior best practices.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Oversees, trains, and directly manages advanced behavior volunteers, including blue-level volunteers.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Develops written behavior summaries, assessments, training updates, and recommendations to support internal decision-making, foster placement, adoption counseling, and rescue pathways.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Supports the development, evaluation, and ongoing improvement of behavior department protocols, including handling, enrichment, playgroup, socialization, assessment, and quality-of-life procedures.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Participates as a member of the Pets In Need Quality of Life Committee and contributes behavior-related expertise to case review and outcome planning.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Partners with Behavior, Rescue, Medical, Animal Care, Foster, and leadership teams to develop coordinated care plans for animals with complex behavioral, medical, or placement needs.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Supports rescue pathway planning and assists the Rescue department as needed.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Connects fosters and adopters with contracted behavior support resources when appropriate.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Oversees inventory, organization, and appropriate use of Behavior Department supplies and equipment.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Models professional, compassionate, inclusive, and welfare-centered leadership in all interactions with staff, volunteers, fosters, adopters, and community partners.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Performs other duties as assigned.</li></ul>QualificationsTo perform this role successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements below represent the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for success in this position.Education and Experience<ul data-depth="1" data-pattern="discCircleSquare" style='font-family:"Basel Grotesk",Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;margin:8px 0px;line-height:1.6;padding:0px 0px 0px 32px;list-style-type:disc;'><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Education in animal behavior, animal welfare, psychology, biology, or a related field required; bachelor’s degree in a related field strongly preferred.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Experience working in an animal shelter, rescue, veterinary, or animal welfare environment required.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Up to five years of related experience working with dogs required; experience with cats and feline behavior preferred.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Professional dog training certification such as CPDT, KPA-CTP, CTC, or equivalent strongly preferred, or willingness and ability to obtain certification within 6–9 months of hire.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Prior experience supervising, coaching, or training staff and/or volunteers required.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Demonstrated understanding of shelter behavior, humane training, enrichment, dog-dog interaction, stress reduction, and behavior modification.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Maintains current knowledge of fear-free, low-stress, and evidence-informed animal behavior and handling practices.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and shelter management databases required.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document behavior observations, recommendations, and plans clearly and professionally.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Strong organizational, problem-solving, collaboration, and time-management skills.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Ability to exercise sound judgment, prioritize competing needs, and work effectively with minimal supervision.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused in stressful, emotionally complex, or high-pressure situations.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Ability to build trust and communicate effectively with staff, volunteers, fosters, adopters, clients, and external partners.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Demonstrated commitment to positive, inclusive, compassionate, and welfare-centered leadership.</li></ul>Physical Requirements<ul data-depth="1" data-pattern="discCircleSquare" style='font-family:"Basel Grotesk",Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;margin:8px 0px;line-height:1.6;padding:0px 0px 0px 32px;list-style-type:disc;'><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">This position is moderately to highly physical and requires frequent standing, walking, bending, lifting, and animal handling.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Must be able to bend, twist, stoop, push, pull, ascend and descend stairs, reach overhead, lift up to 50 pounds, and lift overhead up to 20 pounds.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Must be comfortable safely handling and managing large dogs up to 100 pounds.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Must have the ability to see, hear, and speak in order to safely perform essential job functions.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Must be able to safely work around animals with varying levels of fear, stress, arousal, or reactivity.</li></ul> Working Conditions<ul data-depth="1" data-pattern="discCircleSquare" style='font-family:"Basel Grotesk",Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;margin:8px 0px;line-height:1.6;padding:0px 0px 0px 32px;list-style-type:disc;'><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Work may be performed remotely, on-site, outdoors, and in various shelter or community settings.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Must be able to travel between Pets In Need locations.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">May involve exposure to loud noise, cleaning chemicals, animal waste, zoonotic disease risk, and animals who may be fearful, fractious, reactive, or potentially dangerous.</li><li style="font-size:11pt;margin:3px 0px;letter-spacing:0.25px;line-height:1.6;">Requires the ability to remain professional and composed in an active shelter environment with changing priorities and emotionally sensitive situations.</li></ul>

Redwood City

Experience with cats and feline behavior preferred

Willingness and ability to obtain professional dog training certification within 6–9 months of hire

Maintains current knowledge of fear-free, low-stress, and evidence-informed animal behavior and handling practices

Education in animal behavior, animal welfare, psychology, biology, or a related field required

Experience working in an animal shelter, rescue, veterinary, or animal welfare environment required

Up to five years of related experience working with dogs required

Professional dog training certification such as CPDT, KPA-CTP, CTC, or equivalent strongly preferred

Prior experience supervising, coaching, or training staff and/or volunteers required

Demonstrated understanding of shelter behavior, humane training, enrichment, and behavior modification

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and shelter management databases required

Animal Behavior

Behavior Modification

Training Techniques

Leadership

Communication

Microsoft Office Suite

Shelter Management Databases

Organizational Skills

Problem-Solving

Time Management

Compassionate Leadership

Dog Handling

Enrichment Strategies

Behavior Assessment

Emotional Well-Being Support

MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT

For more than 60 years, Pets In Need (PIN) has provided animals with loving care and lasting homes; partnered with communities striving to do the same, while advancing our no-kill policies and legacy. Our Vision is for animals to live in welcoming communities where they...

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