Summary:
Are you interested in companion animal behavior and want to learn more about providing high-quality care while optimizing welfare for animals in need? Do you thrive in a dynamic and complex environment, where colleagues from all skill levels work together to continually advance the animal behavior field? If so, the role of Behavior Specialist at the ASPCA’s Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) might be right for you!
Who We Are
The Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC), located in Columbus, OH, is part of the Rehabilitation Services Group, which also includes the Behavioral Rehabilitation Center (BRC) in Weaverville, NC, and the Recovery and Rehabilitation Center (R&R) in Pawling, NY. All three facilities provide opportunities for animals to heal after rescue. As they engage in hands-on care, teams prioritize the elevation of our work through ongoing learning, advancing the animal welfare field through research, developing effective, efficient interventions, establishing new best practices and sharing innovations with other organizations nationwide through the ASPCA’s Learning Lab, ASPCApro, publications, and professional and academic conferences. At the CRC, a dedicated team of sheltering, veterinary and animal behavior staff work together to serve animals rescued in ASPCA national cruelty cases and disaster responses.
In addition to their work as part of the CRC team, Behavior Specialists are part of the ASPCA’s larger Animal Behavior team, which includes the Behavioral Sciences Team (BST), the Learning Lab (LL), and the behavior teams at all other ASPCA sheltering facilities. Working within and across teams, ASPCA behavior staff share expertise, use aligned behavior practices, and help advance the ASPCA’s strategic priorities.
What You’ll Do
Behavior Specialists provide compassionate care for the dogs at the CRC by performing behavior evaluations, implementing behavior plans and protocols, providing socialization and enrichment, coaching others on safe handling, and maintaining clear records. They are part of a united team of shelter operations, shelter medicine and shelter animal behavior experts, all dedicated to collaborating with each other to provide balanced, holistic care to all dogs in the care of the CRC.
Ideal candidates for Behavior Specialist will have a keen understanding of applied animal behavior, a solid understanding of animal learning principles, strong low-stress animal handling skills, and exceptional interpersonal skills, including experience successfully coaching people. Success will hinge on the ability to collaborate effectively with behavior, operations and veterinary teammates at the CRC, as well as staff in other departments across the organization.
The Behavior Specialist reports directly to the Senior Manager, Shelter Animal Behavior and has no direct reports.
Where and When You’ll Work
This position reports to the CRC in Columbus, OH.
Schedule will include at least one weekend day, and times available to work a flexible schedule when needed including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays
Ability and willingness to travel up to 25% of the time, as needed, is required for this position.
What You’ll Get
Compensation
Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future.
The target range this position is $28.80 - $31.02
Benefits
At the ASPCA, you don’t have to choose between your passion and making a living. Our comprehensive benefits package helps ensure you can live a rewarding life at work and at home. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:
Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental and optional vision coverage.
Flexible time off that includes vacation time, paid personal time, sick time, bereavement time, paid parental leave, and 10 company paid holidays that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you.
Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings, including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions — we match dollar-for-dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year.
Robust professional development opportunities, including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field and so much more.
For more information on our benefits offerings, visit our website.
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Behavioral Support & Data Collection
- Conduct daily treatment sessions: perform behavior modification protocols and record data after each session using the CRC behavior database
- Collect data to track an animal’s behavioral progress
- Monitor the behavioral health of animals
- Communicate observations and concerns to the Behavior Manager(s) and make recommendations to support treatment progress and outcome decisions during weekly meetings
- Perform behavior evaluations and re-evaluations of CRC animals
- Assist, as needed, with the handling and movement of animals during cleaning, intake, exercise, grooming, exams and humane euthanasia
- Assist, as needed, with animal housing and kennel design improvement planning
- Provide human and/or conspecific socialization for specified animals
- Provide extra enrichment for designated animals
- Conduct dog play groups and record data after each session
- Assist with the collection and organization of footage for video library
- Adhere to all protocols set forth by the ASPCA, including behavior modification and training procedures, enrichment, animal handling, as well as general medical and sheltering protocols
Coaching & Behavior Operations
- Monitor the activities of volunteers interacting with CRC animals during individual treatment sessions and provide guidance/coaching
- Provide hands-on coaching, under the direction of the Behavior Manager and the Sr. Director, Animal Behavior, for CRC Care & Enrichment Technicians, volunteers, visitors and interns
- Lead internal group dog training classes
- Produce behavior-related paperwork for fosters, placement partners and adopters
- Provide follow-up support for fosters, placement partners and adopters
- Facilitate on-site introductions for receiving placement partners and foster parents
- Facilitate media interviews via email, via phone and on camera as needed
Deployment
- Deploy to support Behavioral Sciences Team’s (BST) field work, handling animals during removal and intake and conducting forensic behavior evaluations
- Understand Incident Command System (ICS) and adhere to chain of command
- Provide behavior support at ASPCA temporary shelters, conducting behavior treatments and playgroups and monitoring behavioral health of animals at the temporary shelter
Qualifications
- Exceptional behavior modification and animal handling skills
- Thorough companion animal behavior and animal welfare knowledge
- Low-stress animal handing and restraint skills preferred
- Displays care and concern for the safety and well-being of self, animals and others, especially during stressful situations
- Must feel comfortable contributing behavior observations and consultative input to help a panel make humane euthanasia decisions; must feel comfortable handling animals for humane euthanasia procedures
- Must feel comfortable seeing animals suffering from extreme fear and anxiety on a daily basis
- Effective teaching/coaching skills
- Good team player; a “people person” who enjoys collaboration
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Superior problem-solving abilities; likes to troubleshoot and find solutions when facing challenges
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, potentially stressful environment
- Must be flexible and easily adapt to frequent changes to plans/protocols
- Good organizational skills
- Meticulous data collection and reporting skills
- Able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
- Able to work standing for 8 or more hours and bend, crouch, kneel and move freely to perform responsibilities that include handling potentially dangerous animals in stressful conditions
- Able to occasionally work in physically challenging conditions and able to wear appropriate protective gear, including a protective mask; job responsibilities may entail exposure to chemical and biological hazards, such as feces and blood, exposure to sharp objects, working in noisy environments and working in areas with uneven, wet and slippery surfaces
- Fluent in the use of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint; familiarity with Shelter Manager or other shelter software systems and Filemaker a plus
- Must provide a valid driver’s license upon hire and pass a motor vehicle history check demonstrating a safe driving history
- Ability to exemplify ASPCA’s core values and behavioral competencies.
Education and Work Experience
- High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent Experience
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience working as a professional animal behavior expert, handling and evaluating dogs is required
- Experience handling and working with animals exhibiting extreme arousal and extreme fear is strongly preferred
- Experience working in an animal shelter is preferred
- Experience handling and working with cats is strongly preferred
- Certification from CCPDT or IAABC (or similar) is strongly preferred
- Fear Free or Low Stress handling ™ certification is required within 60 days of hire
- Disaster Sheltering and FEMA Incident Command System courses (100, 200, 700, 800) is required within 90 days of hire
Additional Information - Shelter Behavior Apprenticeship Requirements:
- Actively participate in shelter behavior online, classroom and hands-on experiential learning activities throughout the SBA
- Practice application of acquired skills and knowledge in a busy animal shelter setting, with coaching and supervision by SBA staff
- Perform basic handling of dogs and cats under the supervision of SBA staff
- Demonstrate acquired knowledge and skills via periodic, practical learner assessments throughout the SBA to assist Instructors in providing personalized coaching
- Assist ASPCA facility staff as necessary, providing care for animals participating in SBA activities (e.g., cleaning, feeding, providing enrichment/exercise)
- Provide periodic, practical feedback on the experience, activities, content and flow of the SBA to help inform program improvement and iteration
- Travel for up to 3 weeks at a time for learning activities at ASPCA facilities (all associated costs covered by the ASPCA)
- While not participating in the SBA program, Specialists will have regular work schedules at the CRC in Columbus, OH
Language:
English (Required)Education and Work Experience:
High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent Experience (Required)
Skills Required
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent experience
- Minimum two years of professional experience working as an animal behavior expert, handling and evaluating dogs
- Exceptional behavior modification and animal handling skills
- Thorough knowledge of companion animal behavior and animal welfare
- Ability to contribute behavioral observations and consultative input for humane euthanasia decisions
- Ability to handle animals during humane euthanasia procedures
- Effective teaching and coaching skills
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Problem-solving, organizational, data collection, and reporting skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, stressful, and frequently changing environment
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
- Ability to stand for eight or more hours and bend, crouch, kneel, and move freely
- Ability to work around chemical and biological hazards, sharp objects, noise, and slippery or uneven surfaces while using protective equipment
- Fluency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Valid driver's license and safe driving history verified through a motor vehicle history check
- English fluency
- Fear Free or Low Stress Handling certification within 60 days of hire
- Disaster Sheltering and FEMA Incident Command System courses 100, 200, 700, and 800 within 90 days of hire
- Willingness to work flexible days, evenings, weekends, holidays, and at least one weekend day
- Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time
- Experience handling animals with extreme arousal and extreme fear
- Experience working in an animal shelter
- Experience handling and working with cats
- Low-stress animal handling and restraint skills
- CCPDT, IAABC, or similar certification
- Familiarity with Shelter Manager or other shelter software systems and FileMaker
What We Do
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing animal cruelty through rescue, legislative advocacy, and community support services.
