Shelter Behavior Associate

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 Associate at the ASPCA’s Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) might be right for you!The application for this position will be available until Monday, June 29 at 12pm EST. Who We Are The 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. What You’ll Do The Shelter Behavior Associate role at the CRC offers a unique opportunity to jump‑start or accelerate your career as a shelter behavior expert. The role starts off with an intensive, 10‑week paid training program called the Shelter Behavior Apprenticeship (SBA). The only program of its kind, the SBA provides a deep dive into the science of animal behavior, coached hands‑on learning, and critical knowledge about how to apply behavior expertise in a shelter environment. Following completion of the SBA, graduates join their team as Shelter Behavior Associates and continue to develop their skills, guided by their managers. Behavior Associates who consistently demonstrate strong shelter behavior knowledge and skills and collaborate effectively within and across teams typically move into the role of Behavior Specialist after approximately one year of on‑the‑job training. The Specialist role includes additional responsibilities, including coaching and teaching other team members, visiting learners from other organizations and volunteers, crafting behavior modification plans, and doing more advanced behavior rehabilitation work. Where and When You’ll Work This position reports to the CRC in Columbus, OH. It requires completion of the Shelter Behavior Apprenticeship and travel of up to 20% of the time. Schedule may include one weekend day, and you must be available to work a flexible schedule when needed, including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays. What You’ll Get Compensation Target hiring range for the initial Behavior Associate role is $25.95 – $27.40 per hour. Target range for promotion to Behavior Specialist is $28.80 – $31.02 per hour. Benefits include affordable health coverage, insurance, and a comprehensive benefits package that supports a rewarding life at work and at home. Detailed benefit information is available on the ASPCA website. Responsibilities 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 during weekly meetings. Perform behavior evaluations and re‑evaluations of CRC animals. Assist with handling and movement of animals during cleaning, intake, exercise, grooming, exams, and humane euthanasia. Provide socialization with people and/or other 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 the video library. Adhere to all protocols set forth by the ASPCA, including behavior modification, training procedures, enrichment, animal handling, and general medical and sheltering protocols. Coaching, Consultation & Behavior Support: participate in continuing education to develop coaching and consultation skills. Provide hands‑on coaching for CRC Care and Enrichment Technicians, visitors, interns, associates, and professionals from other organizations. Provide follow‑up support for placement partner organizations and adopters. Help facilitate animal introductions to foster parents and, when appropriate, potential adopters. Participate in Learning Lab collaborative teaching modules. Monitor volunteer activities and provide guidance as assigned. Serve in a shadowing role during Learning Lab modules to prepare for future participation as a subject matter expert. Produce draft behavior‑related paperwork for placement partners or other purposes as assigned. Deploy as needed to provide behavior support in temporary field shelters and to support the Behavioral Sciences Team (BST) field work (handling for animal removal, performing forensic behavior evaluations). Transport animals to and from the field or the CRC as assigned. Qualifications Demonstrates natural skill when handling animals (e.g., intuitively adjusts movement and position based on animals’ behavior, can safely walk dogs on‑leash). Basic understanding of animal learning, training and behavior modification preferred. Animal welfare knowledge preferred. Good low‑stress animal handling and restraint skills preferred. Able to provide a safe and compassionate environment for animals, staff, and clients using low‑stress handling techniques. Displays care and concern for the safety and well‑being of self, animals and others during stressful situations. Comfortable contributing behavior observations and consultative input to help a panel make humane euthanasia decisions; comfortable handling animals for humane euthanasia procedures. Comfortable working with animals who are victims of cruelty, neglect and disasters. Excellent teamwork and communication skills. Superior problem‑solving abilities. Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, potentially stressful environment; flexible and adaptable to frequent changes to plans/protocols. Good organizational skills and meticulous data collection and reporting skills. Able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and work standing for 8 or more hours, bending, crouching, kneeling and moving freely to perform responsibilities that include handling potentially dangerous animals. Must be able to occasionally work in physically challenging conditions and wear appropriate protective gear, including a protective mask; may entail exposure to chemical and biological hazards, sharp objects, noise, uneven, wet and slippery surfaces. Proficient in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint; familiarity with Salesforce is a plus. Must provide a valid driver’s license upon hire and pass a safe driving history check. Must be comfortable accepting the emotional challenges of daily work with animals suffering from extreme fear and anxiety. In the Specialist role, must be willing to travel for up to 10 days at a time, sometimes on short notice. Ability to exemplify ASPCA’s core values and behavioral competencies. Education and Work Experience High school diploma or GED required; BS in animal behavior field (animal behavior/cognition, experimental psychology, zoology, or animal science) preferred. Minimum of 6 months’ hands‑on work with dogs as an employee or volunteer required. Experience handling and working with cats in some capacity, as an employee or volunteer strongly preferred. Experience working in an animal shelter strongly preferred. Low‑Stress Handling® University Silver‑Level certification required within six months of hire. Disaster Sheltering and FEMA Incident Command System courses (100, 200, 700, 800) required within six months of hire. Must complete the Shelter Behavior Apprenticeship (SBA) program within one year of hire. Fluent in English (required). Shelter Behavior Apprenticeship Requirements Actively participate in shelter behavior online, classroom and hands‑on experiential learning activities throughout the Apprenticeship. Practice application of acquired skills and knowledge in a busy animal shelter setting, with coaching and supervision by Apprenticeship staff. Perform basic handling of dogs and cats under the supervision of Apprenticeship staff. Demonstrate acquired knowledge and skills via periodic, practical learner assessments. Assist ASPCA facility staff as necessary, providing care for animals participating in Apprenticeship activities (e.g., cleaning, feeding, providing enrichment/exercise). Provide periodic, practical feedback on the experience, activities, content and flow of the Apprenticeship to inform program improvement. Travel for up to 3 weeks at a time for learning activities at ASPCA facilities (all associated costs covered by the ASPCA). Apprenticeship Dates (subject to change) Learning Theory: August 26‑27 (Remote) and September1‑4 in Pawling, NY. Canine Essentials: September23‑24 (Remote) and September29‑October8 in Methuen, MA. Canine Arousal & Aggression: November4‑5 (Remote) and November10‑19 in Pawling, NY. Feline Essentials: December2‑3 (Remote) and December7‑10 (Location TBC). Shy & Fearful Canines section in 2027 (Date & Location TBD). #J-18808-Ljbffr ASPCA