Associate Director, Global Animal Behavior

zoetis; Kalamazoo (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoetis seeks an Associate Director, Global Animal Behavior to lead enterprise-wide behavioral science, advancing welfare and reducing stress across research sites. You will translate science into programs, standards, and data-driven practices while guiding a small team of technicians and scientists.

The role partners with veterinarians, researchers, IACUCs, and the Global Animal Welfare leadership team to align global standards with local practice and improve research reproducibility.

Qualifications

• 8+ years progressive experience in animal behavior science in a research setting (pharma, biotech, academic, or CRO preferred).
• Demonstrated expertise in behavioral welfare assessment, environmental enrichment, and positive reinforcement training.
• Strong leadership and cross-functional partnership with veterinarians, researchers, IACUCs, and Global AW leadership.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the global SME in animal behavior and welfare science, providing scientific leadership and strategic direction enterprise-wide.
• Develop and maintain the scientific framework for behavioral welfare assessment, environmental enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and stress reduction across species and sites.
• Translate emerging research and best practices into organizational programs and standards.
• Represent behavioral science expertise in internal governance forums and external professional contexts as appropriate.
• Provide expert consultation to veterinarians, research scientists, animal care teams, IACUCs, and oversight bodies on animal behavior, welfare assessment, and study design.
• Advise on behavioral indicators of pain, distress, and compromised welfare to support humane endpoint determination and protocol refinement.
• Partner with the AD of Veterinary Services to integrate behavioral welfare into site-level veterinary care and welfare event investigations.
• Partner with the Director, Global AW & 3Rs Program Lead on Refinement and 3Rs implementation.
• Direct the global animal behavior program, setting priorities, standards, and measurable goals.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of three behavior technicians and one behavior scientist.
• Oversee design and delivery of behavioral intervention programs including environmental enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and social housing initiatives.
• Ensure consistent program implementation across global sites, adapted to species, model, and local context.
• Drive data-informed methodologies to identify, measure, and reduce stress and behavioral variability in research animals.
• Establish behavioral metrics and assessment frameworks; direct the team in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting behavioral data.
• Translate behavioral data into actionable recommendations to improve animal welfare and research reproducibility.
• Serve as behavioral science SME for Global Animal Welfare policy and SOP development and review.
• Design and deliver behavioral science training globally for research staff, animal care teams, and veterinary personnel.
• Provide expert input to AW risk assessments, protocol reviews, and IACUC deliberations.
• Partner with veterinary, research, animal care, and AW risk management teams to embed behavioral science in global practice.
• Translate global standards into locally effective practices across sites.
• Support the Executive Director, Global Animal Welfare in advancing a globally aligned, science-based approach to behavior and welfare.

Skills

Animal behavior expertise

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Environmental enrichment

Education

DVM/VMD (AVMA-accredited)

DACVB or board-eligibility

PhD in behavior-related field

Job description

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POSITION SUMMARY:

The Associate Director, Global Animal Behavior is the organization’s enterprise-wide behavioral science leader, responsible for building and advancing the scientific foundation for animal behavior and welfare across all global research sites. This role translates behavioral science into practical programs, standards, and data-driven approaches that reduce stress, improve animal welfare, and enhance the reproducibility and quality of research outcomes. The AD leads a team of three behavior technicians and one behavior scientist, and serves as a cross-functional expert partner to veterinarians, researchers, IACUCs, and the broader Global Animal Welfare leadership team.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Global Behavior & Welfare Science Leadership

Serve as the global SME in animal behavior and welfare science, providing scientific leadership and strategic direction enterprise-wide.

Develop and maintain the scientific framework for behavioral welfare assessment, environmental enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and stress reduction across species and sites.

Translate emerging research and best practices into organizational programs and standards.

Represent behavioral science expertise in internal governance forums and external professional contexts as appropriate.

Specialist Consultation

Provide expert consultation to veterinarians, research scientists, animal care teams, IACUCs, and oversight bodies on animal behavior, welfare assessment, and study design.

Advise on behavioral indicators of pain, distress, and compromised welfare to support humane endpoint determination and protocol refinement.

Partner with the AD of Veterinary Services to integrate behavioral welfare into site-level veterinary care and welfare event investigations.

Partner with the Director, Global AW & 3Rs Program Lead on Refinement and 3Rs implementation.

Behavior Program & Team Leadership

Direct the global animal behavior program, setting priorities, standards, and measurable goals.

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of three behavior technicians and one behavior scientist.

Oversee design and delivery of behavioral intervention programs including environmental enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and social housing initiatives.

Ensure consistent program implementation across global sites, adapted to species, model, and local context.

Data-Informed Stress Reduction & Research Quality

Drive data-informed methodologies to identify, measure, and reduce stress and behavioral variability in research animals.

Establish behavioral metrics and assessment frameworks; direct the team in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting behavioral data.

Translate behavioral data into actionable recommendations to improve animal welfare and research reproducibility.

GAW Policy, Training & Risk Assessment

Serve as behavioral science SME for Global Animal Welfare policy and SOP development and review.

Design and deliver behavioral science training globally for research staff, animal care teams, and veterinary personnel.

Provide expert input to AW risk assessments, protocol reviews, and IACUC deliberations.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Global-Local Alignment

Partner with veterinary, research, animal care, and AW risk management teams to embed behavioral science in global practice.

Translate global standards into locally effective practices across sites.

Support the Executive Director, Global Animal Welfare in advancing a globally aligned, science-based approach to behavior and welfare.

Translate behavioral data into actionable recommendations to improve animal welfare and research reproducibility.

GAW Policy, Training & Risk Assessment

Serve as behavioral science SME for Global Animal Welfare policy and SOP development and review.

Design and deliver behavioral science training globally for research staff, animal care teams, and veterinary personnel.

Provide expert input to AW risk assessments, protocol reviews, and IACUC deliberations.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Global-Local Alignment

Partner with veterinary, research, animal care, and AW risk management teams to embed behavioral science in global practice.

Translate global standards into locally effective practices across sites.

Support the Executive Director, Global Animal Welfare in advancing a globally aligned, science-based approach to behavior and welfare.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

DVM or VMD from an AVMA-accredited institution required.

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (DACVB) required, or active board eligibility.

Ph.D. in animal behavior, comparative psychology, or behavioral neuroscience with substantial applied laboratory animal behavioral science experience will also be considered.

Experience:

8+ years of progressive experience in animal behavior science in a research setting (pharma, biotech, academic, or CRO preferred).

Demonstrated expertise in behavioral welfare assessment, environmental enrichment, and positive reinforcement training

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