Global Animal Behavior & Welfare Leader

Zoetis; Kalamazoo (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoetis seeks an Associate Director, Global Animal Behavior to lead enterprise-wide behavioral science, reducing stress and improving welfare across global research sites. You will translate science into programs, standards, and data-driven approaches, guiding a small team of three technicians and one scientist.

Reporting to the Global Animal Welfare leadership, you will partner with veterinarians, researchers, IACUCs, and cross-functional teams to drive measurable goals, governance, and

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 standard
• 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.

Job description

Zoetis seeks an Associate Director, Global Animal Behavior to lead enterprise-wide behavioral science, reducing stress and improving welfare across global research sites. You will translate science into programs, standards, and data-driven approaches, guiding a small team of three technicians and one scientist.

Reporting to the Global Animal Welfare leadership, you will partner with veterinarians, researchers, IACUCs, and cross-functional teams to drive measurable goals, governance, and