Laboratory Animal Behavior Intern

Zoetis; South Dakota; On-site; USD 22,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoetis Lincoln internship offers hands-on exposure to laboratory animal and behavioral welfare assessments under board-certified veterinarians. You will work on enrichment programs and welfare improvement initiatives across species, and complete an intern project for ACLAM portfolio.

This program targets PhD graduates in Behavioral Animal Science or DVM with ACLAM interest, aiming to accelerate development as a laboratory animal clinician-scientist with a behavioral focus.

Qualifications

• PhD in Behavioral Animal Science or DVM/ VMD with ACLAM interest.
• Interest in laboratory animal medicine and ACLAM board pursuit.
• Experience with behavioral welfare assessments and data handling.

Responsibilities

• Complete mentored project on a behavioral welfare challenge and present findings.
• Observe welfare assessments and identify normal/abnormal behaviors across species.
• Assist in enrichment strategies and low-stress handling under supervision.
• Participate in clinical rounds with the veterinary team and welfare-based decisions.
• Collect and organize behavioral welfare data using digital tools.
• Engage in staff enrichment and training and share concepts with teams.

Skills

Behavioral science

Welfare assessment

Enrichment strategies

Low-stress handling

Data tools

Outlook

Excel

Power BI

Education

PhD in Behavioral Animal Science

DVM/VMD degree

AVMA-accredited institution

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Lincoln Role Description:

Join a global animal welfare program that places behavioral medicine at the center of daily clinical care. This internship is designed for a PhD graduate in Behavioral Animal Science or DVM graduate with a passion for the clinical application of laboratory animal medicine and behavior who is considering or actively pursuing ACLAM board eligibility. Under the mentorship of board-certified laboratory animal veterinarians, you will gain hands-on exposure to laboratory animal and behavioral health assessments, species-specific enrichment programs, and welfare improvement initiatives across a diverse animal population. You will also complete an intern project that you can carry forward into your professional career and/or ACLAM board portfolio.

Location:

Lincoln, NE

Internship Summary:

This internship is structured to accelerate your development as a laboratory animal clinician/scientist with a behavioral lens. By the end of the program, you will have built meaningful hands-on experience inside one of the world's leading animal health companies — and you will have contributed to it in a real way. Your project, grounded in the clinical application of behavior and animal welfare, will be a direct expression of Zoetis's purpose: nurturing our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. What you learn here, and what you leave behind, will matter.

Internship Job Duties:

• Complete a mentored project focused on a clinical behavioral welfare challenge or project of your choosing - developing a practical solution and presenting your findings to the program team.
• Observe and participate in behavioral welfare assessments alongside supervising laboratory animal veterinarians, learning to identify species-typical vs. abnormal behaviors in rodents, companion animals, agricultural animals, and other laboratory species.
• Shadow and assist with the evaluation of environmental enrichment strategies and low-stress, positive reinforcement-based handling protocols under direct veterinary supervision.
• Participate in clinical rounds with the veterinary team, gaining exposure to behavioral assessments, humane endpoint recognition, and welfare-based clinical decision-making.
• Assist in the collection and organization of behavioral welfare data using digital tools, contributing to program metrics that support continuous welfare improvement.
• Participate in staff enrichment and training activities, gaining experience communicating behavioral science concepts to animal care technicians and husbandry teams.

Internship Qualifications:

Education and Experience (required)

PhD in Behavioral Animal Science DVM or VMD degree from an AVMA-accredited institution. Demonstrated interest in laboratory animal medicine, including eligibility or intent to pursue ACLAM board certification; prior laboratory animal medicine coursework, externship, or clinical rotation experience is a plus.

Knowledge and Skills (desired)

Foundational knowledge of animal behavioral science, including normal and abnormal behavior patterns in common laboratory species. Interest in the clinical - rather than purely research - application of behavioral medicine: welfare assessment, enrichment, low-stress handling, and patient-centered care. Basic familiarity with behavioral welfare assessment frameworks such as the Five Domains model or grimace scale methodology. Experience using digital tools and applications including, but not limited to, Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Power BI or comparable platforms for data organization and presentation.

Hourly Pay Rates – U.S. General

• If the selected candidate is a student pursuing an Associate-level degree: $16.00 per hour
• If the selected candidate is a student pursuing an Undergraduate-level degree: $22.00 per hour
• If the selected candidate is a student pursing a Graduate-level degree: $32.50 per hour
• If the selected candidate is a student pursuing a Doctorate-level degree: $36.00 per hour

Hourly Pay Rates – State Specific

The following hourly pay rates reflect the anticipated base pay for this position if a selected candidate were to be located in California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois (Chicago area), Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington (Seattle area):

• Student pursuing an Associate-level degree: $17.00 per hour
• Student pursuing an Undergraduate-level degree: $24.20 per hour
• Student pursing a Graduate-level degree: $36.40 per hour
• Student pursuing a Doctorate-level degree: $40.30 per hour

Zoetis is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

We offer competitive healthcare and retirement savings benefits, along with an array of benefits, policies and programs to support employee well-being in every sense, from health and financial wellness to family and lifestyle resources.