Animal Behavior Management Specialist - Center for Comparative

Reporting directly to the Director of the Behavioral Management Program, the primary responsibility of the Behavior Management Specialist is to encourage the expression of species-typical behaviors, such as appropriate social interaction, social structure development, and opportunities for locomotion, manipulation, and feeding. Additionally, such a program should help prevent or reduce abnormal behaviors, including stereotypical movements, self-aggression, and ingestion-related disorders. The behavior management specialist will also be responsible for training husbandry and research staff on behavior and enrichment, with the intent to create a well-functioning and consistent enrichment and behavior management program.

Responsibilities

Performs tasks related to the design, creation, implementation, and maintenance of the behavioral management program for large animals and other laboratory animal species as directed by the Behavioral Management Program Director.

Coordinates and manages day to day operations of the environmental enrichment program to provide well socialized and trained animals for study purposes.

Creates and implements positive reinforcement training programs for all large animal species related to routine procedures, husbandry practices, and study requirements.

Works closely with the veterinary staff and facility vets to adhere to social housing and regulatory guidelines.

Develops and implements social housing strategies for all social species.

Performs behavioral assessments of animals and works with research and veterinary staff to address behavioral issues.

Assists in creating species specific ethograms for regulated species.

Creates and implements seasonal enrichment schedules for all species.

Performs scheduled walk-throughs of all large and small animal spaces to ensure compliance according to Behavior Management/Enrichment Program.

Interface with vendors for purchasing and maintaining enrichment devices.

Designs and implement ways to study the efficacy of various enrichment/behavior techniques and devices.

Participates in behavioral studies to improve animal welfare and efficacy of CCMS operations.

Works with director to create behavior management/ enrichment teaching modules, tools for research and CCMS staff.

Manages and ensure compliance with record keeping for colony enrichment.

Evaluate and develop new approaches, ideas and concepts for existing tasks and/or improve/replace existing procedures or systems.

Perform literary searches to keep on top of best-practices and professional standards.

Attend workshops and seminars and actively engage other members within the field to discuss common issues and potential solutions.

Oversee planning of weekly enrichment/housing events to ensure personnel understand the enrichment assignments and complete them in a timely and efficient manner.

Update the director about emerging issues and new approaches in laboratory animal enrichment.

Perform regular consultations with researchers regarding potential challenges in their animal colonies.

Miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Master's preferred. Bachelor's degree required or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.

3 years of behavioral management/environmental enrichment experience and at least 1 year of clinical experience preferred.

Veterinary Technician (LVT) (NYSED.gov) in lieu of bachelor degree or other related degree.

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Strength Through Diversity

The Mount Sinai Health System believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are key drivers for excellence. We share a common devotion to delivering exceptional patient care. When you join us, you become a part of Mount Sinai's unrivaled record of achievement, education, and advancement as we revolutionize medicine together. We invite you to participate actively as a part of the Mount Sinai Health System team by:

Using a lens of equity in all aspects of patient care delivery, education, and research to promote policies and practices to allow opportunities for all to thrive and reach their potential.

Serving as a role model confronting racist, sexist, or other inappropriate actions by speaking up, challenging exclusionary organizational practices, and standing side-by-side in support of colleagues who experience discrimination.

Inspiring and fostering an environment of anti-racist behaviors among and between departments and co-workers.

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Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time - discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it. Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients' medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 7,400 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture outpatient surgery centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals, receiving high "Honor Roll" status, and are highly ranked: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. U.S. News & World Report's "Best Children's Hospitals" ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital among the country's best in several pediatric specialties. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is ranked No. 14 nationwide in National Institutes of Health funding and in the 99th percentile in research dollars per investigator according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Newsweek's "The World's Best Smart Hospitals" ranks The Mount Sinai Hospital as No. 1 in New York and in the top five globally, and Mount Sinai Morningside in the top 20 globally.

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