Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Animal Behaviourist

🎯 Role Definition

An Animal Behaviourist designs, implements, and evaluates behaviour assessment and modification programs across companion animals, wildlife, zoo collections, laboratory species or production animals. This role combines applied ethology, behavioural research methods and welfare assessment to reduce problem behaviours, improve welfare outcomes, advise veterinary teams and inform facility design. Typical activities include observational studies, data analysis, enrichment and training program design, staff education, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to translate behavioural science into operational best practice.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Animal Care Technician or Kennel Technician with observational/recording responsibilities
Zookeeper or Wildlife Rehabilitator with hands-on animal management experience
Research Assistant in ethology, psychology or veterinary behaviour labs

Advancement To:

Senior Animal Behaviourist / Lead Behaviour Scientist
Head of Behavioural Science / Behavioural Services Manager
Clinical Animal Behaviourist or Veterinary Behaviour Specialist (often with additional veterinary qualifications)
Research Director or Principal Investigator in applied behaviour research

Lateral Moves:

Animal Trainer / Behaviour Consultant (private practice)
Conservation Biologist or Wildlife Manager specializing in behavioural conservation
Animal Welfare Officer / Compliance Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct systematic behavioural assessments and intake evaluations for individual animals and groups, using standardized ethograms and structured observation protocols to define baseline behaviour and identify triggers for problem behaviours.
Design, implement and monitor evidence-based behaviour modification plans (positive reinforcement, desensitization-counterconditioning, extinction protocols) tailored to species, individual history and environmental constraints.
Run controlled observational and experimental studies (including single-subject designs) to test hypotheses about behaviour, quantify response to interventions and document welfare outcomes.
Collect, clean and analyze behavioural and physiological data using statistical software (R, SPSS) and present findings in clear, actionable formats for clinical teams, managers and external stakeholders.
Develop and implement enrichment programs (cognitive, social, sensory and foraging-based) that address species-typical needs, reduce stereotypies and improve physical and psychological welfare.
Train, supervise and mentor animal care staff, volunteers and interns in observation techniques, safe handling, reinforcement-based training methods and consistent implementation of behaviour plans.
Provide direct, hands-on training sessions for animals and caregivers (owners, husbandry teams, zoo staff) that transfer behaviour management skills and promote compliance across handlers.
Collaborate closely with veterinary teams to integrate behavioural interventions with medical diagnoses, pharmacological treatments and post-operative care plans.
Prepare clear, professional reports, treatment plans and risk assessments for stakeholders including owners, facility managers and regulatory bodies; maintain accurate behavioural records and timelines.
Lead cross-disciplinary project teams for behavior-focused projects—coordinating timelines, resources and interdisciplinary input from veterinary, nutrition, enrichment and facilities staff.
Create and maintain ethograms, coding schemes and video archives; annotate and code behavioural video records using software tools (BORIS, Observer XT, EthoVision).
Design and maintain species-appropriate housing, social grouping and feeding protocols that minimize stress and promote natural behaviour expression.
Evaluate welfare impact of facility or program changes (e.g., enclosure redesign, husbandry schedule changes, introduction/removal of conspecifics) and make evidence-based recommendations.
Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for behavioural assessments, training protocols, enrichment schedules and incident response to ensure institutional consistency and compliance.
Lead or contribute to grant writing, IRB/ethics applications and research protocols to secure funding and approvals for applied and basic behaviour research.
Publish and present research findings in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences, translating technical results into practice-focused guidance for non-academic audiences.
Implement data-driven monitoring programs that track behaviour metrics over time, evaluate program efficacy and recommend iterative improvements.
Manage behaviour-related case loads, triage urgent behavioural issues and escalate cases requiring clinical intervention or veterinary review.
Conduct risk assessments and safety planning for animals and humans (e.g., bite-risk management, aggression protocols) and implement mitigation measures.
Provide community-facing education, workshops and outreach (owners, zoo visitors, farmers) to promote humane, evidence-based animal management and behaviour change strategies.
Maintain currency with scientific literature and best practice in ethology, learning theory, animal welfare science and species-specific behaviour to inform continuous improvement.
Supervise and coordinate behavioural research projects including recruitment, data collection, lab animal welfare oversight and training of junior researchers.
Ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards (permit conditions, institutional animal care and use committees, welfare legislation) related to behavioural work and public interactions.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc research and operational requests such as emergency behaviour consultations, post-release monitoring for wildlife projects, and rapid behaviour risk assessments.
Contribute to organizational animal welfare policy, behavioural SOP development and long-term behavioural strategy aligned to conservation, sheltering or production goals.
Assist with grant proposal development, progress reporting and budget oversight for behaviour-related programs and research.
Maintain and calibrate behavioural monitoring equipment (video cameras, accelerometers, telemetry devices) and manage secure video/data storage protocols.
Provide training materials, manuals and e-learning modules for staff and volunteers to standardize behaviour assessment and intervention techniques.
Represent the organization at external meetings, partnerships or regulatory audits related to animal behaviour and welfare.
Support public-facing communications by drafting blog posts, educational materials and FAQs that translate scientific concepts into accessible guidance for owners and stakeholders.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Applied ethology and ethogram development: ability to create, validate and apply ethograms for systematic behavioural observation.
Behavioural assessment & intervention design: expertise in behaviour modification plans, desensitization, counterconditioning and reinforcement schedules.
Quantitative data collection & analysis: proficiency in statistical analysis (R, SPSS, Python/pandas), experimental design and interpretation of behavioural metrics.
Behavioural observation and coding: experience with video annotation and coding tools such as BORIS, Observer XT, EthoVision or equivalent.
Species-specific handling and husbandry: safe, humane handling and restraint techniques for the species under care and knowledge of species-typical needs.
Welfare assessment frameworks: use of welfare assessment tools and indicators (physiological and behavioural) to evaluate outcomes of interventions.
Training and conditioning methods: mastery of positive reinforcement techniques, shaping, clicker training and appropriate use of aversives when ethically justified.
Research design and scientific writing: ability to design studies, prepare ethics protocols, analyze results and write manuscripts and technical reports.
Grant writing and funding management: experience drafting proposals, managing project budgets and reporting to funders.
Familiarity with veterinary pharmacology for behaviour: understanding of common behaviour-modifying drugs and when to consult veterinary specialists.
Use of telemetry and bio-logging devices: experience deploying accelerometers, GPS tags or remote monitoring to quantify behaviour when required.
Risk assessment and safety planning: competency in evaluating human-animal safety risks and creating mitigation and emergency plans.
Data visualization and reporting: ability to produce clear dashboards, figures and executive summaries for diverse audiences.
Regulatory compliance: knowledge of permits, animal welfare legislation, IACUC/ethics processes and recordkeeping standards.

Soft Skills

Clear, empathetic communication—translating complex behavioural science into practical guidance for caregivers, managers and the public.
Patience and observational acuity—attention to subtle behavioural cues and the persistence to implement long-term behaviour change programs.
Critical thinking and problem solving—designing creative, evidence-based interventions when standard approaches fail.
Collaboration and stakeholder management—working effectively with vets, husbandry teams, researchers, owners and external partners.
Teaching and mentoring—skill at training staff and volunteers to execute behaviour plans consistently and safely.
Time management and project planning—balancing case load, research timelines and urgent consultations.
Ethical judgment and integrity—ensuring animal welfare and human safety are primary drivers of decision making.
Resilience and adaptability—managing emotionally challenging cases and adapting plans as new data emerge.
Public speaking and outreach—presenting programs and findings to diverse audiences while maintaining professionalism.
Cultural sensitivity and client empathy—understanding diverse owner beliefs and designing realistic, respectful intervention plans.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Ethology, Animal Behaviour, Zoology, Psychology, Veterinary Nursing, Animal Science or related field with significant coursework in animal behaviour and welfare.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree or PhD in Animal Behaviour, Applied Ethology, Comparative Psychology, Veterinary Behaviour Medicine or closely related discipline. Professional certifications (e.g., IAABC, ABTC/CCPDT for companion animals; specialist qualifications for veterinary behaviourists) are a strong plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Ethology / Animal Behaviour
Zoology / Wildlife Biology
Comparative Psychology
Veterinary Science / Veterinary Nursing
Animal Welfare Science
Neuroscience (behaviour-focused)
Statistics / Data Science (for behavioural analytics)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–7 years of progressively responsible experience in applied behaviour, zoo/wildlife settings, shelter behaviour programs, clinical/veterinary behaviour departments or research labs.

Preferred:

3–5+ years in a relevant applied setting (zoo, shelter, clinic, research institute) with documented case management and program outcomes.
Experience publishing or presenting research, developing SOPs and participating in ethics/permit processes.
Demonstrated success designing and evaluating enrichment programs, behaviour modification plans and staff training initiatives.
Species-specific experience where applicable (canine, feline, primate, avian, marine mammals, production animals, etc.) and demonstrated competence with the tools and protocols used for those species.