Benefits:
- Competitive salary
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Opportunity for advancement
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
- Wellness resources
Title: Behavior Technician
Reports to: Director of Behavior
Direct reports: None
Shift: Days: 7am-4pm. Emergencies as needed, shifts determined with Director and based on the needs of the organization. Will work one weekend day and may work on some holidays.
FLSA: Non-exempt
Risk Level: 3
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW: At Chimp Haven we believe we are not that different, humans and chimpanzees. Chimps have personalities, emotions, and relationships, just like us, and we are on a mission to connect them to the happy healthy lives they deserve. That is why we are providing and promoting personalized care for chimpanzees (most of whom were retired from biomedical research) by helping them, for their remaining years, live a good life – the chimp life. Chimp Haven serves as The National Chimpanzee Sanctuary and is on 200 forested acres in northwest Louisiana outside Shreveport. Chimp Haven provides excellent care for more than 300 chimpanzees retired from research or no longer used in the entertainment industry or as pets. As more retired chimpanzees make their way from research institutions to sanctuary, our population continues to grow. Chimp Haven has a well-designed facility to support the physical and emotional well-being of all animals, experienced staff, and high standards for operational excellence. Chimp Haven offers a competitive salary, excellent benefits, extensive training, and an opportunity for professional advancement, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Chimp Haven is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.
Behavior Technicians will monitor chimpanzees’ behavioral wellness through formal behavioral observations and will improve chimpanzee wellbeing by providing daily enrichment and positive reinforcement training.
Behavior Technicians are expected to ensure excellent standards of behavioral care for the chimpanzees, as well as embrace the values of the organization while working cohesively within the Behavior Department and with multiple departmental teams.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Please note this job description is not all inclusive of responsibilities and is subject to change based on the needs of the department.
- Prepare, distribute, clean, and evaluate enrichment items for chimpanzees.
- Conduct behavioral observations on chimpanzee residents.
- Carry out chimpanzee training objectives, including medical behavior training, using positive reinforcement according to plans approved by the PRT Team.
- Participate in enrichment demonstrations for visitors, donors, and media.
- Assist in maintaining the inspection readiness of food preparation and staff support areas.
- May assist with behavioral metric projects and data entry, summarization, and presentation to staff.
- Assist with the maintenance of enrichment and behavioral metric records.
- May assist with publications and external collaborations.
- Utilize creativity to repair, maintain, and build enrichment devices including but not limited to forage devices, puzzle feeders, hammocks, and structures.
- Assist with chimpanzee socialization procedures including introductions. Assist with pre and post introduction monitoring of social groups.
- Assists training new behavioral team members as well as husbandry and veterinary team members to participate in behavioral data collection and surveys.
- May mentor others in the positive reinforcement training program.
- May serve as a liaison to volunteers, interns, and visiting scientists.
- Assist with planning enrichment schedules and developing new enrichment devices.
- Sanitize equipment and enrichment devices and maintain team preparation/storage areas.
- May assist ordering supplies according to the approved budget.
- Assist husbandry, veterinary or other departmental staff as directed.
- Must be able to work both independently and within a team, take initiative and use critical thinking skills. Be open and receptive to embodying the Chimp Haven values of positivity and kindness, unity, adaptability, collaboration, and resiliency.
A bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred (psychology, anthropology, biology, animal behavior and management etc.). A combination of education and paid/intern experience may be considered. Chimpanzee experience is preferred but not required.
At least one year’s experience providing enrichment and/or training to primates or exotics in one of the following: an educational setting (as part of a degree curriculum), zoo, laboratory, or a sanctuary setting is preferred.
One year of experience with formal behavioral observations of animals is preferred—can be observations in an educational program, internship, or paid position. Primates or chimpanzee observations preferred but not required. Experience with primate social introductions and mitigating abnormal behavior in primates is strongly preferred.
Moderate experience with Microsoft products (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PowerBi, Teams) required. Experience with statistical analysis and ZooMonitor preferred but not required.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Have physical strength and agility (run, jump and climb).
- Ability for physical activity with PPE for long periods indoors/outdoors in potentially extreme temperatures.
- Ability to bend, crawl, stretch, twist, reach out, kneel, squat, sit, stoop, lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects-including overhead.
- Ability to stand for long periods of time.
- When needed, ability to lift ~75 lbs. from floor to waist assisted.
- Ability to perform repetitive motions for extended periods of time.
- Ability to keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position, including height and unstable ground.
- Ability to ascend/descend ramps, stairs and/or ladders.
o Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
o Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble small objects.
o Use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
o Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
- Near and far visual acuity
- Ability to hear, understand and distinguish speech and/or other sounds.
- Ability to express or exchange ideas verbally-accurately, loudly and quickly.
- Educational multitasking:
o Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
o Ability to quickly retain information and hear and write at the same time.
- Ability to enter text or data into a computer or other machine with a keyboard or touch screen.
- Comfortability within confined spaces.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS
- Chimp Haven is a working environment with potential for animal bites, scratches and injury and exposure to chemical, biological, physical, environmental, infectious and psychosocial hazards including, but not limited to unpleasant odors, animal wastes, welding fumes, dust and allergens, animal tissues and body fluids, toxic chemicals, zoonotic diseases (tuberculosis, shigella etc.), and infectious agents (Hepatitis B, C, HIV, etc.).
- Weekend, holiday and night work may be necessary.
- Duties may require driving Chimp Haven’s vehicles which require a valid driver’s license. Must also meet Chimp Haven’s motor vehicle operating standards. Reliable personal transportation required.
- Participation in a medical monitoring and surveillance program that includes hepatitis B and other inoculations.
- Safety training, equipment, clothing and supplies will be provided.
