Animal Behavior Technician I

AbbVie•North Chicago, IL

11d•$24 - $43

About The Position

The Behavioral Technician I supports AbbVie’s Behavioral Management program (BMT), with responsibility for operant conditioning, enrichment, behavioral monitoring, and positive reinforcement for research animals. The role provides direction and support to Animal Care Technicians and other AbbVie employees who perform animal husbandry under the company’s animal enrichment program. The technician elevates concerns or inconsistencies regarding animal behavior and the enrichment program to the appropriate manager for action. The position assists with training animals and staff, maintaining enrichment activities and documentation, supporting program improvements, incorporating the 3R’s, and performing animal husbandry as needed. The role requires participation in a required weekend husbandry or animal enrichment/operant conditioning rotation.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED and at least 3 years of prior technical experience in a laboratory animal science setting, or a relevant degree in biology, animal behavior, animal science, or veterinary technology and at least 2 years of laboratory animal science experience.
At least 2 years of animal husbandry, enrichment, behavior, or training experience.
American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) certification; eligibility for LAT certification.
Knowledge of basic regulatory requirements.
Ability to communicate key issues concisely to stakeholders.
Ability to assess issues, seek multiple perspectives, gather information as needed, and identify issues requiring attention.
Basic competence with spreadsheets, word processing, and email, and knowledge of computerized maintenance management and purchasing systems.

Responsibilities

Assist with positive reinforcement training of animals.
Communicate behavior-related task, enrichment, socialization, operant conditioning, chair training, pole and collar training, and target training requirements among research groups and Comparative Medicine staff.
Assist with training staff on standardized practices and continued productivity for operant conditioning and enrichment strategies.
Build and maintain effective relationships with peers and cross-functional partners.
Identify potential program improvements and assist with developing and implementing enrichment and operant conditioning strategies.
Support daily animal enrichment tasks, including scheduling, preparation, distribution, effectiveness evaluation, and maintenance of enrichment areas and supplies.
Enter and maintain behavioral, training, and enrichment forms and databases; document animal training timelines, progress, comments, and concerns.
Manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, remain flexible, and maintain sanitation standards while working with moderate direction.
Assist with incorporating the 3R’s into the Behavioral Management program.
Attend relevant training and workshops on laboratory animal enrichment and behavior; participate in on-site enrichment trainings and committees when required.
Provide animal husbandry duties as required, including participation in the required weekend husbandry or animal enrichment/operant conditioning rotation.