Canine Behavior Outreach Trainer

ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL OF NYC • New York, NY

1d

About The Position

The Behavior Outreach Trainer is a member of the Canine Behavior Team who focuses on creating training plans and running daily behavior modification sessions for dogs in Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC)’s care. You will also be designing and providing low-stress handling training to staff and volunteers, and conducting training sessions for our staff, volunteers, fosters, and adopters to learn how to gently modify challenging behaviors. ACC uses only force-free, reward-based training methods.

ACC’s Behavior Program provides environmental enrichment and socialization for all cats and dogs in our care as well as thorough behavior assessments in order to make successful adoption matches. We strive to provide the highest possible quality of life for our pets during their stay. To that end, we are adding a training and behavior modification element to the Behavior Department, and we are looking for experienced canine trainers to help create, launch, and oversee this program.

Our ideal candidate is an experienced behavior modification trainer, CPDT-certified, and excited to take on the unique challenges and rewards of working with shelter dogs. You also enjoy sharing your skill and knowledge with others in order to improve quality of care in the shelter, decrease stress, and help keep dogs in their homes. You are self-motivated and able to work independently. You are passionate about animal welfare and improving the quality of life for sheltered animals, and you are excited to be part of a progressive shelter enrichment program.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or comparable work experience required.
• CPDT-KA (or certification in progress) required.
• 6 months experience with and/or knowledge of creating training plans to address a range of behavior challenges required.
• Must be able to lift and move up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with and ability to provide low-stress handling and force-free training.
• A thorough understanding of positive reinforcement and a training methodology rooted in a scientific understanding of how dogs learn.
• Ability to make sound judgments and work independently in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Ability to foster a cooperative, encouraging and positive work environment with staff as well as volunteers.
• Strong communication skills.
• The ability to remain pleasant, calm and objective in all situations.

Responsibilities

• Create and conduct behavior and handling trainings for staff, volunteers, and fosters.
• Design training plans for specific dogs in our care.
• Assist foster parents, adopters and surrender prevention clients with problem solving behavior modifications.
• Create and conduct seminars on problem behaviors and behavior modification for staff, volunteers, fosters, and adopters.
• Conduct one-on-one training sessions with dogs in our care.
• Train the trainers: instruct staff members and volunteers on individualized training sessions.
• Assess need, oversee the dog training schedule, and assign individual sessions for all dogs in the care center.
• Work with the Canine Behavior Team to schedule sessions into the current enrichment schedule.
• Provide low-stress handling training and assistance for staff and volunteers.
• Assist with canine behavior assessments as needed and help with overall behavior determinations for all dogs in our care.
• Assist various other departments with additional tasks as directed.
• Assist foster parents with problem solving and behavior modification for ACC dogs in foster homes.
• Communicate with adopters post-adoption to address behavior challenges in the new home.
• Work toward providing behavior seminars for adopters and other community members.
• Track and provide metrics for the dog training program; maintain accurate records of daily tasks.
• Daily meetings with the Assessor and the Enrichment Coordinator to discuss individual dogs.
• Fear Free certification within 30 days of hire.
• Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Benefits

• ACC values work/life balance and offers a generous paid-time-off (PTO) package that includes vacation time, birthdays off, personal days and sick pay.
• We also value physical and mental health by offering a great open access Cigna medical, dental and vision insurance at a low premium to our employees as well as 401K and Pension, Life Insurance.
• We also have on-the-job training for 2-4 weeks, periodic all staff trainings to include safety, DEI, cross training, and other growth opportunities.
• Because ACC is a nonprofit, employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness, cancellation, and/or consolidation under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). Created under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, PSLF allows borrowers who work full time for nonprofits and government agencies to have their outstanding debt forgiven tax-free on Federal Direct Loans, after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level