Canine Trainer - Opelika, AL

GLOBAL K9 PROTECTION GROUP LLC•Opelika, AL

About The Position

Global K9 Protection Group LLC is seeking a dedicated Canine Trainer to support its team. The trainer conducts canine imprint, sustainment, and advancement training for deployment requirements, including detection, tracking, controlled aggression, and obedience. The role develops canine competencies and prepares dogs for handler pairing, certification, and deployment. It includes training and evaluating canines across detection and other capabilities, providing remedial instruction, maintaining training and utilization records, and conducting onsite and remote instruction, evaluations, audits, demonstrations, searches, and site visits. The trainer may also perform Canine Instructor and Kennel Attendant duties and train, maintain, certify, and forward deploy with an assigned canine as required. The role requires applying appropriate conditioning and training techniques, organizing exercises according to department curriculum and standards, and assisting with training procedures and handler-course curriculum. The trainer ensures canines meet company standards before deployment and pairing, requests extensions and individualized development plans when needed, and follows appropriate processes and chain of command to address deficiencies. Work takes place in varied training and operational environments, with travel of 10%–30%. Work hours are determined by management and include nights, weekends, and holidays.

Requirements

Must be a United States citizen or national.
Must be able to pass a background check and drug screen.
High school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma required.
Must be able to read, write, and understand English sufficiently to carry out written and oral instructions.
Experience training and instructing in explosives detection is required.
Must obtain a Transportation Security Administration Security Threat Assessment within 90 days of employment.
Must obtain ATF Employee Possessor clearance approval to possess explosive training aids within 90 days of employment.
Must obtain a Known Traveler Number (TSA Pre-Check) through TSA within 90 days of employment.
Must complete other background checks as required for assigned projects.
Must be able to lift and carry items weighing 100 pounds or more.
Must be able to perform prolonged standing and intermittent sitting, walking, running, climbing, squatting, stretching, bending, and kneeling, and frequently use hands and fingers to handle or operate canines, objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms.
Must be able to work indoors and outdoors in inclement weather, including heat, cold, and humidity, and may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and vibration.
Must be available for a schedule determined by management, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

At least two years of experience training various canine breeds is preferred.
Trainer or instructor certifications from a reputable canine training agency are preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct canine imprint, sustainment, and advancement training for deployment requirements, including training, detection, tracking, controlled aggression, and obedience.
Develop canine core competencies and prepare canines for handler pairing, certification, and deployment.
Apply operant and classical conditioning and suitable techniques for explosives detection, vapor-wake narcotics detection, tracking, positive reinforcement, marker training, hand signals, voice commands, and reward systems.
Organize and conduct training exercises consistent with department curriculum and standards.
Assist with developing training procedures and handler-course curriculum.
Ensure canines meet company standards before deployment and team pairing.
Request training extensions and individualized development plans for underachieving canines.
Maintain a safe work environment and contribute to a cooperative and professional workplace.
Conduct training and instruction independently and efficiently.
Develop training plans for additional canine capabilities, including agility, group sessions, basic and advanced obedience, behavior modification, and scent detection.
Train detection teams from inception through advanced levels, including EDCT, VW, NDCT, and tracking, across varying skill levels.
Conduct remedial training to address canine deficiencies and meet certification and operational standards.
Facilitate operational training scenarios that allow canines to work independently in assigned environments.
Apply search patterns appropriate to specific operational scenarios.
Evaluate canine proficiency in applicable detection certification areas.
Conduct onsite and remote training, evaluations, and audits, including apprentice-style training and continuing education.
Conduct searches and canine demonstrations onsite and offsite.
Perform assigned Canine Instructor and Kennel Attendant duties as required.
Train, maintain, certify, and forward deploy with an assigned canine as required for operational support.
Maintain accurate training, utilization, evaluation, coursework, and class-attendance records.
Conduct applicable site visits and accurately maintain site-visit and trip-report records.
Use proper processes and chain of command to address training deficiencies and extensions.
Perform other duties assigned by management.