Animal Behaviorist in Redwood City, California at Pets in Need

MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT

For more than 60 years, Pets In Need (PIN) has provided animals with loving care and lasting homes; partnered with communities striving to do the same, while advancing our no-kill policies and legacy. Our Vision is for animals to live in welcoming communities where they and their human companions are treated with care and compassion.

JOB TITLE: Animal Behaviorist

FLSA STATUS: Exempt, Full-time

REPORTS TO: Behavior and Rescue Manager

Summary

Under the direction of the Behavior and Rescue Manager, the Behavior Supervisor provides leadership and oversight for the behavioral health, enrichment, training, and overall well-being of Pets In Need animals across both shelter locations. This role is responsible for developing and implementing behavior support strategies from intake through placement, with an emphasis on individualized behavior planning, humane handling, enrichment, behavior modification, volunteer training, and cross-functional collaboration.

The Behavior Supervisor serves as a key resource for staff, fosters, volunteers, and leadership on animal behavior, with a strong focus on canine behavior and welfare. This position supports organizational decision-making related to quality of life, placement pathways, housing, behavior intervention, and safe, effective handling practices.

Essential Duties

• Develops, implements, and evaluates individualized training, behavior modification, enrichment, and socialization plans for animals in shelter care and foster care.
• Provides clear written and verbal guidance to staff, fosters, and volunteers to ensure consistent implementation of behavior plans and handling protocols.
• Monitors and evaluates the behavioral health and welfare of animals across both shelter locations and identifies appropriate interventions to support emotional well-being, safety, and successful placement.
• Assesses and recommends optimal housing, handling, enrichment, and management strategies for shelter animals based on behavior, stress level, medical needs, and quality of life considerations.
• Collaborates with Pets In Need veterinarians, veterinary behaviorists, and other medical professionals to develop and implement behavior modification plans, including behavior medication support when appropriate.
• Provides leadership, coaching, and training to animal care staff, foster caregivers, and volunteers on animal behavior, humane handling, training techniques, and shelter behavior best practices.
• Oversees, trains, and directly manages advanced behavior volunteers, including blue-level volunteers.
• Develops written behavior summaries, assessments, training updates, and recommendations to support internal decision-making, foster placement, adoption counseling, and rescue pathways.
• Supports the development, evaluation, and ongoing improvement of behavior department protocols, including handling, enrichment, playgroup, socialization, assessment, and quality-of-life procedures.
• Participates as a member of the Pets In Need Quality of Life Committee and contributes behavior-related expertise to case review and outcome planning.
• Partners with Behavior, Rescue, Medical, Animal Care, Foster, and leadership teams to develop coordinated care plans for animals with complex behavioral, medical, or placement needs.
• Supports rescue pathway planning and assists the Rescue department as needed.
• Connects fosters and adopters with contracted behavior support resources when appropriate.
• Oversees inventory, organization, and appropriate use of Behavior Department supplies and equipment.
• Models professional, compassionate, inclusive, and welfare-centered leadership in all interactions with staff, volunteers, fosters, adopters, and community partners.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To perform this role successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements below represent the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for success in this position.

Education and Experience

• Education in animal behavior, animal welfare, psychology, biology, or a related field required; bachelor’s degree in a related field strongly preferred.
• Experience working in an animal shelter, rescue, veterinary, or animal welfare environment required.
• Up to five years of related experience working with dogs required; experience with cats and feline behavior preferred.
• Professional dog training certification such as CPDT, KPA-CTP, CTC, or equivalent strongly preferred, or willingness and ability to obtain certification within 6–9 months of hire.
• Prior experience supervising, coaching, or training staff and/or volunteers required.
• Demonstrated understanding of shelter behavior, humane training, enrichment, dog-dog interaction, stress reduction, and behavior modification.
• Maintains current knowledge of fear-free, low-stress, and evidence-informed animal behavior and handling practices.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and shelter management databases required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document behavior observations, recommendations, and plans clearly and professionally.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, collaboration, and time-management skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, prioritize competing needs, and work effectively with minimal supervision.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused in stressful, emotionally complex, or high-pressure situations.
• Ability to build trust and communicate effectively with staff, volunteers, fosters, adopters, clients, and external partners.
• Demonstrated commitment to positive, inclusive, compassionate, and welfare-centered leadership.

Physical Requirements

• This position is moderately to highly physical and requires frequent standing, walking, bending, lifting, and animal handling.
• Must be able to bend, twist, stoop, push, pull, ascend and descend stairs, reach overhead, lift up to 50 pounds, and lift overhead up to 20 pounds.
• Must be comfortable safely handling and managing large dogs up to 100 pounds.
• Must have the ability to see, hear, and speak in order to safely perform essential job functions.
• Must be able to safely work around animals with varying levels of fear, stress, arousal, or reactivity.

Working Conditions

• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed.
• Work may be performed remotely, on-site, outdoors, and in various shelter or community settings.
• Must be able to travel between Pets In Need locations.
• May involve exposure to loud noise, cleaning chemicals, animal waste, zoonotic disease risk, and animals who may be fearful, fractious, reactive, or potentially dangerous.
• Requires the ability to remain professional and composed in an active shelter environment with changing priorities and emotionally sensitive situations.