Monkey training and socialization specialist - Southwest National Primate Research Center
Ken Sayers
Monkey Training and Socialization Specialist in Behavioral Services
The Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, TX, is searching for an enthusiastic, organized, creative, and skilled person in the field of animal training and behavior. The candidate will be working as part of the Behavioral Services group to train nonhuman primates for husbandry and research activities, to educate other staff on training techniques, to observe nonhuman primates and provide recommendations on various topics including socialization, and to perform other duties as required. The individual will have the opportunity to participate in independent or collaborative research on primate behavior, cognition, evolution, behavioral management, and related topics, and will join an innovative, cooperative, and dedicated behavioral team. This is a full time, onsite position.
The Role:
• Train nonhuman primates for various husbandry tasks (e.g., shift into a new cage or transfer chute) using a positive reinforcement-centered methodology
• Train nonhuman primates to participate in research-related tasks as needed (e.g., hold for injection)
• Provide guidance to investigators on behavior and training-related aspects of studies
• Teach operant conditioning skills and techniques to SNPRC staff to assist with daily husbandry, management, or research
• Maintain animal training records and associated summaries in a computerized database
• Observe nonhuman primates and provide recommendations concerning behavioral management
• Prepare and present seminars to departmental staff (e.g., annual presentations on general animal training, socialization, and appropriate techniques when interacting with animals)
• Participate in research projects
• Keep current on literature regarding animal training and primate behavior
• Participate in journal/book club on topics related to primate behavior
Our Ideal Candidate:
• BS in psychology, anthropology, biology, or related fields
• A minimum of one year of applicable animal experience, including knowledge and experience with operant conditioning
• Comfortable working with laboratory animals including baboons, macaques, and other nonhuman primate species
• Previous experience with nonhuman primates desirable but commensurate experience with other exotic and/or domestic taxa also acceptable
• Good organizational and computer skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Capacity to lift and carry 50 lbs for short distances on a regular basis
• Comfortable working in environments where infectious agents may be present
• Comfortable working with hazardous chemicals including Enviro-B and bleach
• Comfortable standing or walking for prolonged periods, pulling and holding overhead cables, or climbing ladders
• Enthusiasm for primate behavior, and its study
Who we are:
Texas Biomedical Research Institute is one of the world's leading independent biomedical research institutions dedicated to advancing global human health through innovative biomedical research. Texas Biomed aims to unravel the mysteries of infectious and other diseases through innovative thinking, creative problem-solving, and cutting-edge technologies. Texas Biomed is host institution to the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC), one of only seven such centers in the United States. SNPRC is a national resource and is home to a wide variety of nonhuman primate species, including large breeding colonies of baboons, rhesus macaques, and marmosets. For almost six decades, we have served as a hub for innovative basic and translational research in all facets of primate biology.
What we can offer you:
• Competitive pay
• 7% Employer-Funded retirement contribution starting day one
• Full insurance benefits
• Holidays, PTO, and a paid week off for the last week of December
Texas Biomedical Research Institute provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status.
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