Animal Behavior Technician I

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. 

Supports AbbVie’s Laboratory Animal Behavior and Enrichment Program by performing activities that support the program. Performs operant conditioning and positive reinforcement for research animals. Provides direction and support to Animal Care Technicians and other AbbVie employees who perform animal husbandry in accordance with the company animal enrichment program. Elevates any concerns or inconsistencies with animal behavior and the Enrichment Program to the appropriate authority (manager) for action.

Responsibilities:

• Assist with performing positive reinforcement training of animals. Communicates skills and enrichment program requirements among research groups and Comparative Medicine staff. These include but are not limited to those for behavioral related tasks; enrichment, socialization, operant conditioning, chair training, pole and collar training, target training.
• Assist with training of staff on standardization and continued productivity as related to operant conditioning and enrichment related strategies.
• Enables higher performance by building and maintaining strong relationships with peers and cross functionally with partners outside of team.
• Identifies potential improvements to the program; remains flexible, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement on enrichment and operant conditioning related strategies. Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and assists with the progression of innovation to reality
• Assists with daily tasks associated with animal enrichment such as: prep, distribution to animals, evaluation of effectiveness, and enrichment area/supply maintenance
• Assists with entry and upkeep of behavioral, training and enrichment forms/database(s); Maintains documentation of all animal training (timelines, progress, comments, concerns, etc.)
• Works with moderate work direction, remains flexible, performs multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and maintain sanitation standards
• Assists with incorporating the 3R’s into the Behavioral Management program
• Attends applicable training and workshops pertaining to lab animal enrichment/behavior; participates in on-site enrichment training and committees where required
• Provides animal husbandry duties as required; Required weekend husbandry (or possibly animal enrichment/ operant conditioning) rotation commitment

Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent with three years laboratory animal science experience or Associates degree with two year laboratory animal science experience, or a BS/BA in a related discipline (biology, animal behavior, animal science, veterinary technology) with at least one year laboratory animal science experience.
  • At least 2 years of animal husbandry/enrichment/ behavior/ training experience required
• Certification or eligibility for certification by the American Associations for Laboratory Animal Sciences (AALAS) at the Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) level.
• Ability to work in compliance with all local, federal, GLP, FDA, USDA regulations
• Good communication skills and the ability to maintain efficiency in the workplace and effective in a team environment.
• Attention to detail to provide optimal animal welfare
• Problem-solving ability consisting of taking initiative to handle basic issues autonomously and working with team members for the more complex issues to support animal care operations.
• Ability to safely lift 50 pounds, stand and walk for extended periods of time, to include walking and adhere to safety rules and expectations including but not limited to: grasping, pushing, pulling squatting and bending.
• Ability to consistently perform functions consistent with AbbVie leadership behaviors.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

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• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

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Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, serving our community and embracing diversity and inclusion.  It is AbbVie’s policy to employ qualified persons of the greatest ability without discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected group status.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html 

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html