Animal Behaviorist

Animal Behaviorist

Salary

Depends on Qualifications

Location

Houston, TX

Job Type

Regular Full-time

Job Number

16833

Department

Public Health Services

Division

Veterinary Public Health

Opening Date

06/24/2026

Closing Date

8/23/2026 11:59 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Position Description

If you're looking to be a part of a collaborative environment where your skills can make an impact, explore our current opportunities in creating a better future for public health.

About Harris County Public Health:

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more than 1,100 public health professionals working together to improve health outcomes for the third most populous county in the United States. HCPH provides a multitude of services such as medical and dental services, community programming, and health education for the approximately 2.3 million people in unincorporated Harris County. Through its core values of innovation, engagement, and health equity, HCPH strives to bring meaningful solutions to public health issues while keeping Harris County healthy and vibrant.

Our Values:

HCPH embraces a foundation of progressive work anchored by the department's cornerstone values guiding our work to improve the community's health and well-being.

• Transparency: We share information openly and honestly so that staff, partners, and the community understand our actions and the reasons behind them.
• Integrity: Our actions reflect strong ethical principles, ensuring we remain trustworthy, accountable, and consistent with our mission.
• Respect: We foster a supportive environment by valuing diverse perspectives, listening intentionally, and treating people with dignity in every interaction.
• Impact: We focus our efforts on activities that improve health, reduce disparities, and create meaningful, measurable outcomes for the communities we serve.
• Collaboration: We actively partner across teams, disciplines, organizations, and communities to align our efforts toward common goals.

Position Overview:

Under general supervision, the Animal Behaviorist will assess and manage animal behavior, develop behavior modification plans, and train staff and volunteers. Individuals in this role will be responsible for collaborating with veterinary teams to ensure the well-being of shelter animals, while also making ethical decisions regarding animal welfare.

The Animal Behaviorist is expected to have knowledge of ethical considerations and best practices related to humane euthanasia decisions, focusing on animal welfare and public safety.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Behavioral Evaluation & Assessment: Conducts comprehensive evaluations of incoming animals to assess behavioral concerns such as aggression, anxiety, fear, and socialization issues.
• Behavior Monitoring & Documentation: Observes and documents animal behavior to track progress and identify any changes that could impact the animal's adaptability or well-being.
• Risk Assessment: Provides well-considered recommendations for humane euthanasia in cases where behavioral issues pose a significant risk to the animal's welfare or public safety.
• Collaboration with Veterinary & Kennel Staff: Works closely with veterinary and kennel staff to monitor the health and behavior of animals, especially those in quarantine or undergoing medical treatment.
• Behavior Modification Plan Development: Develops and implements individualized behavior modification plans using positive reinforcement, desensitization, and other effective techniques tailored to shelter animals.
• Staff & Volunteer Training: Trains shelter staff and volunteers on safe, effective animal handling practices and behavioral best practices to ensure consistency and safety.
• Community Outreach & Education: Assists in developing educational materials and workshops to improve community understanding of animal behavior and welfare.
• Professional Development & Research: Stays informed on the latest research, theories, and best practices in animal behavior to continuously improve shelter practices and protocols.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in animal science, zoology, biology, psychology, or ethology.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of experience working with cats and dogs in a behavior or training role, preferably in a shelter or rescue environment.
• Valid Texas Drivers License.
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Licensure:

• Valid Texas Drivers License.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Must be comfortable working with animals.

• Knowledge of current research, theories, and advancements in animal behavior to improve shelter practices and protocols.

• Knowledge of ethical considerations and best practices related to humane euthanasia decisions, focusing on animal welfare and public safety.

• Skill in communicating clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, to explain behavior assessments and provide recommendations.

• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage time-sensitive projects independently while ensuring attention to detail.

• Skill in developing and implementing individualized behavior modification plans using positive reinforcement, desensitization, and other effective techniques.

• Ability to observe, assess, and document animal behavior, identifying key behavioral concerns and tracking progress over time.

• Ability to make informed, ethical decisions regarding challenging cases, including humane euthanasia, with a focus on animal welfare and safety.

• Ability to build and maintain effective, collaborative relationships with shelter staff, volunteers, external organizations, and community stakeholders.

• Ability to solve a variety of complex problems in the absence of technical guidelines and when creative thinking is required.

Core Competencies:

• Data Analytics and Assessment Skills: Ability to use data to analyze community health needs and support decisions that improve community health outcomes.

• Communication Skills: This competency focuses on using clear and effective communication to engage audiences, address misinformation, and build trust, supporting informed decisions and stronger public health outcomes.

• Health Advancement Skills: This competency focuses on applying principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to public health, addressing systemic barriers, and promoting fair access to resources for healthier communities.

• Community Partnership Skills: This competency focuses on collaborating with communities to address the systems and policies affecting health, fostering engagement, shared ownership, and sustainable improvements in well-being.

• Public Health Science Skills: This competency focuses on using public health science and evidence-based approaches to develop and improve policies and programs, ensuring effective delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Preferences

Education:

• Masters degree in animal science, zoology, biology, psychology, or ethology.

General Information

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• This is a full time position.
• Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Other days and hours as necessary.

• Must be willing to flex work hours when required, including weekends.
• Expected to travel within Harris County jurisdiction.

Work Environment:

• This job operates in an animal shelter, professional office environment, with some field work.
• Consistently exposed to animals and animal allergens under conditions with limited alternative available.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
• This position may require infrequent travel and interaction with the community at public events.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and work in a physically demanding environment, including standing, walking, bending, and handling animals.
• Comfortable working in various environments, including kennels, adoption areas, and public spaces.
• May have to manually set up and tear down equipment as the mobile clinic requires.

Location:

• Veterinary Public Health (612 Canino Road, Houston, TX 77076)

Employment is contingent upon passing a background check and drug screen.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.

The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:

Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Wellness Plan
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Ten (10) days of vacation leave per year (accrual rate increases after 5 years of service)
• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays
• One (1) floating holiday per year
• Paid Parental Leave*
• Sick Leave

Retirement Savings Benefit

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:

• Professional learning & development opportunities
• Retirement pension (TCDRS defined benefit plan)
• Flexible work schedule*
• METRO RideSponsor Program*
• Participation may vary by County department. The employee benefits plans of Harris County are extended to all eligible participants across various departments with the exception of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, for which the cited Health & Wellness Benefits are administered through the State of Texas.

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the Countys behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:

www.benefitsathctx.com

01

Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position?

• High School or GED diploma
• Associate Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree or higher
• None of the above

02

If you selected a college degree in response to the previous question, which of the following best describes your major?

• Animal Science
• Zoology
• Biology
• Psychology
• Ethology
• Other Related Field
• Unrelated Field
• N/A; No Degree

03

This position requires a minimum of five (5) years of experience working with cats and dogs in a behavior or training role, preferably in a shelter or rescue environment. Which of the following options best describes your experience in this area? (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Less than five (5) years
• Five (5) years or more
• I do not have this experience
• N/A, Im not interested

04

Please describe your verifiable experience working with cats and dogs in a behavior or training role, preferably in a shelter or rescue environment. NOTE: Please DO NOT use "See Resume" as we do not use resumes for qualifications. (Type N/A if not applicable)

05

Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions: Advanced: A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Intermediate: A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Basic: A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it. Entry Level: A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Basic
• Entry Level
• Not proficient

06

This position requires possession of a valid Texas-issued drivers license. Do you meet the above requirement? (Please be sure to include all related details in the Certificates and Licenses section of your application.)

• Yes, I have a Valid Texas Drivers License
• Yes, I have a Valid Out-of-State Drivers License, but I understand I must obtain a Valid Texas Drivers License prior to start date
• No, Im not interested

Required Question

Employer Harris County

Address 1111 Fannin St

Ste. 600

Houston, Texas, 77002

Phone 713-274-5445

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx