Animal Welfare & Behaviour Scientist

Dublin Zoo holds the prestigious position of being one of Ireland's top Family Attractions for almost 200 years. We are a conservation charity. Our purpose is to save wildlife and inspire a passion for nature - one person, one family at a time. All members of the Dublin Zoo team are expected to uphold CARE Values.

We're looking for a Animal Welfare & Behaviour Scientist to join our Conservation & Science Team, and support the development, implementation, interpretation, and reporting of advanced zoo-wide animal behaviour research and welfare programmes, promoting an evidence-based approach to animal care and management. The Behaviour and Welfare Scientist will be responsible for coordinating, and participating in, multiple animal behaviour and welfare research projects, and will also support the training of organisational staff, interns, and volunteers that may assist with research efforts. The Behaviour and Welfare Scientist will work closely with Curators, veterinarians and the Animal Care teams to manage Dublin Zoo’s animal welfare assessment process, strengthening Dublin Zoo’s commitment towards animal welfare in line with current national and international zoo standards and best practices. Exceptional skills in independent critical thinking, data organisation and analysis, communication, and collaboration are critical for this role.

This is a permanent and full-time position.

Essential Functions

·       Support and coordinate the development, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of advanced zoo-wide animal behaviour research and welfare assessment programmes.

·       Manage Dublin Zoo’s animal welfare assessment process for all taxa, promoting a proactive approach to evaluating and improving animals’ welfare and experiences.

·       Coordinate the implementation of multiple animal behaviour and welfare research projects simultaneously, and communicate project status and results to the Conservation and Science Manager, and other stakeholders.

·       Participate in animal behaviour and welfare research, including compiling and reviewing scientific literature, designing research plans, coordinating and participating in data collection, and undertaking the analysis, interpretation, and effective reporting of results, up to and including peer-reviewed publications.

·       Manage Dublin Zoo’s animal welfare concern reporting process, leading the response to concerns brought about by staff, volunteers, and visitors.

·       Support the onboarding, training and professional development of organisational staff, interns, and volunteers on various aspects related to animal behaviour research and animal welfare.

·       Support and advance standardisation processes for the monitoring of animal behaviour and welfare across Dublin Zoo, improving existing tools and systems of work where necessary to maximize efficiency and practical application (e.g. use of standardised data collection programmes, such as ZooMonitor©).

·       Prepare periodic reports, and communicate project results and status to, the Conservation & Science Team, Animal Curators, and Senior Management as required.

·       Assist in developing policies, protocols, tools, or other resources related to animal behaviour research and animal welfare.

·       Maintain positive relationships with Animal Care and veterinary staff, familiarising yourself with regular operations and priorities, and coordinating time, resources, funding and support for project implementation.

·       Assist in the development of, and teaching on, Higher Education degree courses, and broader educational programmes.

·       Supervise project students and interns as required, providing necessary training and guidance on various aspects of animal behaviour research and animal welfare.

·       Support Dublin Zoo’s vision and purpose by participating in events when needed, and by participating in, and presenting findings at, relevant national and international conferences and workshops.

·       Represent Dublin Zoo in a professional and positive manner, when needed, to external donors, stakeholders, and government bodies, including media appearances.

·       Perform other duties as assigned to support the Conservation & Science Team’s goals and objectives.

·       Minimum Masters level degree in a related field e.g., animal behaviour, welfare, animal science, zoology.

·       2+ years of relevant work experience in the areas of animal behaviour and/or welfare research, including all aspects of the research process (i.e. study design, data collection, data analysis, and reporting).

·       Demonstrated experience and a good understanding of the practical aspects of animal behaviour research and welfare assessments in the zoo and aquarium field, including current BIAZA and EAZA standards and best practices. 

·       Strong skills in project management, planning and implementation.

·       Experience in scientific writing and the peer-reviewed process, ideally with a track record of peer-reviewed publications.

·       Advanced and competent user of Windows operating systems and the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

·       Experience using behavioural data collection tools such as ZooMonitor©.

·      Experience using statistical analysis and data visualisation programmes (e.g., SPSS, R).

·       Experience using standardised zoo records keeping software (e.g. ZIMS) is desired but not required.

·      Experience in fundraising and/or demonstrated success in proposal writing is desirable.

Personal Specification

·       Excellent attention to detail, with an ability to meet tight deadlines and shift priorities in a rapidly changing professional environment.

·       Ability to handle and implement multiple projects simultaneously.

·      Strong critical thinking skills, with demonstrated ability to independently problem solve and think strategically.

·       Strong organisation and communication skills, including record keeping, data management, and a passion for aligned standards and clear, effective communication and knowledge transfer.

·       Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain effective working relationships within an organisation, including interpersonal skills, an ability to work with diverse teams and personalities, and effective communication.

·       Demonstrable experience in scientific and public engagement, including good presentation and public speaking skills for audiences of various ages and abilities.

·      Excellent written and oral communication skills.

·       Fluency in English is a requirement. Fluency in other languages is desirable.

·      Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

·      An eagerness to expand personal knowledge-base and adapt to new challenges.

·       Ability to travel and to work flexible hours.

·      A commitment to the worldwide role of accredited zoos, aquariums and botanic gardens.

• Bike to work scheme
• Company pension
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• On-site parking
• Sick pay
• Store discount