Careers at Virginia Tech

The School of Animal Sciences seeks an exceptionally well-qualified applied animal behavior practitioner to join the department as a Project and Research Coordinator. The successful applicant will interface with faculty, undergraduate students, graduate students, shelter staff, shelter volunteers, shelter adopters, and other community stakeholders.

The successful candidate will guide the behavior programs at a New River Valley/Roanoke Valley shelter, in collaboration with the shelter’s medical director, and coordinate active research activities that faculty guide as well as contribute to the ongoing applied animal behavior research efforts in the School. In addition to the programmatic duties at RVSPCA, the successful candidate will oversee research opportunities for Virginia Tech graduate and undergraduate students and provide service learning opportunities to Virginia Tech undergraduates. The successful candidate will also assist in the provision of research opportunities for students in the online Master’s Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare concentration, in addition to delivering companion animal curriculum to undergraduate students, depending on the needs of the School and the areas of expertise of the successful candidate.

This is a non-tenure-track, 12-month appointment in the School of Animal Sciences. The appointment effort is split between the shelter in Roanoke, VA and School of Animal Sciences in Blacksburg, VA, with most efforts likely serving both entities: 50% of the effort is to overseeing, developing, and implementing behavior programs, services, and guidelines at the shelter. The other 50% of the appointment is to oversee the research efforts generated by the SAS faculty members in applied animal behavior research, utilizing the shelter as a test bed field site. The research will add to the ongoing research efforts in the School, while also providing undergraduate and graduate research opportunities, including in the online Master’s Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare concentration. The successful candidate will be able to effectively integrate undergraduate and graduate research into their work at the shelter. That is, we foresee undergraduate and graduate students participating in internships, supervised research, and supervised clinical behavior work at the shelter, under the guidance of this position. The successful candidate might also help current faculty teach undergraduate courses, including laboratory components. The successful candidate will be expected to bring specialized industry expertise to the instructional programs of the department, leading efforts in professional preparation of students, including but not limited to expanding internship and other experiential learning opportunities.

Deadline for applications is January 7, 2024 or until the position is filled. Candidates must submit on-line (https://www.jobs.vt.edu; job card #) a letter of application, curricula vitae, graduate transcripts, statements of research and teaching interests, and the contact information for at least three professional references. Correspondence should be addressed to:
Dr. Erica Feuerbacher
enf007@vt.edu

Candidates must have a M.S. in animal behavior, animal sciences or psychology or a closely-related field with substantial animal behavior experience; Preference will be given to candidates with: 1) a demonstrated history of working with shelters to behaviorally disposition and manage the behavioral care of shelter animals; and, 2) demonstrated dedication to undergraduate and graduate student research, mentoring, and success.

Ph.D. in animal behavior, animal sciences or phycology or a closely related field or a DVM with substantial animal behavior experience; Professional certification in applied animal behavior (e.g., Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant) or able to obtain that certification within 1 year of employment

Restricted

Salary commensurate with education and experience

01/07/2024

Deadline for applications is January 7, 2024 or until the position is filled. Candidates must submit on-line (https://www.jobs.vt.edu; Job Card #527978) a letter of application, curricula vitae, graduate transcripts, statements of research and teaching interests, and the contact information for at least three professional references.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.