Senior Manager of Animal Training

About the role

The Senior Manager of Animal Training and Behavioural Programs will lead and advance Miral Experiences' animal training, behavioural husbandry, welfare monitoring, ambassador animal, and animal presentation initiatives across all taxa. As the organisation's subject‑matter expert, you will embed operant conditioning, positive reinforcement, and modern zoological training methodologies into everyday animal care.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement behavioural programmes that improve animal welfare and support veterinary care.
• Provide strategic leadership to keepers, curators, veterinarians, educators and conservation teams.
• Oversee behavioural monitoring systems and data collection for mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and other species.
• Design and manage enrichment and training activities that enhance visitor engagement while meeting conservation goals.
• Act as the primary expert on operant conditioning, positive reinforcement, and behavioural management across the institution.

Required profile

• Proven senior‑level experience in zoological management or animal training.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and drive strategic initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of animal‑human interaction principles and welfare assessment.
• Excellent collaboration skills with curators, veterinarians, keepers and education staff.

Required skills

• Evidence‑based behavioural husbandry
• Behavioural enrichment programmes
• Cooperative medical training
• Behavioural monitoring systems
• Operant conditioning
• Behavioural analysis
• Behavioural management
• Animal welfare assessment
• Activity budgets
• Positive reinforcement training
• Modern zoological training methodologies
• Behavioural data collection
• Behavioural observation