In 1991, he completed a Ph.D in ethology (animal behavior) at the University of Tennessee,[3] where he studied mother-pup vocal communication in the Mexican free-tailed bat.

He also worked as a research coordinator and grant writer for Immersion Medical, a for-profit company that makes virtual reality training simulators for minimally-invasive surgery.

[7] Balcombe's first book, The Use of Animals in Higher Education: Problems, Alternatives, and Recommendations, was published by Humane Society Press in 2000.

[12][13] Balcombe's 2016 book, What A Fish Knows, combines science and story-telling to examine the inner lives of the world's most diverse group of vertebrates.

In addition to his books and journal papers, he is a regular speaker at conferences, campuses, public schools and other venues.

He is interviewed often in the media, and he has written blogs for Psychology Today, One Green Planet, Secretary of Innovation, and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.