Zald served as chairs of the Collective Behavior and Social Movements section of the American Sociological Association (ASA) in 1982-83 and also for the Section on Occupations & Organizations in 1985-1986; he served as a vice president for the ASA in 1986-87. He also served on several of ASA's committees. He was nominated (but not elected) for the President of the American Sociological Association twice (in 1990 and in 1992). He was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.