Aquarist

Merlin Entertainments Group; Park Central; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

The National SEA LIFE Centre, Birmingham, is looking for a full-time Aquarist to care for various marine animals including sharks and otters. This role involves maintaining life support systems, conducting health checks, and ensuring high standards of animal welfare. Interested candidates should have experience in a public aquarium and knowledge of animal husbandry and water chemistry. A degree in a related field is a bonus. Attractive benefits include discounts, bonuses, and free tickets to attractions.

Benefits

Monthly bonus based on guest satisfaction

40% off LEGO online

25% discount in retail shops and restaurants

Merlin Magic Pass for free attraction tickets

Enjoy the Ride Pass for Merlin Annual Pass

Discounted rates at Merlin hotels

Employee pricing up to 55% off cinema tickets

Qualifications

• Experience working in public aquariums, including maintaining life support systems.
• Strong knowledge of animal husbandry and water chemistry in an aquarium setting.
• An eye for detail regarding lighting, theming, and water movement.

Responsibilities

• Caring for animals and ensuring high levels of health and welfare.
• Maintaining filtration and life support systems.
• Executing water quality checks and health checks.
• Preparing diets and administering treatments under direction.
• Providing 24-hour alarm cover on a rota basis.

Skills

Animal husbandry

Water chemistry

Attention to detail

Education

Degree in animal care or marine biology

Job description

What you'll bring to the team

Do you dream of working alongside majestic sharks, playful penguins or our cheeky otters? If you’re a dedicated aquarist, The National SEA LIFE Centre, Birmingham, offers a varied workload. Whether that’s creating enrichment for our playful otters or feeding our giant Green Sea Turtle.

We have a structured progression plan for our display teams in place across the UK, which means we can now offer a role between levels 1 and 5 and will be compensated accordingly. Successful performance can lead to you becoming a Displays Supervisor and with so many sites across the world, the opportunities are endless.

You’ll play a vital part in caring for our animals, ensuring consistently high levels of animal health and welfare as well as looking after and carrying out routine maintenance of the filtration and life support systems, crisis management equipment and environmental alarms. Other duties include back washing main filters, water changes, water quality checks, water parameters, health checks, plus training and enrichment.

You’ll prepare suitable diets and feed all livestock, as well as provide medication and treatment of animals under direction. You will also provide 24-hour alarm cover on a rota basis and maintain strict codes of practice for the use, storage and record keeping of all medications and chemicals according to HSE, COSHH and SSSMZP regulations.

This is a full-time, permanent role, working any 5 days out of 7. This will include weekends and bank holidays on a roster basis.

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience working in public aquariums, including maintaining life support systems.
• Strong knowledge of animal husbandry and water chemistry in an aquarium setting.
• An eye for detail when it comes to lighting, theming, and water movement.
• A degree in animal care, marine biology, or equivalent (this is a bonus, not a must!).

Benefits

Alongside becoming an expert in washing up, you’ll also receive:

• Monthly bonus based on guest satisfaction
• 40% off LEGO online
• 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants
• Merlin Magic Pass - giving you free tickets to all our attractions worldwide for you, your family, and friends every year
• Enjoy the Ride Pass – giving you and 5 others a Merlin Annual Pass (Gold edition)
• Discounted rates at Merlin hotels all over the world
• Employee pricing up to 55% off cinema tickets

If you have any questions or if you require any assistance, because of a disability or medical condition, please contact us by email at [e-mail] and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Pay Range

Compensation between GBP £25,991.00/Yr.-GBP £28,391.00/Yr.