Aquarist

Merlin Entertainments; Weymouth; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40% off LEGO online

25% discount in our retail shops and餐?

Merlin Magic Pass - giving you free

Enjoy the Ride Pass – Merlin Annual

x2 volunteer days per year

Discounted rates at Merlin hotels all

Employee pricing up to 55% off cinema

Job summary

Merlin Entertainments is seeking an Aquarist to care for a variety of species on the Jurassic Coast display. You will maintain life support systems, perform daily health checks, and ensure high welfare standards within a structured progression plan across UK sites.

The role requires feeding, medication administration under direction, and on-call alarm cover on a rotating schedule, with weekends and bank holidays as part of the roster.

Qualifications

• Experience in public aquariums with maintenance and operation of large life support systems.
• Strong demonstrable experience of animal husbandry.
• Understanding of water chemistry for aquarium environments.
• Understanding of theming, lighting and water movement.

Responsibilities

• Care for animals and ensure high levels of animal health and welfare.
• Maintain and monitor filtration, life support systems and alarms.
• Prepare suitable diets and feed livestock; provide medications as directed.
• Carry out water quality checks and health assessments; rostered 24-hour alarm cover.

Skills

Animal husbandry

Water chemistry

Life support systems

Theming and lighting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in animal care or marine biology (desirable)

Job description

Fancy working in our aquarium on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset? We're currently looking for an Aquarist to join our AWESOME animal care team, caring for a variety of species!

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 Senior Aquarist 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 within public aquariums involving maintenance, plumbing and operation of large life support systems
• Strong demonstrable experience of animal husbandry
• An understanding of the fundamentals of water chemistry as applied to an aquarium environment
• Solid understanding of the accurate use of theming, lighting, and water movement
• A degree level qualification in animal care, marine biology or equivalent (desirable)

Benefits

• 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)
• x2 volunteer days per year
• 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 £26,966.00/Yr.-GBP £29,366.00/Mo.