Aquarist

SEA LIFE; Weymouth; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LEGO discount

Retail shop and restaurant discounts

Merlin Magic Pass

Enjoy the Ride Pass

Volunteer days

Hotel discounts

Cinema ticket discounts

Job summary

SEA LIFE Weymouth on the Jurassic Coast is seeking an Aquarist to join our expert animal care team. You will care for a variety of species, maintain complex life-support systems, perform water quality checks and ensure high welfare standards.

You will feed livestock, assist with medications, and support 24-hour alarm cover on a roster. A relevant degree is desirable and progression opportunities exist across sites worldwide.

Qualifications

• Experience in public aquariums with maintenance, plumbing and operation of large life support systems.
• Strong demonstrable experience of animal husbandry.
• Understanding of fundamentals of water chemistry in an aquarium environment.
• Solid understanding of the accurate use of theming, lighting, and water movement.
• A degree in animal care, marine biology or equivalent is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Care for a variety of species and maintain high levels of animal health and welfare.
• Maintain filtration, life-support systems, crisis equipment and environmental alarms.
• Back wash main filters, perform water changes and monitor water quality parameters.
• Provide diets, feeding and medication under direction; assist with health checks.
• Participate in 24-hour alarm cover on a rota and follow medication/chemical record-keeping protocols.

Skills

Animal husbandry

Water chemistry

Life support systems

Theming and lighting

Plumbing

Quality checks

Crisis management awareness

Education

Degree in Marine Biology

Job description

What you'll bring to the team

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

Pay Range

Compensation between GBP £26,966.00/Yr.-GBP £29,366.00/Mo.