Aquarist

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

Benefits offered by this job

Merlin Magic Pass

Enjoy the Ride Pass

Volunteer days

Discounted Merlin hotels

Cinema tickets up to 55% off

Employee pricing

Job summary

Merlin in Weymouth on the Jurassic Coast is seeking an Aquarist to join our animal care team and care for a variety of species.

You’ll work across life support systems, water quality checks, feeding and enrichment, and support maintenance while ensuring high standards of animal health and welfare. The role includes weekend rosters and on-call duties as part of a full‑time position.

Qualifications

• Experience in public aquariums involving maintenance, plumbing and operation of large life support systems.
• Strong demonstrable experience of animal husbandry.
• Understanding of water chemistry fundamentals in an aquarium environment.
• Solid understanding of theming, lighting, and water movement.

Responsibilities

• Care for animals and maintain high levels of health and welfare.
• Maintenance of filtration and life support systems; water quality checks.
• Prepare diets and feed livestock; provide medications under direction.
• On-call 24-hour cover on rota; ensure safe handling of medications and chemicals.

Skills

Life support systems

Animal husbandry

Water chemistry

Lighting & water movement

Education

Marine biology degree

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

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.