Aquarist Assistant

SC Aquarium; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

SC Aquarium in Charleston, SC seeks an Aquarist Assistant to support aquarists and Curator of Fishes, providing exceptional animal care to support public education goals.

You will handle daily care, including feeding, cleaning, life support maintenance, data recording, and assisting with veterinary procedures as needed.

This role offers hands-on work across diverse exhibits, requires flexibility including weekends, and emphasizes safety and teamwork in a busy public aquarium.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in biology or a closely related field, and/or equivalent experience.
• Valid Driver’s License.

Responsibilities

• Assist aquarists in providing daily animal care including exhibit and holding system maintenance.
• Prepare and distribute diets.
• Administer medications and assist during veterinary procedures.
• Maintain accurate animal and enclosure records.
• Provide coverage for all aquarist galleries including fish, invertebrates, and elasmobranchs.
• Assist with specimen collection and animal transports outside the building.
• Support enrichment programs for all animals.
• Assist with daily cleaning, maintenance, and organization of backup areas.
• Assist in tracking and ordering supplies.
• Perform water quality testing as needed.
• Interact with Aquarium guests to provide education and conservation information.
• Supervise interns and volunteers as needed.

Skills

Aquarium husbandry

Animal care

Water quality

Microsoft Office

Communication

Boat handling

Safety PPE

Record keeping

Education

Associate’s degree in biology

Tools

Tracks software

Job description

Job Summary:

The primary focus for the Aquarist Assistant position is supporting the work of the aquarists and the Curator of Fishes. This position demonstrates exceptional animal care to support public education goals. Duties include all aspects of daily care, including feeding, cleaning, life support maintenance, and related record keeping.

Essential Functions:

• Assist aquarists in providing daily animal care including exhibit and holding system maintenance.
• Prepare and distribute diets.
• Work with veterinary staff and aquarists to administer medications, handle animals during veterinary procedures, and transport animals to and from the veterinary lab.
• Work with veterinary staff, aquarists, and the Curator in animal quarantine operations.
• Maintain accurate animal and enclosure records using Tracks and other records keeping methods.
• Provide coverage for all aquarist galleries including fish, invertebrates, and elasmobranchs.
• Provide coverage for all non-fish galleries including birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and plants, as needed.
• Assist with specimen collection and animal transports outside the building.
• Work with aquarists on the enrichment of all animals.
• Assist with daily backup area cleaning, maintenance, and organization.
• Assist in tracking and ordering supplies.
• Perform water quality testing as needed.
• Work in a manner that supports and protects the health of the collection, including wearing assigned PPE and limiting exposure to known contagions.
• Interact with Aquarium guests in impromptu daily and special programs, providing education and conservation information.
• Work unsupervised and make decisions consistent with the team philosophy and goals.
• Assist in the supervision of interns and volunteers.
• Provide assistance to non-animal care staff and Aquarium guests as needed in a pleasant, professional, and courteous manner.
• Participation on the Emergency Weather Ride Out Team may be required on short notice.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, holidays, and evenings.
• Adhere to all South Carolina Aquarium policies and procedures.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist Education team with animal programs when necessary.
• Support the mission by participating in Aquarium sponsored membership programs and fundraising activities.
• Assist in the continual development of exhibits and educational programs that align with Aquarium goals.
• Assist in the designing, constructing, and maintaining of animal enclosures and exhibit aesthetics, including periodic renovations
• Other responsibilities as assigned including meeting attendance, committee service, social media content development.
• Assist with animal welfare assessments.
• Maintain regulatory compliance for all assigned animals.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of the captive husbandry practices of saltwater fishes, freshwater fishes, invertebrates, and elasmobranchs.
• General knowledge of the life support equipment necessary to maintain living exhibits including sand filters, pumps, protein skimmers, heat exchangers, ozone, and UV filters.
• Ability to recognize and treat aquatic diseases.
• Ability to safely handle and transport animals in the collection, including sharks and stingrays.
• Working knowledge of water quality parameters and how they impact fish and other aquatic animals.
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office products including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Familiarity with specimen collecting gear such cast nets, seines, dip nets, is a plus.
• Familiarity with plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work is a plus.
• Boat handling skills and being comfortable on boats is a plus.

Education and Experience Required:

• Associate’s degree in biology or a closely related field, and/or equivalent experience

Licenses & Certifications Required:

• Valid Driver’s License

Supervision of Others:

• NA

Physical Requirements:

Requires average walking, standing, bending, stooping, and crouching, climbing ladders, sitting, kneeling, balancing, pushing and pulling, crawling, working with tools, computer tasks and phone usage; should be able to lift/carry at least 50 lbs.; requires driving Aquarium vehicles.

Hazardous Requirements:

Average exposure to minor or severe cuts; falls; falling objects; hazards to eyesight, hearing and sense of smell; and tight spaces. Often requires use of personal protective equipment due to exposure to chemicals, hazardous materials, ozone, and handling of animals.

Working Conditions:

This position requires working in both an office environment and outdoors, sometimes in extreme weather including both hot and cold; requires weekend and late-night work as needed; requires contact with customers, the general public, and outside vendors; required to carry a radio; requires occasional travel.