Assistant Aquarist

Seattle Aquarium; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 41,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Health benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

The Seattle Aquarium is seeking an Assistant Aquarist to join our Temperate team within the Life Sciences Department. This role supports daily care and husbandry of our fish and invertebrate collection, and works with the Temperate Fish and Invertebrates team to promote animal health and wellbeing.

Responsibilities include feeding, cleaning exhibits, maintaining water quality, and keeping records. The ideal candidate has base animal care exposure and CPR/First Aid readiness; the role emphasizes

Qualifications

• AA degree in life sciences or equivalent; BA/BS preferred.
• 3 months of animal care experience in a zoo, aquarium, or related setting.
• CPR/First Aid certification or ability to obtain.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, store and distribute food; monitor feeding and report changes.
• Clean and maintain exhibits; maintain water quality for health of animals.
• Maintain records including daily veterinary and husbandry notes.
• Observe animals and evaluate health and behavior.
• Support the aquarium dive program in a non-diving capacity.

Skills

Animal care

Water quality

Teamwork

Safety protocols

Observation

Education

AA Degree in life sciences or equivalent

BA/BS in Biology, Marine Biology, or related field preferred

Job description

Department: Fish & Invertebrates
Reports to: Temperate Fish and Invertebrates Team Supervisor
Status: 32hrs, hourly, benefitted position.
Hours of Work: Friday through Monday, 6:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 32 hours per week.

Position Overview

The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is seeking an Assistant Aquarist to join our Temperate team. As a member of the Life Sciences Department, this position supports the daily care and husbandry of the Aquarium’s diverse fish and invertebrate collection. The Assistant Aquarist performs a range of assigned animal care responsibilities and works closely with the Temperate Fish and Invertebrates team to support animal health and wellbeing.

Essential Functions:

• Prepare, store and distribute food according to established amounts, types and diets; monitor feeding habits and report any changes or abnormalities.
• Clean and perform routine maintenance to animal exhibits and holding areas to assure the health of animals and the presentation of the species in an attractive environment. Maintain water quality to keep aquatic animals in a healthy condition.
• Maintain records and reports regarding assigned species including daily veterinary reports, exhibit maintenance, food consumption records and other reports specific to the assigned area.
• Observe animals and evaluate behavior to determine physical and behavioral health and well-being.
• Act as role model for compliance with all Seattle Aquarium safety protocols.
• Assure the safety of animals, employees and the visiting public from injury or mishap.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Serve as a customer service liaison through daily contacts with visitors providing information and answering questions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Support the Seattle Aquarium dive program in a non-diving capacity.
• All Aquarium staff and volunteers are expected to participate in advancing and integrating into their work Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Beginner-level experience with or interest in fish, invertebrates, and marine biology, along with a willingness to learn about water quality, aquatic life support systems, and marine animal health. Must maintain a current and clear understanding of life support and mechanical systems for open and closed aquariums. Add, subtract, multiply and divide quickly and accurately. Strong interpersonal, collaboration and team-building skills. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk, hear, and smell. Ability to work in confined spaces. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Have or could obtain a CPR/First Aid Certificate. Must be comfortable working in and around water. Demonstrates an understanding of the Aquarium’s Mission and Values, including Regenerative and Equity work.

• Beginner-level experience with or interest in fish, invertebrates, and marine biology, along with a willingness to learn about water quality, aquatic life support systems, and marine animal health.
• Must maintain a current and clear understanding of life support and mechanical systems for open and closed aquariums.
• Add, subtract, multiply and divide quickly and accurately.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration and team-building skills.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk, hear, and smell.
• Ability to work in confined spaces.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Have or could obtain a CPR/First Aid Certificate.
• Must be comfortable working in and around water.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the Aquarium’s Mission and Values, including Regenerative and Equity work.

Experience, education and certifications: We will consider various combinations of relevant experience and education in order to meet minimum requirements.

• AA Degree in any life sciences or equivalent experience required. BA/BS in Biology, Marine Biology, or related field preferred.
• 3 months of paid or unpaid experience involving the care and husbandry of animals in a zoo, aquarium, or related environment preferred.
• The skills and abilities listed above may be demonstrated through a combination of relevant cultural, traditional practices, community programs, jobs, internships, volunteer experience, and/or formal or informal education.

Working Conditions:

• Requires handling, working with or exposure to large, dangerous animals, animal diseases, feces, and toxic chemicals.
• Ability to participate in team lifts of more than 50 pounds.
• Must be able to be on their feet 8 or more hours a day, be physically active through physical motions.
• May be required to work off-site or in the field.
• Required to work outdoors year-round, near water, on wet and slippery surfaces and at heights.
• Able to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays when required.
  

Salary and benefits: $24.50 - $25.00 per hour. Dependent on experience. Please include salary expectations in your application materials.

• Full-time staff are eligible for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, 403b retirement fund with employer match, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, a Seattle Aquarium Family Plus membership and generous paid time off.

Note:If offered the position, candidates must pass a background check. Conviction record is not an automatic disqualifier; we are a second chance employer.

About the Seattle Aquarium:

The Seattle Aquarium is a respected authority on Puget Sound, the Salish Sea and the world’s one ocean. Our team increases awareness and drives the change needed to preserve and protect our marine environment by providing excellent care and wellbeing for over 5,000 animals to create an inspiring visitor experience, offer engaging daytime and evening events, conservation education programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, community outreach to marginalized populations, research that advances understanding of animals in our care and their counterparts in the wild, advocacy and policy work, an award-winning volunteer program, high-impact marketing and communications, and more.

Our values, developed in conjunction with our staff, include commitments to adopting and promoting sustainable practices, creating awe-inspiring experiences, constantly learning and improving, fostering an inclusive community, maintaining scientific credibility through evidence-based practices and honoring our unique place by using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.

Proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, we’re among the top 10 aquariums in the U.S. by attendance, and we welcome over 1 million people each year guided by our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment. Learn more at SeattleAquarium.org .