Facility

The Florida Aquarium

Closing Date

Description

Reports To: Wetlands DOME Associate Curator

Position Summary

Assists the Wetlands DOME Team to achieve The Florida Aquarium’s mission to entertain, educate, and inspire stewardship about our natural environment by exemplifying the Aquarium’s values of Respect, Trust, and Excellence. Directly works with the aquarium’s Reptiles & Amphibians, and other Terrestrial and Aquatic animals within our collection. Performs essential and secondary job functions in accordance with guidelines set and approved by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and other safety regulatory agencies.

Essential Position Functions

• Performs specific daily exhibit feeding, cleaning, life support maintenance, and daily reporting and assists in training staff when needed

• Uses SCUBA for the purpose of exhibit maintenance, collections, research, animal welfare and programs

• Participates in Husbandry projects, animal enrichment/training teams, renovations, in-house collections, and follows standard operating procedures

• Acts as Point of Contact in the absence of the area Supervisor/Senior to direct and coordinate team

• Work cross-departmentally as a Volunteer Diver Coordinator for the Husbandry Team and effectively communicates staff and volunteer needs between the departments

• Delivers extraordinary customer service to all aquarium guests, donors, and internal customers

• Provides formal, scripted and informal guest presentations throughout the galleries and behind the scenes

• Maintains the highest level of quality as it relates to the aquarium’s public and exhibit image

• Maintains a working inventory of departmental supplies and tools

• Maintains a working knowledge of all major life support components, their care, and upkeep

• Identifies and creates detailed exhibit/gallery development plans

• Exhibits a high level of organization and daily backup area cleanliness

• All other duties as required

Secondary Functions

• Assists Senior Biologists in the training of Husbandry interns and volunteers

• Works with Florida Aquarium Registrar regarding animal collections and acquisitions

• Assists team and other departments with ordering of materials/supplies

• May represent the aquarium at conferences, speaking engagements, media interviews, and VIP tours

• Writes and presents formal papers, and authors or co-authors articles for publication

• Assists ongoing research projects, both internally and externally, that are relevant, goal-specific and support the aquarium’s mission

• Works with Animal Health team to ensure the highest standards for all animals

• Works with Associate Curator to provide a safe and comfortable work environment for staff and guests through continuous maintenance and improvement of visitor and behind-the-scenes work spaces

Education and Pre-requisites

Minimum of two years’ experience in animal husbandry programs at a museum, zoo, aquarium, aquaculture facility, or related field

• Four-year degree in biological science, or related science; or equivalent experience

• Ability to work with mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, invertebrates and plants

• Advanced knowledge of the mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering aspects of maintaining biological systems

• Ability to operate and maintain tools and equipment necessary for the care of the plant and animal collection

• Experience in specimen collection techniques

• SCUBA certification required with ability to advance to Rescue Diver level within 3 months of hire

• Valid Florida driver’s license or ability to get one within 3 months of hire

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office software

Competencies

• Customer Service Orientation — Listening and understanding the customer (both internal and external) and anticipating and evaluating the customer’s needs; making the customer’s satisfaction a high priority in all areas of responsibility.

• Teamwork — Supporting, facilitating, and participating in activities that promote team effectiveness; demonstrating sensitivity for the feelings and needs of team members and supporting team goals.

• Concern for Detail — Pays attention to every portion of any task, down to the smallest item

• Work Standards — Applies high performance standards to all work-related activities

• Planning and Organizing — Establishing a course of action with specific long-range goals for the aquarium; setting priorities among competing requirements and allocating resources in the most efficient and effective way; developing contingency plans that anticipate changes in the work environment.

• Communication (oral and written) — Effectively expressing ideas verbally and non-verbally and actively listening to individuals and groups; preparing and focusing presentations to the characteristics and needs of the audience; expressing ideas clearly and concisely in written form, through memoranda, letters, reports, and other documents.

• Information Gathering and Monitoring — Effectively collects relevant data using questioning or research techniques to monitor and manage projects and people

Typical Physical Requirements

• Sitting (2 hours per day)

• Standing (2 hours per day)

• Walking (4 hours per day)

• Bending/Stooping — Frequently

• Squatting — Frequently

• Crawling — Occasionally

• Climbing heights (12’) — Occasionally

• Reaching above shoulders — Frequently

• Crouching — Frequently

• Kneeling — Occasionally

• Balancing — Occasionally

• Pushing/Pulling — Frequently

• Carrying (up to 70 lbs.) — Occasionally

• Lifting (up to 70 lbs.) — Occasionally

• Exposure to marked changes in temperature and humidity

• Typing on a computer keyboard

• Coping with demands (stresses that are associated with the job and/or the work environment so that acceptable levels of performance and overall contribution are maintained)

• Operating machinery

• Ability to travel (car) as needed — locally and/or nationally

• Ability to conduct field work in collection and research

• Ability to maintain daily contact with a living collection of plants and animals

• Daily contact with a living collection of plants and animals in a central Florida climate

• Flexibility in working weekends and evenings

• Flexibility in working holidays

• Ability to interact and be around wild animals

• Exposure to various plants and birds

• Subject to bites, stings and scrapes

• Available for on-call emergencies

Compensation and benefits

Exemption Status: Exempt (salaried)

Comprehensive benefits package upon completion of the first 60 days of employment. We are a drug-free workplace.

Application instructions

Forward resume and salary history to hr@flaquarium.org Comprehensive benefits package upon completion of the first 60 days of employment. We are a drug-free workplace.

For listing on AZA: https://www.aza.org/Jobs/detail.aspx?id=42827