Senior Aquarist

Roles & Responsibilities

Key Scope

The Senior Aquarist assists the Curator with the management, organization, and continued development of the displays team to achieve consistently high standards of display presentation and animal husbandry in accordance with all SEA LIFE policies, procedures, and protocols.  The Senior Aquarist works alongside the displays team to assist with the required routine maintenance of all aquarium displays and husbandry related issues. The Senior Aquarist is required to adhere to all responsibilities of a Full-Time Aquarist. The Senior Aquarist will be capable of having the ability to make decisions regarding the operations of the aquarium when the Displays Curator is away. The additional responsibilities are highlighted below.  

Key Objectives

• Provide daily care of animal exhibits including diet preparation, feeding and general care and maintenance of aquatic exhibits in accordance with established protocols. 
• Maintain and prepare accurate daily records for aquarium systems, exhibit specimens, dive related and animal health related paperwork. 
• Assist with specimen transports, water quality testing, quarantine, diagnosis and treatment of fish disease. 
• Work with Displays team to provide the animal care, cleaning and maintenance of aquarium displays requiring SCUBA diving (i.e. 350,000-gallon tropical ocean display) 
• Maintain company issued dive gear and diver areas to the standards and expectations of SEA LIFE policies and protocols. 
• Deliver interactive programming to guests and guest presentations involving displays and exhibit diving. Participate in guest relations/interactions and perform daily public presentations as needed. 
• Assist Displays staff with the husbandry and life support of aquarium systems while ensuring a consistently high standard of animal care. 
• Assist in the continual development of the displays areas in line with the long term goals of the company. 
• Ability to meet Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Merlin Health and Safety standards

Key Responsibilities 

• Ensure the highest possible standards of animal husbandry, exhibit presentation, technical operation and Safety in all operational areas of SEA LIFE Aquarium and Deep Sea Adventure. 
• Lead the day-to-day operation of the aquarist team by scheduling weekly work schedules, daily duties and assessing workloads. Shift staff to assist in areas where help is needed.  
• To monitor all public display areas to achieve the objective of delivering a World Class guest experience. 
• Lead junior staff by example and setting the standard for animal care and professionalism. 
• Work closely with the Displays Curator leading the Displays Team to ensure all protocols and directives are enforced.  
• Provide daily care of animal exhibits including diet preparation, feeding and general care and maintenance of aquatic exhibits in accordance with established protocols. 
• Maintain and prepare accurate daily records for aquarium systems, exhibit specimens and dive related and animal health related paperwork. 
• Assist with specimen transports, water quality testing, quarantine, diagnosis and treatment of fish disease. 
• Work with Displays team to provide the animal care, cleaning and maintenance of aquarium displays requiring SCUBA diving (i.e. 350,000-gallon tropical ocean display) 
• Deliver interactive programming to guests and guest presentations involving displays and exhibit diving. Participate in guest relations/interactions and perform daily public presentations as needed. 
• Ability to meet AZA and Merlin Health and Safety standards. 
• Assist in deciding the correct levels of livestock and key species for displays and help maintain the displays development plan 
• Share knowledge of specimen transports, water quality testing, quarantine, diagnosis and treatment of fish disease with Aquarists. 
• Help assure that daily records are being completed by staff (Diet, Husbandry, Dive, Medical. etc) 
• Assist in the supervision of day-to-day activities of all aquarists and divers: when necessary, help direct exhibit maintenance, animal husbandry practices, and assisting with department budget planning and spending (order placing). 
• Ability to work weekends, nights, be on-call and keep flexible hours. 

Operations 

• To communicate and liaise with Curator, Veterinarian(s) and Biological Services, as directed, in regards to animal health matters. 
• To work to a level that surpasses the guidelines set in the company minimum standards documents for displays.  
• To ensure routine maintenance practice of displays and life support systems in accordance with company and manufacturers guidelines. 
• To maintain strict codes of practice for the administration and storage of all medical treatments. 
• To ensure that accurate and up to date displays records are completed for all displays to include monthly reports to Merlin Entertainment’s Conservation, Welfare, and Education (CWE) department.  
• To ensure that continually high levels of cleanliness of all the displays, quarantine and food preparation areas, plus associated plant and workshops are maintained. 
• To assist with the maintenance and planned development of displays lighting, signage and interactive displays. 
• To assist the Curator in the generation of the annual displays budgets and reports. 
• When acting in Curator’s stead, the ability to order supplies, animals, or equipment by utilizing the knowledge of the budget and working with the Finance department and General Manager.  
• Ability to work effectively with limited or no supervision, and maintain a work ethic supporting the Aquarium’s mission and goals. 

Staff Supervision/Development 

• To ensure the smooth operation of all exhibit areas and behind the scenes areas. 
• To motivate, train and direct the displays staff to ensure displays and back of house meet policy requirements and standards.   
• To ensure communication between the displays and site management are maintained.  
• To assist the Curator with the organization and monitoring of display staff schedules, ensuring that they are within budgetary constraints while at the same time ensuring there is adequate cover of the aquarium at all times. 
• To assist in ensuring that the entire displays team adheres to all guest care initiatives as specified by the company. 
• To discipline staff, as necessary, in areas such as poor work quality, missed assignments as directed by Displays Curator.  
• Assist Curator in interviewing new candidates for the team.  

Additional Responsibilities: 

As directed by the Curator additional responsibilities may be given that relate to the local site or company operation.  Such responsibilities may include but are not limited to: 

• Work outside normal scheduled hours (i.e. weekend days, holidays, special events, after hour animal emergencies). 
• Travel to temporary work at other sites or locations when needed. 
• Ensure Staff are up to date with all Health and Safety Standards 
• Ensure Staff are meeting AZA Standards 
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Experience

Experience: 

• Minimum 5 years’ experience of aquatic animal care in a professional aquarium environment with demonstrated knowledge of safe animal handling practices and maintaining a safe working environment.  
• Able to obtain Rescue Diver SCUBA certification. 
• Experience in the husbandry of a variety of marine and freshwater species of fish and invertebrates, sea turtles and elasmobranchs to include display maintenance, behavior observation, record keeping, nutrition, diet preparation, feeding techniques, disinfection procedures, Quarantine process, and water make up/delivery.  
• Experience with the maintenance and operation of life support systems including sand filters, canister filters, sock filters, UV sterilizers, protein skimmers, and ozone generators. 
• Experience using water quality testing equipment used in testing D.O., Salinity, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Copper and other water quality parameters.  
• Knowledge of water quality parameters in both a fresh water and marine environment. 
• Experience performing necropsies to include slide preparation, organ identification, and disease identification.  
• Knowledge of the treatments of fish disease. 
• Knowledge and experience in AZA standards. Application and being a part of an AZA accreditation inspection preferred.  

Dive Experience: 

• Valid open water SCUBA certification from a recognized recreational or commercial diver training agency with the ability to become rescue certified. 
• 5 years of dive experience in a public aquarium setting with a minimum of 25 dives completed in a large volume display of 70,0000 gallons or more.  
• Ability to pass a dive physical within 6 months of hire. 
• Ability to dive with sharks, rays, fish, and eels.  
• Ability to perform underwater maintenance and dive shows for public presentation.  
• Ability to obtain and hold a current First Aid, CPR, AED, DAN O2 certification. 

Education:  

B.A/B.S. degree in Life Sciences (Biology, Marine Biology, Zoology, Psychology) Or a two year certification from an accredited aquarium science/zoological program is preferred. Experience can be substituted for Education.  

Other Requirements:   

• Proven knowledge of the maintenance and operation of large life support systems including, but not limited to, sand filters, canister filters, UV sterilizers, protein skimmers, and ozone generators.   
• SCUBA diving skills: exhibit maintenance skills with the ability to teach exhibit maintenance, ability to assist with animal collection skills. 
• Advanced knowledge and experience working with a wide variety of tropical and temperate marine and freshwater specimens including, but not limited to, sharks, rays, jellies, corals, seahorses, cephalopods, and reptiles. 
• Advanced knowledge and experience in the quarantine, diagnosis and treatment of fish disease. 
• Strong water quality testing and record keeping skills 
• Proven leadership, communication (verbal and written) and organizational skills with the ability to direct the work of others. 
• Ability and willingness to communicate effectively in public forums to aquarium guests. 
• Ability to maintain a clean/organized work environment  
• Ability to work effectively with limited or no supervision 
• Requires the ability to effectively give and follow directions, and observe and remember details.  
• Must interact and communicate with guests, team members, management, veterinarians, and other individuals and be able to deliver quality customer service. 
• Requires the ability to maintain a friendly, polite, service oriented demeanor.  
• Effective decision-making skills are required.  
• Ability to obtain and hold a valid California Driver’s License

Work Environment: 

• Various inside areas within the Attractions, with varying temperatures and floor surfaces. Occasional travel to other Merlin Entertainments properties or other sites within the city. 

Working Pattern: 

• Typically flexible; works within the scope of Attractions operating days/times. 
• May require some weekend and holidays 
• Days worked are five out of seven 

Benefits

What You'll Get...

Alongside company paid holidays, you can also look forward to enjoying a great benefits package, free tickets to Merlin attractions globally and 30% discount in our retail shops and restaurants.Everyone Matters at Merlin.  

At Merlin we welcome the world to our magical attractions and resorts every day and we want to reflect that same multicultural mix inside our business too. We strive to create an inclusive and diverse workplace where people can be themselves, have the same opportunities and thrive together. Because at Merlin, everyone matters! Together, we work to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, no matter their age, race, gender, disability or sexual orientation. Although we understand that we'll always be learning and growing, we aim to be the most inclusive and flexible employer in our industry

Pay Range

Salary : $66,560