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Assistant Aquarist - Temporary
Seattle Aquarium
USD 24.51-24.51 / hour
Posted on May 30, 2025
JOB POSTING
Assistant Aquarist
Posted: Open to internal and external applicants
Reports to: Tropical Fish and Invertebrates Team Supervisor
Status: Part-time, hourly, temporary position, up to 1000 hours/year
Hours of work: 7:00AM to 4:00PM, 5-days/ 40 hours per week, Tuesday-Saturday work week
Date needed: ASAP
Posting expires: Open until filled; priority given to applications received by June 12.
Position description:
The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is looking for a Assistant Aquarist to join the Tropical Fish and Invertebrates team. As part of the Seattle Aquarium’s Life Sciences Department, the Assistant Aquarist is responsible for assigned husbandry duties caring for the Seattle Aquarium’s fish and invertebrate animal collection. This position reports directly to one of the Tropical Fish and Invertebrates Team Supervisor.
Key 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.
Additional Responsibilities:
- 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.
- 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.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required skills and experience:
The skills and abilities listed below may be demonstrated through a combination of relevant cultural and community programs, jobs, internships, volunteer experience, and/or formal or informal education. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.
- 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.
- Must have a clear, basic understanding of fish and invertebrate biology and technical knowledge of marine biology, water quality analysis, 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.
- Must possess organizational skills, be self-motivated, and communicate effectively orally and writing. Ability to use or learn various computer software products: MS Word, Excel, and Internet browsers.
- 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 f the Aquarium’s Mission and Values, including Regenerative and Equity work.
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: $24.51 per hour. Temporary staff are not eligible for benefits but accrue paid sick time and are paid an additional $0.75/hour to assist with transportation costs.
How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.
Interested candidates should upload a résumé to our online application to be considered. Application review will begin immediately.
Please let us know if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for this job by emailing us at jobs@seattleaquarium.org.
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 passionate staff increases awareness and drives the change needed to preserve and protect our marine environment by providing an inspiring visitor experience, 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 850,000 people each year. Guided by our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment, we’re working to substantially increase our conservation impact by expanding our campus with a new building, the Ocean Pavilion. Learn more at SeattleAquarium.org.
Timeline:
We anticipate the following recruiting schedule for those candidates who are selected for consideration. The following dates are preliminary and subject to change. We will work with candidates to set interview dates. If hired, relocation assistance is not available.
- Application deadline: July 2025
- Priority given to applications received by June 12
- Interviews completed by July 2025
- Start date: July or August 2025