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Senior Animal Care Specialist
Seattle Aquarium
Posted on Mar 26, 2026
Job Posting
Bird and Mammal Senior Animal Care Specialist
Department: Animal Care
Reports to: Supervisor of Birds & Mammals
Status: Full Time, Non-Exempt, Hourly
Hours of Work: Sunday through Thursday or Tuesday through Saturday, to be determined. Typical hours are 7:00am to 3:30pm. Occasional early morning shifts (5:00am to 1:30pm) and rare evening or overnight shifts may be required based on operational needs.
Position Overview
The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is seeking a Senior Animal Care Specialist responsible for all assigned husbandry duties of the Seattle Aquarium’s bird and mammal population. This position will be caring for: sea otters, harbor seals, northern fur seals, North American river otters, various alcids and shorebirds, and fish and invertebrates which inhabit the bird habitats. While not a direct supervisory role, the Senior Animal Care Specialist position requires staff members to have a strong interest and skillset in mentoring to aid in the growth of Animal Care Specialists I and II. Must be organized, self-motivated, independent, and show a strong desire to complete projects. Preference given to candidates with an in-depth understanding of bird and marine mammal biology, water quality parameters/analysis, aquatic life-support systems, and marine and aquatic animal health.
Multicultural, multilingual, and diverse experiences are an asset in this role as we have a diverse and passionate team. The natural sciences and the conservation movement have historically marginalized many communities from taking on scientific roles such as this one. The Aquarium actively seeks to dismantle this practice and broaden participation in marine and environmental conservation professions, making them more inclusive of the full diversity of our communities and responsive to their needs and perspectives. Candidates passionate about anti-racism, social justice, environmental justice, and other intersections will be an asset to our work. All staff should value and participate in advancing and integrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values into their work. The knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below may be demonstrated through a combination of relevant cultural, traditional practices, community programs, jobs, internships, volunteer experience, and/or formal or informal education.
Essential Functions
- Perform daily animal care operations within Bird & Mammal (BAM) team, including diet preparation and monitoring, habitat care and maintenance, etc.
- Act as an individual species Lead for institution’s resident BAM species/habitats as assigned. Adjust species diets, monitor animal weights, coordinate species behavioral training goals in collaboration with Curator, Supervisors, and Veterinary team, provide extra focus and advocation for animal/area needs, and train other BAM staff members in standards of care for species.
- Plan for, apply, and mentor staff on appropriate operant conditioning techniques with an emphasis on positive reinforcement. Capable of problem-solving when behavioral management issues arise.
- Observe/evaluate animal behavior to determine physical and behavioral health and wellbeing.
- Comply with and teach all standard operating procedures and Aquarium Species Programmatic Manuals for all species and animal facilities managed by the BAM team.
- Design, implement, offer, evaluate, and document a variety of behavioral enrichment opportunities for the animal collection that encourage natural behavior. Coach others in this.
- Proficient in recordkeeping and reporting regarding assigned species including daily veterinary reports, habitat maintenance, food consumption records, and other reports.
- Be familiar with the Animal Welfare Act and all USDA/APHIS regulations pertaining to maintaining and public display of marine mammals and birds. Ensure work outputs also comply with all necessary AZA accreditation standards. Assist in preparing for inspections as assigned and lead efforts as necessary.
- Administer basic and challenging medications according to established procedures and veterinary instructions. Ability to lead in handling or restraining animals in accordance with established safety procedures as necessary to ensure animal welfare.
- Possess proficient public speaking skills necessary to interpret natural history and conservation issues effectively with the public in both formal (on microphone) and informal settings.
- Responsibly order BAM team supplies as assigned.
Collaboration/Teamwork and Engagement:
- Provide occasional response to animal emergencies outside of normally scheduled hours.
- Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships within BAM team and other departments to support BAM team needs or asks from others. Practice respect and reciprocity in all communications.
- Work with Curator and Supervisors to aid in the acquisition and disposition of new animals including coordinating and executing safe transport, quarantine, acclimation, and introduction to habitats.
- Share technical knowledge, submit work orders, and communicate habitat need requests with Facilities and Engineering staff.
- May hold roles including Veterinary Medication Clerk, Assistant to research department staff, BAM Volunteer or Internship Coordinator, BAM Tracks Coordinator, Enrichment Committee, various Event Committees, Equity team, Morale Committee, etc.
- Manage Animal Care team aspects of special events, media, and BAM area tours as assigned.
- Ability to communicate effectively with various levels in the organization. Excellent communication skills. Have computer skills including MS Teams applications, Excel, Word, and Tracks.
- Participate in team, department, and aquarium-wide meetings and engagements as assigned.
- Other duties as assigned.
Staff Mentoring
- Provide supportive mentorship and training to BAM staff, interns, and volunteers. Includes husbandry and habitat maintenance/safety tasks, interactive animal-guest experiences/tours, record keeping, animal training, welfare and quality of life assessments, etc. Support Supervisors in delegation of work amongst team as necessary.
- Work closely with the Curator and Supervisors to ensure that training of staff and volunteers align with BAM priorities
- Act as the lead staff member and point of contact for daily BAM team animal care operations when Curator or Supervisors are not on-site.
- Ability to take lead role in drills and emergencies as necessary.
Organizational Values & Culture
- 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: 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.
- B.A./B.S. degree in biology, marine biology, or related field or various combinations of relevant experience to meet minimum requirements are considered.
- Possess a minimum of 4 years’ experience, preferably demonstrating progressively responsible duties, involving animal care and proven mentorship experience in an aquarium or related environment (AZA facility preferred).
- Must have or be able to obtain a Washington State Driver’s License if required to drive aquarium vehicles as assigned to participate in field work, transport animals or equipment between regional zoological facilities, or attend other staff development opportunities.
- Must be able to obtain CPR, first aid, and AED certifications as needed. Training provided.
- Must be able to swim
- Must be able to climb stairs, ladders, and steep rock work, and be harnessed with safety gear when appropriate; have a good sense of balance; and can team lift and move 50 pounds.
- Must be able to obtain CPR, first aid, and AED certifications as needed. Training provided.
Working Conditions: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee will need to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
- Capable of being on their feet 6+ hours/day and being active through physical motions.
- Required to work outdoors year-round, near water, in confined spaces, on wet and slippery surfaces, and at heights.
- Requires handling, working with or exposure to large, dangerous animals, animal diseases, animal feces and toxic chemicals.
Salary and benefits: $30.00 - $31.62. 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.
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 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.