Aquarist

Aquarist – Non-Diving

Job Posting

Department: Animal Care
Reports to: Tropical Supervisor
Status: Seasonal, Part-time, hourly
Hours of Work: Sunday-Tuesday, 7:00am–4:00pm. Occasional need for holidays, schedule flexibility, and evening work as related to conservation projects, events, and other duties.

Position Overview

The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is seeking a collaborative Aquarist to join the Acquisitions, Conservation, and Quarantine (ACQ) team. The Aquarist furthers our mission through the management and care of the animal collection, which currently includes temperate and tropical invertebrates, as well as cartilaginous, teleost fishes and plant collection. This position is responsible for assigned husbandry duties within the ACQ Team and is based at the Aquarium’s Animal Care Center (ACC), located just south of downtown Seattle. This offsite facility functions as an acquisitions and quarantine hub, houses current and future live-animal conservation programs, and is planned to act as a sea turtle recovery facility in the future.

A strong candidate will have a minimum of one year’s experience involving the care and husbandry of animals in a zoo, aquarium, or related environment (AZA facility preferred), a clear understanding of fish and invertebrate biology, and technical knowledge of marine biology, water quality analysis, aquatic life support systems, and marine animal health. We are seeking dedicated individuals who demonstrate the ability to be self-reflective, growth-oriented, and committed to continuous learning and development.

Essential Functions:

All ACQ staff are responsible for the care and management of the Aquarium’s fish and invertebrate and plant collection. This Aquarist position is responsible for the following, including but not limited to:

Animal Care & Welfare

• Acclimate newly acquired animals, administer quarantine treatments (e.g., Formalin, Praziquantel, Copper), and uphold strict biosecurity boundaries between distinct quarantine systems. 
• Prepare animals for transfer and participate in training programs, including desensitization, target, and veterinary behavior training. 
• Administer medications, support safe handling procedures, and conduct animal necropsies or humane euthanasia in instances where veterinary staff are not onsite. 
• Prepare and distribute established diets, monitor feeding habits, and recommend diet adjustments in coordination with the team supervisor. 
• Observe animal health and behaviors, maintaining accurate daily logs via Tracks for veterinary, habitat, and feeding data. 
• Support vital conservation initiatives, including the StAR project and Pinto Abalone restoration.

Transport & Logistics

• Coordinate logistics for animal transport between Aquarium facilities and the airport, including catch-up processes and container setup. 
• Operate transport vehicles while ensuring consistent communication with the team and maintaining water quality standards for the duration of travel. 
• Conduct ACC water hauls, coordinate water deliveries from the main facility, and participate in collaborative water management planning. 
• Manage food inventory and assist with restocking and supply orders.

Habitat & Life Support System (LSS) Maintenance

• Clean and perform routine maintenance and minor repairs of animal habitats and holding areas utilizing hand and power tools such as power drills, PVC shears, and reciprocating saws to support animal health and presentation.
• Perform basic LSS maintenance, including backwashing sand filters, cleaning protein skimmers and filter socks, and replacing UV units.
• Maintain water quality using testing results, probes, and basic water analysis; adjust chemical or physical parameters as needed.

Organizational Values & Culture

• Actively represents and contribute to advancing and integrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Regenerative practices, in alignment with the Aquarium’s S.A.L.I.S.H. Values.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the Aquarium’s Mission and Values, including Regenerative and Equity work. 
• Actively contributes to a healthy, collaborative team culture by engaging in open, respectful communication and demonstrating the ability to thoughtfully give, receive, and integrate constructive feedback.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Acting as role model for compliance with all Aquarium safety protocols.
• Assuring the safety of animals, employees and the visiting public from injury or mishap.
• Perform emergency first aid, O₂ administration, and CPR as needed and according to established guidelines and level of qualification.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Perform other duties as assigned as appropriate for the level of the role.

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.

• Must have a clear 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.
• Ability to assess and diagnose fish and invertebrate diseases and pathogens, and administer medical treatments as directed by veterinary staff.
• Maintain accurate, daily logs and data entries using Tracks record-keeping software.
• Experience setting up and/or maintaining live food cultures preferred.
• Have working knowledge of the nitrogen cycle and setting up/cycling naïve animal systems.
• Must be comfortable working with basic math concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and able to apply them accurately in day-to-day tasks, including utilizing dimensional analysis for complex calculations (e.g., medication dosing, water volume conversions, and chemical treatments).
• Must possess strong interpersonal, collaborative and team-building skills.
• Must possess organizational skills, be self-motivated and communicate effectively orally and in writing. 
• Proficient in essential software platforms, including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint), Tracks record-keeping software, Mobius, and internet browsers.

Core Competencies for Success

• Adaptability: Ability to prioritize competing tasks effectively and navigate shifting operational or schedule changes with a solutions-oriented approach. 
• Collaborative Communication: Engage thoughtfully with colleagues, demonstrating empathy and a willingness to explore alternative solutions during complex operational challenges or when updating ACQ processes. 
• Problem-Solving: Assess challenges thoughtfully, analyze alternative options, and collaborate on effective solutions. 
• Animal Welfare Focus: Provide dedicated care and empathy to animals, maintaining professionalism and compassion during instances of animal illness, injury, or loss.

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

• B.A./B.S. degree in biology, marine biology or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of one year’s experience involving the care and husbandry of animals in a zoo, aquarium, or related environment (AZA facility preferred).
• Must have or be able to obtain a Washington state driver’s license.
• Must either hold current CPR, first aid, O₂ administration and AED certifications, or be able to obtain certification through the Aquarium.

Working Conditions:

• Physical Expectations: Ability to maneuver, position, and transport materials or equipment up to 50 lbs (utilizing assistance or appropriate equipment as needed). The role requires remaining stationary or moving through the facility for extended periods on varying, sometimes wet surfaces, and safely navigating stairs, step stools, ladders, or scaffolding. Requires the ability to access habitats and life support systems, which may involve working in lower or constrained positions, as well as the fine motor coordination needed for delicate tasks and equipment repair. 
• Environmental Exposure: Regular exposure to wet, cold, humid, and odorous environments typical of animal care and seafood processing. Work involves potential exposure to dangerous animals, biohazards, and toxic chemicals. Requires working outdoors year-round and occasionally at heights. 
• Safety & Equipment: Ability to safely operate facility machinery (including forklifts and scissor lifts) and properly utilize necessary PPE, including fall restraint gear, respirators, and diving equipment. Must be able to maneuver safely within confined spaces. 
• Aquatic Environments: Ability to safely operate in and around water; aquatic duties will include fulfilling surface-tending support or SCUBA duties, dependent on individual certification and capability. 
• Observational & Communication Needs: Ability to accurately observe and evaluate animal health indicators (such as coloration or behavior), perform water quality titrations, and effectively perceive and respond to operational alarms and team communications in environments with varying background noise. 
• Schedule & Security: Willingness to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and occasional 24-hour emergency call. Work is primarily conducted at an offsite facility, requiring staff to actively monitor the premises, enforce strict building security protocols, and occasionally coordinate with local law enforcement to ensure safety. 
   

Salary and benefits: $26.00 per hour. Dependent on experience. Please include salary expectations in your application materials. Seasonal staff are not eligible for benefits but accrue paid sick time and are paid an additional $0.75/hour to assist with transportation costs.