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The New England Aquarium (NEAq) is a non-profit organization that responds to and rehabilitates stranded sea turtles. NEAq maintains a sea turtle rehabilitation hospital within our Animal Care Center (ACC) in Quincy, Massachusetts. The ACC also houses a modern necropsy lab. The Aquarium's mission is to provide rapid response and humane care to stranded sea turtles and to conduct research and education, ultimately with the intention of releasing rehabilitated animals back to the wild. The Aquarium's Rescue program is one of the oldest in the country, and triages on average 400 sea turtles annually.
The Biologist (I or II depending on experience) is responsible for providing care to sea turtles collected through our Rescue Program.
This is a full-time regular position offering a comprehensive benefits package. The weekly schedule will be Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 8a - 6:30p EST, with some flexibility on the start and end times each day. Work must be conducted on-site, and availability to work some holidays and occasional overnights, early mornings, and late night hours is required.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Provides husbandry and care for animals collected through the Rescue Program.
- Administers medical therapy as prescribed by Veterinarian.
- Responds to stranding calls as appropriate, educates the public through " 24-hr Hotline" coverage and provides "on-call" support as necessary.
- Supervises the volunteers and interns on-site and in the field.
- Assists in training and presentations to volunteers and interns.
- Provides proper care and maintenance of equipment in Animal Care Center including scheduled maintenance of lab equipment, field equipment, and Rescue vehicles and trailers.
- Maintains animal records and stranding-related database. Assists in Federal reporting requirements.
- Generates content for the Rescue department's social media.
- Assists with and/or performs post-mortem exams including field necropsy of sea turtles.
- Participates in the general ordering for the department, as well as special ordering for grants. Obtains PO numbers, places orders, files records, and maintains an active inventory of husbandry, medical, and office supplies.
- Oversees the Rescue and Rehabilitation office activities, including filing and general organization.
- Performs other position-related duties, as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum Training and Experience
- Bachelor's degree with a focus on biological sciences or veterinary technology preferred.
- 2-3 years experience in sea turtle and/or marine mammal husbandry, strandings, or related field experience required.
- Clinical experience with sea turtles is required.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong leadership skills and organizational and time management abilities.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft WORD, EXCEL, and ACCESS software.
- A strong understanding of diagnostic equipment and life support systems such as dopplers, lstat/protein skimmer, and biotowers.
- Working knowledge of necropsy equipment and sampling protocols.
- A valid driver's license required.
TYPICAL EQUIPMENT USED
Trained in the basic usage and some maintenance of all equipment contained within the Animal Care Center. Must be able to restrain wild animals, and properly use stranding equipment such as stretchers, kennels, cetacean transport containers, necropsy kits/ flensing knives, wet suits / dry suits, medical kits including needles, and therapeutic drugs. Must be eligible to drive aquarium vehicles.
New England Aquarium is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer as defined by the EEOC. Here we foster a culture of respect, diversity, and inclusion. We strive to engage and inspire a broad audience with our efforts to protect the blue planet, and we believe a diverse workforce provides experiences, skills, and perspectives that enrich our programs, strengthen problem-solving, add creativity, and enhance our work environment.
