The Virginia Aquarium is seeking a dependable, self-motivated team member to serve as a Senior Herpetology Keeper/Aquarist in the daily husbandry of the Aquarium’s animals. A solid understanding of animal welfare standards that includes reptile, amphibians, fish, and invertebrate husbandry is required. This position’s focus will be maintaining superb animal health and welfare by cleaning habitats, providing nutritious diets, maintaining aquatic life support systems, and assisting with medical procedures for a diverse animal collection that includes teleosts, elasmobranchs, chelonians, crocodilians, Komodo dragons, venomous snakes and poison dart frogs.
Duties:
- Participate and assist in the overseeing of large reptiles including crocodilians and Komodo dragons.
- Participate and assist in the overseeing of venomous snakes.
- Participate and assist in the overseeing of the daily husbandry of a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater animals including but not limited to fish, sharks, rays, jellies, corals, seahorses, cephalopods, and turtles.
- Perform advanced husbandry responsibilities such as animal physicals and training.
- Assist the dive safety officer by leading husbandry focused dive operations.
- Participate in animal transports and acclimation processes.
- Perform life support design, construction, operation, and maintenance and assess water quality and nutritional needs with senior curatorial and veterinary staff.
- Assist veterinary and curatorial staff with animal medical procedures.
- Train and coach new volunteers and part-time staff.
- Develop and implement procedures with the husbandry staff.
- Support the guest experience by participating in visitor enhancement development and actively seek out guest engagement opportunities.
- Present public programs and educational messaging in a variety of settings.
- Participate in professional development opportunities.
Work Schedule:
- 40 hours per week; Sun – Thu or Tue – Sat between the hours of 7am – 6pm; will occasionally vary to meet operational needs.
- The City offers a generous benefits package such as health, dental and life insurance, retirement and savings plans.
Other key benefits include:
- Maternity/Paternity and Parental Leave
- Leave Donation Program
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Assistant Program
- Professional Development
Experience Required
MINIMUMS:
- Requires a minimum of one (1) year full-time equivalent experience in a similar facility or program, plus any combination of additional education and experience (above the high school level) for a total of four (4) full-time equivalent years.
- Related positions that meet experience would include those such as animal trainer, biologist, or animal keeper in a similar facility that utilizes the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
- Individual positions will have specific requirements regarding subject expertise, skills and training; these will be noted on job requisition at time opening is advertised.
- Must have a current and valid drivers license.
Further Comments
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in biology, marine science, zoology, aquarium science or related field.
- Advanced knowledge of the biology, anatomy, behavior, and nutritional needs of reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.
- Three (3) or more years of full-time equivalent experience with husbandry for large freshwater and saltwater closed aquariums, with duties including daily maintenance, temperature and lighting control, and the analysis and manipulation of water quality parameters.
- Three (3) or more years of full-time equivalent experience with reptiles and amphibians in zoo or aquarium settings.
- Three years (3) or more years of full-time equivalent experience with large or potentially dangerous reptiles, including venomous snakes, crocodilians and monitor lizards, with duties including daily husbandry, handling, and restraint.
- Experience in the care and management of aquatic chelonians, with duties including daily husbandry, handling, and restraint.
- Experience SCUBA diving in aquarium exhibits for husbandry and maintenance.
- Experience designing, plumbing, and maintaining of life support systems on small aquariums.
- Experience with operant conditioning-based animal training programs in zoo or aquarium settings.
- Experience keeping, training, and enriching multi-taxa exhibits of reptiles and fish.
- Experience supervising staff/volunteers/interns in a zoo, aquarium, museum, or similar facility.
- Skilled with communicating to the public in a zoo, aquarium, museum or similar facility.
- Well versed on animal record-keeping systems such as ZIMS as well as experience writing clear and concise reports to be utilized for scientific purposes.
- Operating/working knowledge of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and/or Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) current standards, guidelines, and programs.
- Operating/working knowledge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services’ current guidelines and standards.
Perks
- https://virginia-beach-departments-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/city/Careers/Full-time-Employee-Benefits.pdf
Salary
- $41,294.70