Facility
The Florida Aquarium
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
Position Summary
Work as a Biologist II at The Florida Aquarium, Tampa, Fl to achieve the mission “to entertain, educate, and inspire stewardship about our natural environment” by exemplifying the Aquarium’s values of Respect, Trust, and Excellence. Directly care for the aquarium’s terrestrial and aquatic animals within our collection. This position has an emphasis on herps, in particular large snakes and crocodilians. Perform essential and secondary job functions in accordance with guidelines set and approved by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and other safety regulatory agencies.
Essential Position Functions
• Maintains the highest level of animal care and wellness
• Performs husbandry duties of daily animal care including but not limited to preparing food, feeding animals, cleaning animal habitats, and preparing daily reports
• Promptly reports any animal injury, illness or abnormal behavior to Animal Health team to ensure the highest standards for all animals
• Regard for human and animal safety foremost when leading a team handling large terrestrial and/or aquatic animals
• Ensures accurate animal record keeping
• Applies knowledge and identifies issues with terrestrial and/or aquatic habitat and life support systems
• Delivers extraordinary customer service to all aquarium guests and internal customers
• Assures behavior consistently meets the FLAQ values of Respect, Trust and Excellence
• Executes behavior shaping plans for aquatic and terrestrial animals with proficiency
• Identifies and solves obstacles with projects and tasks in a team setting
• Conducts complex work processes without supervision
• Provides multi-part formal and informal guest presentations throughout the galleries and behind the scenes unassisted; comfortable speaking on a microphone to 200+ guests
• Cleans habitat pathways, service and holding areas, commissary, and backup areas
Secondary Functions
• Maintains the highest aquatic and terrestrial habitat standards
• Initiates and executes exhibit improvements and modifications independently
• Initiates and executes presentations and reports independently
• Maintains tools and equipment necessary for the care of the collection
• Assists in maintaining husbandry SOPs
• Represents the aquarium at selected professional development opportunities
• Participates in meetings with curators, biologists and other aquarium departments
• Works with volunteers and interns within scope of position
• All other duties as required
Competencies
• Customer Focus – Demonstrates courtesy, cooperation, and friendliness with staff, volunteers, and customers.
• Interpersonal Skills/Teamwork — Support, facilitate, and participate in activities that promote team effectiveness; demonstrate sensitivity for the feelings and needs of team members and support team goals.
• Professional and Technical Knowledge
• Coordination — Organize and move a group of individuals and/or activities toward a common goal
• Planning and Organizing — Establish a course of action with specific long-range goals for the aquarium; set priorities among competing requirements and allocated resources in the most efficient and effective way; develop contingency plans that anticipate changes in the work environment.
• Judgment — Decide on and commit to an action on the examination of the facts at hand; find creative solutions to situations and opportunities that arise; take strategic risks when necessary.
• Communication (oral and written) — Effectively express ideas verbally and non-verbally and actively listen to individuals and groups; prepare and focus presentations to the characteristics and needs of the audience; express ideas clearly and concisely in written form, through memoranda, letters, reports, and other documents.
• Information Gathering and Monitoring — Effectively collect relevant data using questioning or research techniques to monitor and manage projects and people
Typical Physical Requirements
• Sitting (2 hours per day)
• Standing (2 hours per day)
• Walking (4 hours per day)
• Bending/Stooping — Frequently
• Squatting — Frequently
• Crawling — Occasionally
• Climbing heights (12’) — Frequently
• Reaching above shoulders — Frequently
• Crouching — Occasionally
• Kneeling — Frequently
• Balancing — Frequently
• Pushing/Pulling — Frequently
• Carrying (up to 70 lbs.) — Occasionally
• Lifting (up to 70 lbs.) — Occasionally
• Using hands for repetitive movements — fine manipulating
• Exposure to marked changes in temperature and humidity
• Typing on a computer keyboard
• Excellent vision for proofing and detail work
• Coping with demands (stresses that are associated with the job and/or the work environment so that acceptable levels of performance and overall contribution are maintained
• Operating machinery and boats
• Ability to travel (car) as needed — locally and/or nationally
• Ability to travel (air) as needed
• Ability to conduct field work in collection and research
• Daily contact with a living collection of plants and animals in a central Florida climate
Education and Pre-requisites
• Minimum of 4.5 years’ experience in a facility working with aquatic and terrestrial organisms, including but not limited to birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fishes, and plants
• BS or higher degree in a biological science or related field with equivalent experience
• Knowledge of habitat requirements for terrestrial species
• Knowledge of life support systems and water quality parameters for aquatic species
• Knowledge of Animal Record Keeping systems (ZIMS/ISIS) preferred
• Knowledge of Windows and Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook)
• SCUBA certification required with ability to advance to Open Water Scientific Diver/Rescue Diver level within 6 months of hire
• Must be willing and able to obtain a valid State of Florida Driver’s License
• Flexibility in working weekends, evenings, and holidays
Compensation and benefits
Compensation is negotiable based on experience and expertise. Benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurances; Retirement Plan Options; Discounts, and more!
Application instructions
Interested candidates, please visit https://www.flaquarium.org/careers to apply through our Career Center.