Aquarist

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, Aquarist with a passion for animals and animal conservation to join our zoological team at the Blue Planet Aquarium. Here at the Blue Planet Aquarium, we welcome your creative input into our displays. You have a unique opportunity to add your personal touch and ideas to our ever evolving exhibits.

Join the team at the Blue Planet Aquarium where we offer visitors the chance to experience a huge collection of fish and herpetofauna, including one of Europe’s largest collection of sharks in a huge 3.8 million litre tank with one of the longest underwater viewing tunnels in the world!

Why work for us

Here at Aspro, we make sure our employees are well taken care of. We recognise that their hard work and dedication are the driving force behind our success. Our work environment is built on mutual respect and professionalism. We have a team of highly knowledgeable individuals with the experience and technical expertise to ensure we are the best at what we do!

We’re looking for individuals who want to join the Aspro team and live our values of:

• Customer Service
• Honesty
• Respect
• Focus on Results
• Teamwork
• Personal development

What’s in it for you?

• Free entry into Blue Planet Aquarium for your family and friends
• Free entry to all 10 Aspro UK attractions
• Staff discount in our food outlets
• Staff discount in our retail outlet
• Staff training & development via our All-Aboard Scheme
• Career progression opportunities
• On successful completion of your 6 month probationary period, you will be entitled to a free shark dive experience at the Blue Planet Aquarium
• Working in a fun, friendly, diverse, and inclusive environment
• Working for a recognised “Mindful Employer” who is committed to improving employees wellbeing, health and mental health.

Duties/ Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Aquarist will be varied, challenging, but extremely rewarding. Reporting to the Senior Aquarists / Curator, you will be responsible for ensuring highest standard of animal care and husbandry.

You will be responsible for maintaining and developing all displays, including freshwater and marine exhibits, amphibians and reptiles, invertebrates, pelicans and our 3.8 million litre shark exhibit. You will ensure the highest standards of animal husbandry and continuously maintain and develop exhibits with enthusiasm, operating with pace and vigour, employing Zoological strategies to display exhibits in a fun, educational and engaging manner whilst prioritising animal welfare and the objective of raising conservation awareness.

Promoting public education and awareness in relation to conservation of biodiversity and delivering a memorable and entertaining experience to visitors.

You’ll be responsible for the maintenance plans of the life support systems along with the cleanliness and presentation of all our displays. You will ensure suitable diets and feed plans are in place for our creatures, as well as continuing to develop our excellent animal welfare across the aquarium.

Full job description is available for those short listed for interview.

Person Specification

Please note the following criteria are required in order to be successful in gaining this post at recruitment and to be able to effectively undertake the duties required.

Desirable criteria will be used to differentiate between candidates who meet all the essential criteria but are not automatically required, as they can be developed once appointed into the post.

Essential

• Qualification in Marine Biology/Zoology/Ecology/Marine Sciences/ similar
• Animal Husbandry and Welfare Knowledge
• Has good working knowledge of life support systems
• Experience in the design, installation, and maintenance of a wide variety of aquatic systems
• Zoo Licence and Standards of Modern Zoo Practice knowledge
• Health and Safety knowledge
• Hands on approach to work who is not afraid to get their hands dirty
• Imaginative- can make things happen!
• Demonstrates ASPRO values of Quality of Service, Honesty, Respect, Focus on Results, Teamwork and Personal Development
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Problem-solving attitude with an eye for detail
• Positive “can do” attitude

Desirable

• Experience in the design, installation & maintenance of a variety of pump systems
• Experience with Reptiles, Amphibians & Birds
• Animal Handling Experience
• Plumbing experience
• Carpentry experience
• Fibre glassing experience with aquatic life systems
• Experience in PVC pipe work
• Experience in Public speaking

We are also here to sell fun, and this is what makes us so unique. So, if you have a passion to work in the leisure industry, can offer outstanding customer service to all our visitors and you aren’t afraid of hard work, then we may just have the job for you!

How to Apply

If interested, please click Apply Now where you can upload your CV & covering letter.

This vacancy will close once a suitable candidate has been found, so don’t delay, apply today!

We do recognise the time and effort it takes to apply for a position, however as an employer of choice we receive a high volume of applications and in the interests of economy, Aspro UK does not notify candidates who have been unsuccessful in their application; consequently if you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

Equal Opportunities

Aspro UK are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and veteran or disability status.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £21,673.60 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• On-site parking
• Store discount

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability