TITLE: Aquarist, Aquarium Sustainability
DEPARTMENT: Aquarium Team
REPORTS TO: Supervisor, Aquarium Sustainability
STATUS: Full-time, Non-Exempt
PAY RATE: $26.00 - $28.00/hour
LOCATION: Chicago - Onsite
Time Commitment:
- Orientation (First Week): Monday–Friday
- Onboarding & Training (1 Month Minimum): Thursday–Monday
- Regular Schedule (Ongoing): Sunday - Thursday.
POSITION OVERVIEW: Shedd Aquarium illustrates a commitment to optimal animal care and welfare to facilitate impactful public engagement with wildlife. Our animals first approach has a foundation that individuals and groups of animals can exhibit natural behaviors encouraged through complex environmental design, innovative behavioral training, and enrichment.
This Aquarist position is responsible for the daily husbandry, care, and welfare of a diverse collection of marine organisms that range from teleost’s, cnidarians, sygnathids, and live food cultures, including several strains of algae, multiple species of copepods, mysid shrimp, and artemia cultures. This role works as part of a team of Aquarists responsible for the care and maintenance of Shedd Aquarium’s live food cultures, larval programs, and specialized exhibits, including sea jelly habitats, sea dragons, and cold-water invertebrates.
A significant component of this position involves working closely with the aquarium’s larval development programs and AZA sustainability partnerships, participating in projects ranging from invertebrate culture to teleost rearing through early life stages. This position also plays an active role in advancing Shedd Aquarium’s standards for larval care and culture.
This Aquarist position works closely with the Manager of Marine Habitats, Supervisor of Aquarium Sustainability, and the rest of the Aquarium Sustainability team – along with Animal Health, Environmental Quality, and Facilities – to ensure the smooth and effective operations involving animals and habitats, especially as they relate to the planning, husbandry, and welfare. This position works cooperatively with the animal care management teams to ensure compliance with all accreditation and regulatory requirements for departmental operations and provides full support of the aquarium’s SCUBA diving program as directed by the Dive Program Manager.
Aquarists are learning to serve as leaders in the Animal Care and Science Division. They will assist Senior Aquarists and Supervisors with inter-departmental productivity and participation in strategies to meet institutional objectives and initiatives requiring support of the Animal Care Department, and may serve as an aquarium spokesperson as needed.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
- Demonstrates commitment to Shedd's vision, mission, and values.
- Achieves goals and objectives assigned for short- and long-term operations.
- Produces and maintains good animal records in accordance with Aquarium Team standards and as directed by the Manager, including the use of TRACKs animal record keeping software.
- Prepares diets and feeds animals to meet their nutritional requirements as assigned.
- Prepares, monitors, and harvests various live food cultures, including rotifers, copepods, brine naups, and phytoplankton.
- Uses critical thinking skills to monitor, support, and improve larval rearing research and production objectives.
- Develops, applies, and records enrichment for animals to meet their psychological requirements as assigned.
- Maintains front-of-house habitats at an inspection level of readiness.
- Maintains back-of-house areas and habitats at an inspection level of readiness.
- Works proactively with Animal Health to provide optimal animal care, assessment, and treatment as needed.
- Performs minor maintenance/repair on gear, tanks, or supplies needed for the section.
- Identify major maintenance/repair problems in any section and report through their manager.
- Provides timely communication to the Manager, Supervisor, and covered staff members.
- Maintains awareness and communication expectations by checking email daily, along with any additional platforms used by the Animal Care departments.
- Maintains daily animal observations, records, and reports any abnormal behavior or appearance.
- Manages the daily work of interns and volunteers, including evaluating performance, coaching, advancement, and accountability.
- Works effectively with the Aquarium Leadership Team to achieve strategic goals and objectives of the Animal Care and Science Division.
- Works with the Animal Care Leadership team to ensure proper animal training, enrichment, and nutrition for animals.
- Demonstrates gain of knowledge of all the primary animal groups cared for by the Aquarium team.
- Demonstrates gain of knowledge and understanding of modern husbandry techniques and a thorough understanding of the use of emerging science to advance animal care and welfare.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of practices and procedures and recommends improvements.
- Provides support for coworkers in their responsible roles as needed.
- Maintains legal compliance measures such as tracking of respirator use, adherence to OSHA standards, etc.
- Participates in 1-on-1, team meetings, department meetings, division meetings, and One Shedd meetings.
- Participates in Shedd’s DEAI objectives.
- Works with other divisions as assigned to meet strategic objectives.
- Participates in dive operations as needed and complies with all policies and protocols put forward by Shedd’s dive control and safety team.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in marine biology, zoology, animal science, or related field, or demonstrated equivalent knowledge.
Experience:
- 1+ years of experience in animal care at an accredited zoo or aquarium with a focus on aquatic animals.
- Knowledge of water chemistry and quality as they pertain to living marine systems.
- Knowledge of proper animal care, training, and enrichment.
- Knowledge of collection planning processes.
- Demonstrated success in care and handling of aquatic animals
- Demonstrated 1+ years of experience caring for marine teleost and sea jellies.
- Demonstrated 1+ years of experience caring for live food cultures.
Certifications:
- Must possess a valid driver's license or obtain one within 6 months from the start of employment.
- Must possess a valid passport or obtain one within 6 months from the start of employment.
- Must possess a minimum of open water SCUBA certification. Employment contingent upon passing a dive physical and check out swim test protocol administered by Shedd Aquarium's Dive Operations.
Physical Readiness:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Lift up to 40 pounds
- Sit
- Stand
- Stoop
- Kneel
- Walk
- Swim
- Hear
Working Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
This person may be exposed to:
- Water
- Heat
- Cold
- Hazardous Chemicals
- Low noise
- Moderate Noise
- Loud Noise
BENEFITS OF WORKING AT SHEDD: We offer competitive compensation packages and opportunities for professional growth within our organization.
- Medical Insurance, including FSA and HSA plan options
- Vision and Dental Insurance
- Accrued Paid Time Off
- Up to 12 Paid Holidays
- Life Insurance
- Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
- 401(k)
- Discounted Parking and Public Transit Subsidies
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee Wellness program, including Preventive Care Incentive
- Employee Discounts
- Employee Tickets
Reasonable Accommodations:
Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at jobs@sheddaquarium.org.
We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team. 