PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES - Staff and manage guest experience and facilitate safe animal encounters at the touch pool inside the PlayQuarium exhibit.
- Monitor and handle marine invertebrates from the touch pool and work with the animal keepers to ensure their care and safety.
- Provide visitors with a memorable, positive, safe experience at the aquarium through a consistently high level of engagement, and teach visitors to make connections between aquarium exhibits, wildlife conservation, & their daily lives.
- Track visitor interaction numbers and assist with maintaining accurate records.
- Use a microphone to energetically present public chats, narrations, and informal engagement with large crowds at a variety of aquarium exhibits.
- Assist with line management and crowd control in indoor and outdoor exhibit and attraction environments, as needed.
- Work alongside fellow Visitor Engagement Associates, as well as other Education staff and volunteers, to develop a respectful and welcoming work culture.
- Work closely with members of the New York Aquarium’s Animal and Education teams to ensure that interpretive stations and locations are well stocked and maintained to create a safe environment for staff, visitors and animals.
- Implement best practices for mentoring, supporting and maintaining positive, cooperative, and effective working relations with other Education Department staff and volunteers.
- Support Admissions and Visitors Services teams to provide a high level of customer service in the park on any given day.
- Assist with data collection (e.g. conducting surveys and interviews) and data entry for visitor research and evaluation projects.
- Participate in the upkeep of a safe, fun, and lively learning environment for all visitors and staff by providing and accepting feedback.
- Support station-based interpretive activities and other interpretive experiences provided onsite, as needed.
- Assist with special early morning and evening events, and other Education department programming as needed (this may include members events, classes, birthday parties, special programs, overnights, and summer camp).
Internal Qualification RequirementsQUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION
Minimum
● You are a high school graduate who has a strong interest and/or background in education, communication, public speaking and/or environmental science.
Preferred
● You are in pursuit of or have recently completed a college degree at the undergraduate level. Those with a background in education, communications, public speaking, and/or environmental science are encouraged to apply.
OTHER SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS
● Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time the application is submitted.
● You have worked with young children or groups in formal or informal learning environments.
● You have a comfort level interacting with and presenting to groups both small and large.
● You have experience with/interest in working at a touch pool, petting zoo, or handling small animals.
● You have strong public speaking skills and are comfortable using a microphone.
● You have an interest in learning about animals and conservation, and sharing information with the public.
● You have the ability to remain patient, even in a busy, high-energy environment.
● You have a high level of self-motivation; you are reliable, flexible, adaptable and accountable.
● You have excellent customer service skills and are friendly and outgoing.
● You have the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
● Bilingual (in any language) a plus- but especially Spanish.
