Friday, September 13, 2019

Aquarist


Aquarist

We’re looking for a knowledgeable and passionate Aquarist to join the displays team here at Hunstanton SEA LIFE Centre.

About the role

We are home to a real variety of animals here at SEA LIFE Hunstanton and therefore you will find that no two days are ever the same. Your work routine (if you can call it that!) will be assigned daily by area and as we have 47 displays there's a lot to keep you busy. During a typical day you may be creating enrichment for our Asian Short Clawed Otters, Summer, & Twix, or be out rescuing seals from the Norfolk coastline! You could also get really close to Max our Bosc Monitor Lizard and other reptiles and insects or even feeding the Inca Terns in their Peruvian enclosure.

Preparing the feeds for our animals is a big part of the job (so is the washing up!). You could be preparing the food for our Black Tip Reef Sharks or even tube feeding rescued seal pups. Our displays are split into areas including, The Bay of Rays, Rain forests, Seahorses, the Reptile Ranger Room, and our beautiful ocean tank. You could be working within our rock pool or even building some amazing enrichment for our animals to enjoy.  There are also lots of life support systems to take care of! Every day is different and has its own challenges.

It goes without saying therefore, that you will need to ensure the highest of standards are met as you will be responsible for the cleaning, maintenance and refurbishment of our displays. This includes back washing main filters, water changes, water quality checks, water parameters, health checks and training and enrichment.

You will also be interacting with guests during feeding sessions whilst providing information about the animals, entertaining and educating our visitors and making their journey into the deep a memorable one!

This role is Full Time and includes working a regular, fair share of weekends and also bank holidays as required as well as providing emergency call out cover on a roster basis.

About you

You’ll have a genuine passion for the welfare of freshwater, marine animals, Reptiles and have a good understanding of aquarium animal care.  Experience within public aquariums involving maintenance, plumbing and operation of large life support systems would be an advantage. You’ll need a basic understanding of the fundamentals of water chemistry as applied to an aquarium environment and an ability to quickly identify and resolve any environmental issues.

Ideally you’ll have a degree level qualification in animal care, marine biology or equivalent. You will also have demonstrable experience of aquatic animal husbandry, a practical ability to create ‘wow’ displays with a working knowledge of the correct use of, theming, lighting and water movement to deliver this. Skills in animal training and enrichment are desirable too, and a love for conservation and the wild environment is essential. As you’ll be engaging with our customers you’ll need to have great communication skills too!

About the benefits

Alongside a salary of £18,508 per annum, you’ll also enjoy holiday entitlement that increases with service length (starting with 28 days, inclusive of bank holidays, and rising to 33 days). You can also look forward to a great benefits package including a Merlin Magic Pass (giving free admission to all of Merlin’s attractions) an Employee Assistance Programme, Life Assurance, 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants, 40% discount online off of LEGO, and much more!

Perhaps the biggest benefit of joining us, are the amazing opportunities to advance your career. Merlin is a large, global, expanding business, with no end of curatorial and operational roles, so for an ambitious and talented individual looking to go much further with their career, we can provide the opportunities and the support to help you realise your potential.

About us

SEA LIFE Hunstanton allows visitors to get up close to our amazing creatures, magnificent Sharks, colourful Clownfish or inquisitive Sea Turtles. Does a clever Common Octopus grab your attention or do you prefer playful Penguins? From the curious and the rescued to the rare and the enigmatic, you’ll be able to get closer to them than ever before. Since opening our Seal Hospital in 1989 we have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 750 seals. In keeping with our message - BREED, RESCUE, PROTECT - we’ve developed a system of care and best-practice animal husbandry that draws on decades of collective experience from our marine biologists.

To apply please click HERE















photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant

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