Aquarist Intern, Yawkey Coral Reef Gallery (Winter 2020/2021)
Time Commitment:
125 hours minimum
Summary:
Interns in this gallery assist staff with basic husbandry responsibilities of the New England Aquarium’s Yawkey Coral Reef Gallery, home to a variety of fish and invertebrates. The gallery features animals from warm water climates around the world. Interns in this gallery have the opportunity to learn about the intricate environments that are coral reefs.
Duties/Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Provide daily care, maintenance, and assist with the appearance of the gallery
- Cleaning exhibit windows
- Taking and recording temperatures
- Food preparation and feeding
- Cleaning filters and siphoning from tanks
- Monitoring water quality
- Organizing and cleaning behind the scenes
- Collecting animals from the Aquarium docks and local salt marshes for exhibit tanks
- Attend two professional development lunches with the Volunteer Programs and Internships office
Skills/Qualifications:
- The ability to climb multiple flights of stairs
- Physically able to lift 50 lbs.
- Capable of working independently and as a team
- Able to take and carry out multiple instructions in a timely manner
- Must be comfortable working with animal food items
Organizational Description:
The New England Aquarium’s mission is to protect the blue planet through hands-on programs, live animal and interactive exhibits, public lectures and forums, and research and conservation projects.
This mission is fulfilled through exhibits, and through education, conservation and research programs. Exhibits showcase the diversity, importance and beauty of aquatic life and habitats, and highlight critical aquatic conservation issues. Programs emphasize species, habitats and issues critical to New England. The Aquarium is also a pioneer in marine animal rescue, and a leading ocean conservation organization with research scientists working around the globe.
The New England Aquarium serves as a responsive community resource that attracts and involves the broadest possible audience; seeks a culturally diverse staff and governing board that reflect our community; adheres to the highest standards of animal stewardship; and is committed to delivering the highest quality visitor experience in a welcoming and enjoyable manner that evokes wonder, curiosity, understanding, caring and action.
Department Description:
The Yawkey Coral Reef Gallery staff support the New England Aquarium’s mission to protect the blue planet by creating and maintaining exhibits that encourage the public to care about the ocean and to become involved in conservation.