Job opportunities

Aquarist

Job Title: Aquarist

Location: Deep Sea World - Fife

Contract Type: Full Time, 40 hours per week

Working Hours: 5 / 7 days on a rota basis

Salary: £25,396.80

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, hardworking Aquarist with a passion for aquatic animal husbandry, education, and animal conservation to join our Zoological team at Deep Sea world.

Join the team at Scotland’s National Aquarium where we offer visitors the chance to experience the UK’s longest underwater viewing tunnel, mysterious coral reefs, majestic sharks, and our amazing seal harbour. Over 40 displays, including the 4.5-million-litre Underwater Safari with its walkthrough tunnel, are home to hundreds of fascinating creatures, ranging from seals and seahorses to stingrays and giant sand tiger sharks. Located beneath the world-famous Forth Rail Bridge, Deep Sea World is the place for you!

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.

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 and Personal development

What’s in it for you?

• Free entry into Deep Sea World for your family and friends
• Free entry to all Aspro UK visitor attractions
• Free entry into Aspro Parks in Europe
• Staff discounts in our food outlets
• Staff discount in our retail outlets
• Uniform provided
• Free parking
• Staff training & development via our All Aboard scheme.
• Career progression opportunities
• On completion of your 6-month probationary period, you will be entitled to a free shark dive experience at Deep Sea World
• Working in a fun, friendly, diverse and inclusive environment
• Working for a recognised “Mindful Employer” who is committed to providing employees wellbeing health and mental health

Duties/ Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Aquarist will be varied, at times challenging, but extremely rewarding. Reporting to the Curator & Dive Officer, 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, seals and our 4.5 million litre shark exhibit. You will ensure the highest standards of animal husbandry. You will 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. You will ensure suitable diets and feed plans are in place for our creatures.

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

Person Specification

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

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
• 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
• Animal Handling Experience
• Plumbing experience
• Carpentry experience
• Fibre glassing experience with aquatic life systems
• Experience in PVC pipe work
• Experience in Public speaking
• Holds PADI Divemaster

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!

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.