Job opportunities

Volunteer placement Student

Sealife Adventure in Southend-on-Sea are offering university students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, providing a unique insight into working at a small, modern zoo and aquarium.

A placement at Sealife Adventure will enhance your CV, demonstrating your commitment to a career in the zoo sector. Many of our past voluntary students have successfully secured jobs in animal care or pursued further education, contributing to our strong success rate.

Additionally, there are opportunities to complete research projects and dissertations during your placement. If you need to undertake a research project, please mention this when applying.

We are open every day, and placements will be up to 5 days a week, including weekends. Students will primarily assist with the husbandry needs of the animal collection, as directed by the Curator.

Examples of species and breeds held on site:

• Crab Eating Macaques
• Zebra Sharks
• Corals
• Cownose Rays
• Penguins
• Otters
• Various reptiles

Day to day tasks:

• Assisting with daily cleaning
• Preparation of feeds
• Creating enrichment.
• Assisting with routine husbandry tasks

 

Objectives of the placement

• To gain experience and understanding of the work Zoo Keepers and Aquarists do.  
• To deliver educational talks and animal experiences at the zoo to visitors and groups.
• To apply your own personal skills and take ownership of a series of tasks and/or a research project.
• To reflect on training and experience throughout the placement.

 

Skills Required

• Previous animal-related work experience (not essential)
• Good communication skills
• Adaptable to different working environments
• Able to work in a team and independently
• Physically fit for the demands of the job