Job opportunities

Aquarist

Position: Aquarist

Location: Cheshire Oaks, Ellesmere Port

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours of work: Full Time 5/7 days

Salary: £26,436.80 per annum

Blue Planet Aquarium has an exciting opportunity for a passionate and driven Aquarist to join our Zoological department.

This is a great opportunity to gain some valuable experience working with a wide range of aquatic animals that include native & tropical marine fish, aquatic reptiles & amphibians and marine invertebrates. By joining us at Blue Planet Aquarium, you will care for the animals, as well as the filtration systems that are so vital to their well-being.

You will be responsible for promoting and participating in daily public presentations and regular education sessions, as well as conversing with visitors whilst carrying out your daily duties around the aquarium. It is essential therefore that you enjoy and are just as confident working front of house as you are working behind the scenes.

About the Role

You will ensure the highest standard of exhibits are delivered throughout Blue Reef Aquarium using zoological strategies and an enthusiastic attitude to ensure that visitors are happy and want to return. This is done by considering the visitor experience, fun, education, value, conservation awareness and animal welfare.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assisting the rest of the Zoological team with the running and maintenance of all displays
• Responsible for ensuring the highest standard of animal care and husbandry
• Collation of accurate animal records to Zoo licensing standards
• Maintaining, cleaning and tidying all plant rooms; tool rooms, laboratories and quarantine facilities
• Responsible for the maintenance of life support systems and reporting faults to the Displays Supervisor/Curator
• To be courteous, pleasant and approachable at all times when dealing with the public in order to establish a lasting positive image of the aquarium.
• To be available for on-call emergency rota

The full job description will be provided at interview stage

About You

• The successful candidate will be expected to be very personable and able to communicate well with our visitors, including delivering public talks and able to run education sessions
• Degree in Marine Biology/Zoology/Ecology/Marine Sciences/similar
• Good animal husbandry & welfare knowledge
• Has good knowledge of life support systems including pumps
• Has proven ability to design, construct and maintain aquaria
• Has some experience working with PVC pipework & basic joinery
• A full manual driving license is essential

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
• Personal development

Excellent benefits

• Free entry into all Aspro Parks locations
• Free entry into Blue Planet Aquarium for your family & friends
• Continuous development and training opportunities
• Complimentary shark diving experience on successful completion of your 6-month probationary period
• 25% discount in our retail and catering outlets
• All whilst working in a fun, inclusive and diverse team.