Job Description

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The Florida Aquarium

Sea Turtle Conservation Biologist

Position Summary

This is a full time seasonal position for 3 months.

This position is primarily responsible for assisting in the daily care of rescued and rehabilitating marine turtles and facility operations at the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center (STRC) based at The Florida Aquarium’s Center for Conservation (CFC) campus in Apollo Beach, FL. S/he is also responsible for maintaining adherence to all Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requirements and guidelines in conjunction with the Animal Health team.

Essential Position Functions

• Ensure compliance with all Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) marine turtle regulations and FLAQ processes, protocols and SOPs are consistently followed.
• Perform daily marine turtle husbandry duties, including but not limited to food/diet preparation, animal feeding, and medical tests/treatments. 
• Uphold the highest standards in maintaining marine turtle facilities and life support systems (LSS), including but not limited to diving to clean holding systems, maintaining life support and ozone systems, testing/adjusting water quality/chemistry parameters according to established SOPs, backwashing filtration systems, and conducting water changes.
• Assist with field response/rescue/transport of stranded marine turtles, data and specimen collection, necropsy examinations at FLAQ and in the field, carcass disposal, and/or release of rehabilitated marine turtles.
• Conduct public outreach programs and talks as needed.
• Fulfill scheduling needs to provide 7 day/week coverage at the Center and 24-hour coverage for FWC requests for distressed or deceased marine turtle recovery and transport.

Education, Requirements, and Technical Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required in biological sciences or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 1 year of experience (or equivalent experience) working primarily with marine turtles with basic knowledge of husbandry care and parameters required to house marine turtles.
• Basic knowledge of LSS operations and troubleshooting (including chlorine and ozone disinfection systems) and water quality testing and chemical management.
• Ability to maintain a positive, solution-oriented attitude, approach challenges as opportunities, and utilize innovative thinking to problem-solve.
• Ability to work long hours during sea turtle cold stun season and assure 7 day/week coverage is maintained at the STRC. Flexibility in working weekends, evenings, and holidays is required.
• Ability to manage the Sea Turtle Stranding phone on a regularly scheduled on-call basis and respond to emergencies or stranding events as needed.
• SCUBA certification required.
• In-depth understanding of Florida FWC and Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) protocols and guidelines.
• Ability to learn and utilize the Aquarium’s Animal Record Keeping systems.
• Knowledge of Windows and Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook).
• Must be willing and able to obtain a valid State of Florida Driver’s License.
• Customer Service – Demonstrates courtesy, cooperation and friendliness with staff, volunteers and customers. Actively listens, anticipates and evaluates the customer’s needs. Ensures that customer satisfaction is a priority in all areas of responsibility. Actively engages our customers while fulfilling job responsibilities.
• Interpersonal Skills/Teamwork – Supporting, facilitating, and participating in activities that promote team effectiveness; demonstrating sensitivity for the feelings and needs of team members and supporting team goals.
• Leadership (Individual) — Effective and appropriate use of interpersonal skills to motivate individuals toward the accomplishment of goals; co-creating and communicating in a clear vision through emphasis on the organization’s mission, individual and team goals, systems and rewards.
• Professional and Technical Knowledge – Remains current on developments in the fields within and outside the organization; maintains proficiencies.
• Initiative – Taking actions to achieve goals; self-starting and proactive; asserting oneself to support others in the achievement of their goals; originating action rather than responding only to the action of others; anticipating the needs of both internal and external constituencies.
• Work Standards – Applies high performance standards to all work-related activities.

Typical Physical Requirements

• Sitting (2 hours per day)
• Bending/Stooping — Frequently
• Squatting — Frequently
• Climbing stairs —Frequently
• Reaching above shoulders — Frequently
• Crouching — Occasionally
• Kneeling — Frequently
• Balancing — Frequently
• Pushing/Pulling — Frequently
• Carrying (up to 25 lbs.) — Occasionally
• Lifting (up to 25 lbs.) — Occasionally
• Working near moving machinery — Occasionally
• Exposure to dust, fumes and gases
• Exposure to marked changes in temperature and humidity
• Typing on a computer keyboard
• Excellent vision for proofing and detail work
• Coping with demands (stresses that are associated with the job and/or the work environment so that acceptable levels of performance and overall contribution are maintained)
• Operating machinery and boats
• Ability to travel (car) as needed
• Ability to travel (air) as needed
• Ability to conduct field work in collection and research
• Daily contact with a living collection of plants and animals in a central Florida climate
• Ability to interact and be around wild animals 
• Exposure to various plants and birds
• Subject to bites, stings and scrapes

Medical, Dental, Vision, EAP, Memberships, and more!

The Florida Aquarium
701 Channelside Dr
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: 8132734000

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