University of California, Santa Cruz
Aquarium Curator
University of California, Santa Cruz, California, Missouri, United States, 65018
Join to apply for the
Aquarium Curator
role at
University of California, Santa Cruz .
How to Apply For full consideration, applicants should attach their resume and cover letter when applying for this position.
For guidance related to the application process or if you are experiencing difficulties when applying, please review the Applicant Resources on our website.
Initial Review Date (IRD) UC Santa Cruz jobs are posted until filled.
All application materials submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the IRD will be routed to the hiring team for consideration.
NOTE: Applicants who miss the IRD are still encouraged to apply; their materials will still be forwarded for consideration if requested by the hiring team.
Application materials cannot be accepted outside of the jobs portal.
About UCSC UC Santa Cruz is a public university that combines the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university.
It is known for its unconventional, innovative, and experimental spirit.
Department Overview The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is a science center and museum located at UCSC’s Coastal Science Campus.
Job Summary The Aquarium Curator is responsible for curating and maintaining live animal exhibits, which includes animal husbandry, equipment maintenance, permits and compliance, and creation and maintenance of budgets.
The Aquarium Curator supervises student assistants.
Appointment Information Budgeted Salary:
$33.01/hour – $42.66/hour.
Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role.
Benefits Level Eligibility:
Full benefits
Schedule Information
Full-time, Fixed
Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
Days of the Week: Monday to Friday, but can be variable depending on animal welfare needs.
Shift Includes: Days, Evenings, Weekends
Employee Classification Career appointment
Job End Date None
Work Location UCSC Coastal Science Campus - Seymour Marine Center
Union Representation RX Union
Job Duties Husbandry Operations (60%)
Oversee all husbandry functions related to the Marine Discovery Center.
Set up, maintain, and care for aquarium exhibits, holding tanks, and life-support systems.
Set up, maintain, and care for aquaria in the education “wet lab” classroom.
Detect, diagnose, and treat diseases in marine organisms.
Develop and implement MDC animal handling policies and procedures.
Procure and maintain food items for aquarium animals.
Prepare animal diets.
Acquire and maintain appropriate collecting permits (CDFG) and animal use permits (CARC) and ensure compliance with all relevant aquarium regulations.
Build and maintain husbandry budget.
Exhibit Development & Maintenance (30%)
Research best-practices in aquarium design, display, and visitor experiences and proactively propose upgrades.
Procure new specimens for display in alignment with Seymour Center vision and visitor experience goals.
Plan, design, construct, and install wet exhibits.
Design and develop wet exhibits, holding tanks, and life-support systems on an ongoing basis.
Develop and procure wet exhibit content, including written content, images, and supplementary objects.
Obtain and replace wet exhibit components when needed.
Obtain and replace cleaning tools and supplies as needed.
Preserve the appearance and functionality of wet exhibits.
Build and maintain wet exhibit budget.
Team Oversight (10%)
Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate student employees.
Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate volunteer aquarists and interns.
Manage and establish priority of work assignments and motivate aquarists to assist in the general maintenance of aquarium displays, holding tanks and other exhibits.
Provide direction and leadership to instill a sense of teamwork and commitment in volunteer aquarists and interns.
Develop and implement training and ongoing educational instruction for volunteer aquarists and interns.
Maintain aquarist training materials and educational resources.
Build and maintain staffing budget.
Required Qualifications
Graduation from college with specialization in Marine Biology or related field and one year of curatorial work experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to work independently and as a team member.
Familiarity with current marine research and demonstrated flexibility with initiative.
Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and electronic imaging software.
Experience collecting and handling marine fish and invertebrates.
Related experience as a marine aquarist.
Experience developing training materials and implementing instruction in aquarium husbandry, subtidal collection, and marine biology.
Ability to instruct others how to operate specialized aquarist tools (siphons, pumps, etc.) and other husbandry equipment.
Experience maintaining aquarium exhibits and animal health, including disease diagnosis and treatment.
Experience in design, planning, and construction of marine exhibits and husbandry support areas including interpretive panels.
Knowledge of marine flora and fauna of the Central California Coast.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with propagation, care, and long-term maintenance of scyphozoan jellies.
Scuba certification or ability to obtain certification.
Excellent organizational and prioritization skills with meeting deadlines.
Effective communication with diverse groups (senior citizens, students, children).
Excellent group management skills.
Experience supervising, training, assigning, and monitoring work with staff motivation.
Special Conditions of Employment
Pre-employment criminal history background check.
Employment misconduct disclosure process.
Work in a rugged physical environment and inclement weather as required.
Work in variable temperature/weather with exposure to odors, noise, vibrations, dust, and allergens.
Use of ladders and lifting up to 60 lbs.
On-site work during all scheduled hours.
Occasional overtime with little notice.
Emergency response after hours.
Travel to multiple work locations on and off campus.
Compliance with UC vaccination policy.
Safety Statement All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report accidents and injuries.
Notice of Availability Annual Security and Fire Safety Report available at
https://compliance.ucsc.edu/campus-safety-compliance/annual-reports/ .
EEO/AA The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or other protected categories.
Seniority Level Mid-Senior level
Employment Type Full-time
Job Function Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology
Industries Higher Education
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Aquarium Curator
role at
University of California, Santa Cruz .
How to Apply For full consideration, applicants should attach their resume and cover letter when applying for this position.
For guidance related to the application process or if you are experiencing difficulties when applying, please review the Applicant Resources on our website.
Initial Review Date (IRD) UC Santa Cruz jobs are posted until filled.
All application materials submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the IRD will be routed to the hiring team for consideration.
NOTE: Applicants who miss the IRD are still encouraged to apply; their materials will still be forwarded for consideration if requested by the hiring team.
Application materials cannot be accepted outside of the jobs portal.
About UCSC UC Santa Cruz is a public university that combines the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university.
It is known for its unconventional, innovative, and experimental spirit.
Department Overview The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is a science center and museum located at UCSC’s Coastal Science Campus.
Job Summary The Aquarium Curator is responsible for curating and maintaining live animal exhibits, which includes animal husbandry, equipment maintenance, permits and compliance, and creation and maintenance of budgets.
The Aquarium Curator supervises student assistants.
Appointment Information Budgeted Salary:
$33.01/hour – $42.66/hour.
Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role.
Benefits Level Eligibility:
Full benefits
Schedule Information
Full-time, Fixed
Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
Days of the Week: Monday to Friday, but can be variable depending on animal welfare needs.
Shift Includes: Days, Evenings, Weekends
Employee Classification Career appointment
Job End Date None
Work Location UCSC Coastal Science Campus - Seymour Marine Center
Union Representation RX Union
Job Duties Husbandry Operations (60%)
Oversee all husbandry functions related to the Marine Discovery Center.
Set up, maintain, and care for aquarium exhibits, holding tanks, and life-support systems.
Set up, maintain, and care for aquaria in the education “wet lab” classroom.
Detect, diagnose, and treat diseases in marine organisms.
Develop and implement MDC animal handling policies and procedures.
Procure and maintain food items for aquarium animals.
Prepare animal diets.
Acquire and maintain appropriate collecting permits (CDFG) and animal use permits (CARC) and ensure compliance with all relevant aquarium regulations.
Build and maintain husbandry budget.
Exhibit Development & Maintenance (30%)
Research best-practices in aquarium design, display, and visitor experiences and proactively propose upgrades.
Procure new specimens for display in alignment with Seymour Center vision and visitor experience goals.
Plan, design, construct, and install wet exhibits.
Design and develop wet exhibits, holding tanks, and life-support systems on an ongoing basis.
Develop and procure wet exhibit content, including written content, images, and supplementary objects.
Obtain and replace wet exhibit components when needed.
Obtain and replace cleaning tools and supplies as needed.
Preserve the appearance and functionality of wet exhibits.
Build and maintain wet exhibit budget.
Team Oversight (10%)
Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate student employees.
Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate volunteer aquarists and interns.
Manage and establish priority of work assignments and motivate aquarists to assist in the general maintenance of aquarium displays, holding tanks and other exhibits.
Provide direction and leadership to instill a sense of teamwork and commitment in volunteer aquarists and interns.
Develop and implement training and ongoing educational instruction for volunteer aquarists and interns.
Maintain aquarist training materials and educational resources.
Build and maintain staffing budget.
Required Qualifications
Graduation from college with specialization in Marine Biology or related field and one year of curatorial work experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to work independently and as a team member.
Familiarity with current marine research and demonstrated flexibility with initiative.
Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and electronic imaging software.
Experience collecting and handling marine fish and invertebrates.
Related experience as a marine aquarist.
Experience developing training materials and implementing instruction in aquarium husbandry, subtidal collection, and marine biology.
Ability to instruct others how to operate specialized aquarist tools (siphons, pumps, etc.) and other husbandry equipment.
Experience maintaining aquarium exhibits and animal health, including disease diagnosis and treatment.
Experience in design, planning, and construction of marine exhibits and husbandry support areas including interpretive panels.
Knowledge of marine flora and fauna of the Central California Coast.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with propagation, care, and long-term maintenance of scyphozoan jellies.
Scuba certification or ability to obtain certification.
Excellent organizational and prioritization skills with meeting deadlines.
Effective communication with diverse groups (senior citizens, students, children).
Excellent group management skills.
Experience supervising, training, assigning, and monitoring work with staff motivation.
Special Conditions of Employment
Pre-employment criminal history background check.
Employment misconduct disclosure process.
Work in a rugged physical environment and inclement weather as required.
Work in variable temperature/weather with exposure to odors, noise, vibrations, dust, and allergens.
Use of ladders and lifting up to 60 lbs.
On-site work during all scheduled hours.
Occasional overtime with little notice.
Emergency response after hours.
Travel to multiple work locations on and off campus.
Compliance with UC vaccination policy.
Safety Statement All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report accidents and injuries.
Notice of Availability Annual Security and Fire Safety Report available at
https://compliance.ucsc.edu/campus-safety-compliance/annual-reports/ .
EEO/AA The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or other protected categories.
Seniority Level Mid-Senior level
Employment Type Full-time
Job Function Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology
Industries Higher Education
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