Aquaculture Aquarist Position Available In New Hanover, North Carolina

Aquaculture Aquarist 
Salary $34,270.00 – $46,383.00 Annually Location New Hanover County, NC Job Type Permanent Full-Time Job Number 25-05595 AQM60034888 Department Dept of Natural and Cultural Resources Division Aquariums Opening Date 04/25/2025 Closing Date 5/8/2025 5:00 PM Eastern Job Class Title Museum Curator I Position Number 60034888 Section NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher Salary Grade

NC06 DESCRIPTION

BENEFITS
QUESTIONS
Description of Work Click here to learn about employee perks and benefits Click here to see the Total Compensation Calculator This position is located at: 900 Loggerhead Road Kure Beach, NC 28449 Primary Purpose of this

Position:

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to work at an Aquarium? The North Carolina Aquariums at Fort Fisher is seeking a dynamic, efficient, and enthusiastic individual to join the animal husbandry team as an Aquaculture Aquarist. This position is a member of the Husbandry Department and will be primarily responsible for aquaculture research and development along with supporting the continued growth of our current sustainability and conservation initiatives within the field of aquaculture at the Aquarium. The position will also provide daily care for the physical and psychological needs of animals in the animal habitats and quarantine systems. This position is also responsible for maintaining life support systems, as well as overall animal habitat aesthetics. Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Responsible for the care, conditioning, and maintenance of brood stock systems, larval fish and grow out systems, including egg collection, counting, and stocking.
Responsible for maintaining live food cultures including algae, copepods, rotifers, and artemia.
Responsible for larval rearing.
Determining individual animal nutritional needs, securing food items, and feeding.
Developing and providing enrichment programs for animals, including enrichment evaluation. Covering husbandry responsibilities in the absence of other team members on a rotational basis including providing animal behavioral training for various animals.
Meeting USDA and AZA requirements for animals in humane care such as, but not limited to, food storage and preparation, providing high standards of cleanliness, and providing a high standard of care.
Recognizing symptoms of disease and poor animal health and administering appropriate treatments, including quarantine of newly acquired specimens.
Conducting animal welfare assessments.
Working with large, dangerous, or venomous aquatic or terrestrial animals.
Designing, installing, and maintaining aquatic animal life support systems.
Perform water quality testing, interpreting results and making necessary adjustments to water quality parameters.
Ability to work within permitting guidelines of protected species.
Maintaining accurate husbandry records through electronic data entry.
Conducting SCUBA assisted diving to clean tanks, perform educational programs, and collect specimens.
Responding to animal strandings and rehabilitation.

Position/Physical Requirements:

Weekend, evening, and holiday work will be required.
Must meet DNCR Fleet Safety Guidelines and have ability to obtain and maintain a valid driver’s license issued from within the United States or be able to obtain one within 90 days of employment.
Ability to lift 50lbs. Follow us on Social Media at: Learn about the

NC Aquariums:

https://www.ncaquariums.com
www.facebook.com/NCAquariumFF
www.facebook.com/NCaquariumPKS
www.facebook.com/NCAquariumRI Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies To receive credit for your work history and credentials, you must provide the information on the application form. Any information omitted from the application form, listed as general statements, listed under the text resume section, or on an attachment will not be considered for qualifying credit. Qualified candidates must have or be able to: Demonstrated experience in aquaculture.
Demonstrated experience with live food cultures.
Demonstrated experience maintaining life support systems and associated water chemistry at a public Aquarium, Zoo, Fish Hatchery, or Museum.
SCUBA certification from a nationally recognized organization or the ability to get certified within 6 months of starting this job. Minimum Education and Experience Requirements Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for detail. Bachelor’s degree in Art History, Biology, Botany, Conservation, Education, History or Zoology from an appropriately accredited institution AND and two years of museum or related work; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Supplemental and Contact Information Section/Unit Description:

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 20 miles south of Wilmington, NC, in Kure Beach, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Fear River. A living collection of more than 4,000 animals in 93,000 square feet of exhibit space attracts and engages more than 500,000 visitors each year. The Aquarium is surrounded by protected woodland, marsh, and beach. Visitors often plan to stop at sites adjacent to the Aquarium – Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and historic Fort Fisher Civil War Museum. Fort Fisher Aquarium is a unique place to visit and work.