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Regional hiringpublishedExternal employer
OCOregon Coast Aquarium
Oregon Coast Aquarium•Aquarium

Senior Keeper - Aquarist

Location

Newport, Oregon, United States

Work type

Onsite

Employment

Full Time

Experience

3-7 years

Compensation

Compensation not disclosed

Posted

3d ago

Summary and responsibilities

Role overview

Summary

The Senior Keeper is responsible for the daily husbandry and maintenance of the animal collection, focusing on fish and invertebrates. This role involves supervising animal care, monitoring water quality, troubleshooting exhibit systems, and serving as a mentor and professional role model for other aquarists.

POSITION: Senior Keeper / Aquarist

REPORTS TO: Curator

DEPARTMENT: Animal Care

POSITION OVERVIEW

Under the general direction of the Curator, the Senior Keeper oversees daily husbandry and operational activities for the aquarium's fish and invertebrate collection. As a senior leader, the incumbent serves as a technical resource, mentor, and professional role model, fostering skill development across the aquarist team while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, life support systems, and exhibit aesthetics.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Animal Husbandry & Clinical Care:

- Supervise and execute daily care, nutrition, and husbandry for all fishes and invertebrates using current best practices.

- Establish feeding standards, research advancing nutritional methods, and recognize dietary or nutritional deficiencies.

- Identify animal health or system irregularities early; independently take corrective action or escalate as appropriate.

- Administer acute emergency care and direct long-term critical care with minimal supervision; accurately calculate medication dosages and partner closely with veterinary staff.

- Maintain comprehensive records of animal accession, disposition, health treatments, and daily logs.

Life Support Systems & Water Quality:

- Monitor exhibit water parameters, perform chemical analyses, and troubleshoot water chemistry imbalances.

- Oversee routine operation and maintenance of filtration packages, supply and return piping, and life support systems (LSS).

- Independently diagnose and resolve mechanical, biological, and chemical system failures, coaching junior staff through troubleshooting steps.

Field Operations, Diving & Specimen Acquisition:

- Conduct exhibit maintenance, cleaning, and specimen acquisition via SCUBA.

- Complete at least 12 open-water dives annually outside of regular aquarium tank maintenance dives.

- Participate in wild specimen collection, safe boat operations, and live animal transport; maintain transport standards without preventable mortality.

Leadership, Mentorship & Public Engagement:

- Serve as a designated mentor, guiding junior aquarists in animal husbandry, LSS troubleshooting, and critical thinking.

- Fulfill delegated supervisory responsibilities as assigned by the Curator.

- Conduct public and VIP tours, assist with volunteer education, support media relations, and contribute to institutional publications.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

- Education: Degree in Biology, Zoology, Marine Science, Fisheries, or a related field preferred. Equivalent practical experience and training may substitute.

- Experience: Minimum of 3 years of professional aquarist experience with captive marine/freshwater fishes and invertebrates.

- Technical Knowledge: Demonstrated expertise in aquatic animal physiology, nutrition, biological/mechanical/chemical filtration, and water quality diagnostics.

- Diving Certification: Ability to obtain and maintain AAUS Scientific Diving certification; cold-water diving experience preferred.

- Technology: Proficient with standard workplace software and digital animal record-keeping systems.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS

- Physical Demands: Prolonged standing, walking, bending, kneeling, climbing ladders/stairs, and heavy lifting of equipment, feed, and dive gear.

- Environment: Regular exposure to wet, cold, outdoor, and variable marine conditions.

- Operational Readiness: Must maintain physical conditioning for scientific diving, boat handling, and demanding field collections.

Updated 3d ago

Candidate fit

Skills and qualifications

Additional skills

Animal Husbandry • 1+ yrs
Water Quality Analysis • 1+ yrs
SCUBA Diving • 1+ yrs
Filtration Systems • 1+ yrs
Troubleshooting • 1+ yrs
Mentorship • 1+ yrs
Leadership • 1+ yrs
Problem Solving • 1+ yrs

Experience

3-7 years

Certifications

AAUS scientific SCUBA diving certification • Required

How this role is positioned

Role classification

Job domains

Operations

Industries

Wildlife & Conservation

Employment

Full Time

Contract duration

Permanent

Hiring type

Direct

Global hiring

Location specific

Offer details

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

Compensation not disclosed

VisibilityShared on listing
CurrencyUSD
PeriodYearly

Location, schedule, and role shape

Work setup

Work conditions

Primary locationNewport, Oregon, United States
Work typeOnsite
Global hiringNo

Bandwidth profile

peopleHigh • 8/10
physicalHigh • 9/10
cognitiveHigh • 8/10
executionHigh • 8/10
creativityMedium • 6/10
uncertaintyMedium • 7/10
communicationHigh • 8/10

Context on the employer

Company snapshot

Company

Oregon Coast Aquarium

Team size

Growing team

Location

Newport, Oregon, United States

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a public aquarium dedicated to animal management, conservation, and providing AZA services. It serves as a resource for marine life education and research.

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Senior Keeper - Aquarist

Newport, Oregon, United States • Full Time