Currently hiring for the following positions:

Seasonal Educator

Description:

• The role of our Seasonal Educator is to create experiences for our guests that connect them with our animals, mission, and conservation stories.

Responsibilities:

• Interacting and engaging with our Aquarium guests throughout the aquarium in a welcoming and positive manner.
• Assisting our guests at touch tanks and following the protocols for the wellbeing of the animals.
• Providing educational tours to a variety of groups (pre-school through adult) that encourage an interest in wildlife that are age and developmentally appropriate.
• Hosting Birthday Parties, and providing fun, but informative, party tours.
• Delivering interpretive talks on a microphone that may accompany a feeding demonstration, while sharing our mission and inspiring conversation actions on behalf of wildlife.
• Assisting with education programs, awareness days, and fairs and festivals.
• Utilizing props, such as bio-facts, to help us inspire positive actions for the natural world.
• Following all safety protocols and monitoring public behavior to ensure the safety of guests and animals.
• Assisting guests with disabilities.
• Completing miscellaneous housekeeping chores including dusting, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning and picking up trash whenever you see it.
• Performing other duties as assigned to help the Aquarium fulfill its Mission.

Experience and Education:

• This is an entry level position requiring strong public speaking, interactive communication skills, and an energetic personality preferably with an interest in marine biology, environmental science, and/or education. Having a positive attitude, self-motivation, adaptability, and forward thinking is helpful.

Requirements:

• Expected to familiarize yourself with life histories and conservation considerations of animals in our care.
• Must be flexible and able to work efficiently and effectively and adapt to frequent schedule changes.

• Must be able to stay calm and function during stressful situations with the ability to think on your feet.
• Must be a team player and able to work in line with the Aquarium’s values of community, creativity, openness, and integrity to create and promote the best experiences for our guests and each other.
• Ability to work in contact with salt water and shellfish.
• Flexibility in your available hours, including weekends, holidays and early/late hours is necessary.
• Foreign language and/or American Sign Language skills are a plus.
• Experience in informal, outdoor, environmental education is helpful.

• Must have good interpersonal and communications skills.
• Must be able to complete projects with deadlines.
• Must be reliable.

Disclaimer:

Position involves standing for long periods of time, climbing stairs throughout the day, and occasionally working in stressful situations.

Aquarist I

Job Description:

This is an entry-level part-time aquarist position.  An Aquarist I should have an interest in animal husbandry within a public aquarium.  This position assists the Aquarist II and Senior Aquarist with the daily maintenance and care of aquatic animals.

Duties:

• Assisting with monitoring and maintaining life support systems on aquarium tanks (1 to 58,000 gallons) daily.
• Assisting with collection, restraint, and transportation of specimens.
• Interpreting daily water quality analysis and performing necessary actions (water changes, etc.) for optimal health.
• May assist in plumbing new aquatic systems and/or repairs of existing systems.
• Cleaning all exhibits and holdings and related equipment.
• Maintaining all service areas and equipment.
• Maintaining live food cultures.
• Maintaining sustainability systems.
• Daily animal welfare checks.
• Feedings of select animals.
• Carrying out medical treatments and/or quarantine procedures under the direction of Aquarium Veterinarian.
•  Maintaining daily logs of water quality, system maintenance, veterinary treatments, quarantine, and changes in census.
• Performing other duties as needed, including group educational tours, outreaches, and events, in keeping with the aquarium’s mission.

Experience and Education:

Bachelor’s degree in marine biology or related science and/or one (1) year of paid experience in a zoo/aquarium setting.

Requirements:

• Familiarity with natural history and husbandry requirements of animals in collection.
• Ability to work without direct supervision.
• Strong communication skills.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Must be able to swim.
• Must be able to lift 50+ pounds.
• Scuba certified a plus.
• Flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.

Disclaimer:

Will be required to work with hazardous materials such as chlorine and work in confined areas. Will be required to work in extreme environmental conditions (cold, hot, humid, dirty, wet, etc.).

Costume Mascot/Perky the Penguin

Job Description:

        Under the supervision of the Director, and/or his/her handler, he/she is responsible for performing as Perky the penguin, the Jenkinson’s Aquarium mascot.

Duties:

• To represent the Aquarium at many on- and off-site functions (may include walking the boardwalk, appearances at various fairs and festivals around NJ, etc.)
• Greeting, interacting, dancing, hugging and taking photos with visitors
• Picking up and returning mascot suit for each appearance
• Taking care of mascot suit while in possession
• Performing other duties as assigned in order to obtain the goals and mission of the Aquarium

Experience: No experience is required, but any is helpful

Requirements:

• Must be available to work a flexible schedule.  Potential nights, weekend and holiday work will be required.
• Ability to work scheduled event dates, including those outside of normal schedule if necessary.
• Must be energetic, personable, enthusiastic, outgoing and friendly
• Must be dependable
• Must be comfortable working with and around children and other visitors
• Must be able to work in a warm environment, and be comfortable wearing a costume for prolonged periods of time
• Must not be claustrophobic

Qualifications:

• Outgoing and creative personality with a willingness and desire to have fun.

Jenkinson’s is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation and marital status. All questions must be answered.

If you have any questions about either of these positions, please send an email to kcanady@jenkinsons.com.