The New England Aquarium: Quincy Commissary Volunteer - Weekdays

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*We are currently recruiting volunteers for weekdays: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday*

Required Commitment and onboarding:

Due to the unique nature of this position, successful candidates will be asked to complete the following steps:

• Successfully pass a screening process and interview with the Office of Volunteer Programs and Internships
• Complete one half day training (8:30 am to 11:30am) which will be conducted on the following days:
  • Wednesday, June 5, 2024
  • Thursday, June 6, 2024
  • **Availability to attend one training day is mandatory to be considered for the position.
• Commit to volunteering for six 3-hour shifts (8:30am-11:30am) between June 2024 and September 2024

Summary:

Quincy Commissary Volunteers work alongside Aquarist staff, interns, and volunteers to provide the highest quality nutrition for the animals in our quarantine and holding facility. Volunteers in this role will maintain quality control while preparing food for animals ranging from tiny gobies to large stingrays. Mornings will be spent cutting and weighing fish, shellfish, vegetation and other foods to be fed out by the Aquarist team. Additionally, this position includes cleaning the food prep space and equipment.

This position reports to the Quincy Fishes staff at New England Aquarium’s Animal Care Center in Quincy, MA.

Responsibilities:

• Diet preparation responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Carefully following written protocols
  • Strict adherence to kitchen safety and quarantine procedures
  • Food quality control
  • Chopping, cutting, and gutting a variety of fish and shellfish to specified sizes
  • Weighing food amounts using scales
  • First-round animal feeding
  • Portioning cases of frozen food items into smaller containers
  • Inventory and organization of storage freezer
  • Maintaining records
• Volunteers are responsible for a significant amount of cleaning including: cleaning food prep room counters and floors, laundry, etc.

Qualifications:

• Previous food handling experience is preferred. (Please note these experiences in your volunteer application).
• Must be in good physical condition and be able to lift 50 pounds
• Must be able to perform significant cleaning tasks
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team
• Must be at least 18 years of age

Other information:

This position is not located in Boston and is at our offsite Quincy Animal Care Center (QACC) located along the Fore River in Quincy, MA. Transportation to this facility is easiest by car and free parking is available. One can also reach the facility by public transportation. Public transportation requires taking the Redline to Quincy Center, transferring to a bus and walking for about five minutes.

Department Description:
The Quincy Fishes Team provides care for a diverse group of species in both small and large systems, from 20 gallons to 30,000 gallons. These systems are used for rearing larval fish and culturing feeder shrimp, quarenting new animals before moving them onto exhibit, and providing holding space for larger animals, like sharks and stingrays.