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Flexible Schedule
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Boston, MA 02110
HIGHEST NEED: Weekday Availability(Tue/Wed/Thur). Volunteers are required to be able to commit to a fixed schedule of the same, consistent day each week for no less than six months. Time commitment: One full day (8:00 am.-5:00 p.m.) per week for a period of 6 months Summary: The Giant Ocean Tank (GOT) is the centerpiece of the New England Aquarium. It is a 200,000 gallon cylindrical Caribbean reef exhibit and is home to over 1000 animals and 100 species, including tropical bony fish, sharks and stingrays, and sea turtles. 4 feeding dives and 2 maintenance dives occur daily and are on a tight schedule. Volunteers are an integral part of our team, helping with all aspects of animal husbandry and exhibit maintenance. Responsibilities: · This position involves no diving, but can serve as a prerequisite for the Giant Ocean Tank Dive Volunteer (DV) position. · DAs will provide support and assistance to the GOT dive staff in the care of the animals and the maintenance of the exhibit. · Duties will include food preparation, platform surface/target feedings, visitor interaction, numerous cleaning tasks (daily, weekly, monthly), laundry, frozen food pulling, assistance with medical and animal acclimation procedures. Qualifications: · Must be at least 18 years of age. · Must be able to lift 60 pounds. Note: After 200 hours, DAs may be eligible to apply for the Giant Ocean Tank Dive Volunteer position, depending on volunteer’s performance, open water dives logged, and position availability. Although completion of the DA position serves as a prerequisite for the Dive Volunteer position, it does not guarantee a spot on the Dive Volunteer Team. Individuals interested in advancing to the Dive Volunteer Program must meet all criteria. All interested individuals must understand that even when all criteria are met, they may be wait-listed, depending on availability of current Dive Volunteer positions.
Date Posted: Feb 13, 2025
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Flexible Schedule
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Quincy, MA 02169
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: April 13, 2025 April 16, 2025 **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.
Date Posted: Apr 15, 2025
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Flexible Schedule
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Boston, MA 02110
HIGH NEED: Friday & Saturday shifts. Time commitment: One half day (9am- 1:30 pm or 1pm-5/6pm) onsite and approximately two hours of remote virtual training per week for a period of three months. Summary: Conservation Education Volunteers represent the New England Aquarium by interacting with guests of all ages and backgrounds. They proactively engage guests throughout the Aquarium, uphold proper safety protocols, and share animal/exhibit knowledge at different stations throughout the New England Aquarium. Responsibilities: Connect guests with the New England Aquarium’s mission by answering questions and initiating conversations throughout the main building gallery spaces. Engage with guests by sharing fun biofacts and cart activities throughout the main building. Help maintain the safety of animals and guests at Interactive Exhibits while providing educational opportunities for guests. Assist staff with additional interpretive opportunities. Ensure all Aquarium policies and procedures are followed (i.e., wearing masks if required, no food or drinks in the exhibit spaces, no spitting or throwing items into exhibits, etc.) Training is required and available free of charge to volunteers. It covers topics such as customer service, information interpretation, animal knowledge, and station-specific responsibilities and expectations. Volunteers will have access to virtual trainings and resources to complete and look over on their own time in addition to in-person mentoring onsite to learn more about NEAq and its inhabitants. Qualifications: Enthusiasm and interest in meeting and working with a high volume of Aquarium guests weekly. Comfort working independently and as part of a team. Comfort working with guests and staff of diverse abilities, ages, and backgrounds. Willingness to learn about Aquarium exhibits, marine science, and messaging around ocean conservation. Ability to communicate effectively in noisy and crowded conditions. Must be comfortable moving up and down stairs or taking an elevator to multiple building levels throughout the day. Successful Volunteers will be on their feet for most of their shift. There will be stools available upon request. Additional accommodation requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Must be at least 16 years old. To Apply: Visit serve.neaq.org and create a volunteer account. Once registered you can search and apply for available opportunities.
Date Posted: Apr 15, 2025
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Flexible Schedule
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Quincy, MA 02169
HIGHEST NEED: Weekday Availability. Volunteers are required to be able to commit to a fixed schedule of the same, consistent day each week for no less than six months. We are currently recruiting for volunteers for our Quincy Animal Care Center which handles exhibit animal quarantine. Positions are available for any day of the week, Sunday-Saturday. Volunteers commit to one consistent day per week for a period of six months, the application can be found here: http://www.neaq.org/get_involved/volunteering_and_internships/volunteering/volunteer_application.php The Aquarist Volunteer position will assist staff with basic husbandry responsibilities of the New England Aquarium’s offsite holding facility in Quincy, MA, which cares for animals being quarantined and/or awaiting exhibit display. From sharks to corals to endangered shorebirds, working at the NEAq’s Animal Care Center presents an opportunity to care for a very diverse group of species, both small and large systems. Responsibilities: Daily care, maintenance, and appearance of the facility, plus a significant amount of cleaning to maintain the quarantine environment. Additional responsibilities include food preparation and surface feedings, cleaning filters, maintaining records, organizing dry storage, assisting with the transport of animals, and providing support to divers. Special projects as needed, such as online research or local salt marsh collecting. Qualifications: Strong interest in biology and marine science, previous experience with animals preferred. This position requires physical labor, must be able to lift 40 lbs and be at least 18 years old. Applicant must be able to work independently and as a team; the ability to take and carry out multiple instructions in a timely manner; be comfortable working with live foods such as crickets and black worms, as well as handling deceased animals. Scuba certification helpful. To Apply: Visit serve.neaq.org and create a volunteer account. Once registered you can search and apply for available opportunities. This position is not located in Boston and is at our Animal Care Center located along the Fore River in Quincy. Transportation to this facility is easiest by car but one can also reach the facility by public transportation. Public transportation requires taking the Redline to Quincy Center, transferring to bus, and walking about 5 minutes.
Date Posted: Apr 15, 2025
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Flexible Schedule
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Boston, MA 02110
Exploration Station Educators are ambassadors, representing the New England Aquarium by engaging visitors of all ages and backgrounds in activities focused on our youngest audiences through both facilitated and unfacilitated activities as well as one-on-one conversations with visitors using a variety of biofacts (animal artifacts). Don't know a lot about the Aquarium or how to talk to visitors? Don't worry! We provide training and mentorship to prepare volunteers with all the fun facts, information, and teaching tips needed to become a highly engaging Exploration Station volunteer. Required Commitment & Onboarding: After passing a screening process and interview with the Office of Volunteer Programs and Internships: Attend one of the following in-person training classes from 9:30am to 1:30pm: Thursday, May 8, 2025 Saturday, May 10, 2025 Complete at least six 3-hour shifts by September 2025. Three shifts are available: 9:00am-12:00pm 12:00pm - 3:00pm 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Date Posted: Apr 17, 2025
