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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: 2024-01-25
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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. Summary: Our rescuers rehabilitate endangered sea turtles. In the past decade alone, our rescuers have treated and released hundreds of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles as well as many green and loggerhead sea turtles. These numbers are especially significant considering the Kemp’s ridley is the most endangered sea turtle in the world. Each fall, staff and volunteer walkers from the Massachusetts Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary comb dozens of miles of beach trying to find stranded sea turtles. The turtles are transported to the rescuers and veterinarians at the New England Aquarium with extreme hypothermia, severe dehydration, pneumonia, and often shell or bone fractures. While 2014 was a record-smashing year when 733 turtles were treated at the Animal Care Center in Quincy, on average we treat about 300 turtles each year. Their treatment can last between two and eight months, sometimes longer. Most of the sea turtles that arrive alive at the Aquarium recover and are released back into the ocean. Responsibilities: A significant amount of cleaning is required in order to maintain the hospital environment. Additional responsibilities include following standard quarantine protocols, food prep, feeding, restraining animals for treatments and injections, monitoring behavior and health of animals, maintaining records including water quality, daily food intake, swim charts and treatment sheets. Qualifications: Previous (large) animal handling experience is recommended. Must be in good physical condition and able to lift 50 pounds. Must be able to perform significant cleaning tasks daily. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. Must be at least 18 years of age. 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: 2024-01-25
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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: 2024-01-25
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Flexible Schedule
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Boston, MA 02110
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. Assist staff Aquarists with animal husbandry responsibilities of the New England Aquarium's exhibits, including feeding of fish, maintaining aquarium systems, and other routine duties related to animal care. Placements include: Temperate Gallery, Freshwater Gallery, Cold Marine Gallery, Tropical Gallery, Yawkey Gallery, Education Center Wet Lab (tidepool animals), and West Wing Gallery/Special Exhibits (Currently Science of Sharks) Responsibilities: Daily care, maintenance and appearance of gallery including food preparation and feeding. Take and record temperatures. Observe fish and report unusual behaviors. Siphon tanks, wash sand and clean filters. Special projects as needed, which may include library research, net repair and exhibit building. Qualifications: Biology, marine science or animal science experience preferred. Previous experience with animals desired. This position requires physical labor. Applicant must be able to lift 50 pounds. Must be at least 18 years old. We also strongly recommend having a waterproof watch for this position.
Date Posted: 2024-01-25
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Flexible Schedule
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Boston, MA 02110
HIGHEST NEED: Sunday OR Thursday 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. Summary: The Marine Mammal Department maintains two outdoor pinniped exhibits featuring Atlantic harbor seals and California sea lions. Volunteers assist training staff in all aspects of animal care and have the opportunity to learn more about operant conditioning, training techniques and marine mammal husbandry. Although this position does not involve feeding or training the seals, volunteers play an integral role assisting staff during training sessions and presentations, and work in close proximity to the animals. Responsibilities: · Volunteers are incorporated into the daily activities of the Marine Mammal Department including: Diet preparation Cleaning exhibits and behind the scenes areas Scrubbing and disinfecting items used during training sessions Assisting trainers during training sessions and presentations Creating toys for the animals Conducting enrichment sessions Option of speaking in public presentations Interact informally with Aquarium visitors Qualifications: Candidates must be at least 18 years old. Volunteers must feel comfortable bending and walking on uneven and wet terrain and be able to lift 50 lbs. The job involves a substantial amount of cleaning with various cleaning agents. Our exhibits are outdoors so volunteers must be comfortable being exposed to all weather conditions. To Apply: Visit serve.neaq.org and create a volunteer account. Once registered you can search and apply for available opportunities.
Date Posted: 2024-01-25