Animal Welfare Specialist 2 (AWS 2) – Aquatics & Avian
Become a member of our Exhibits team at Coral World Ocean Park in sunny St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. We are looking for a candidate that will carry out husbandry duties for the many animals and exhibits we offer to our guests. This demanding job requires attention to detail, time management skills and a positive attitude that can be shared with our visitors.
The Animal Welfare Specialist 2 (AWS 2) – Aquatics & Avian works directly under the supervision of the Assistant Curator of Exhibits and the Senior Aquarist. The AWS 2 is responsible for performing all cleaning, food preparation, and record keeping duties performed by the AWS 1, as well as participating in collecting and advanced aquarium construction. In addition, the AWS 2 is assigned moderate to advanced animal husbandry and training tasks to be performed under the guidance of senior staff.
The AWS 2 is expected to utilize their knowledge and experience during daily animal husbandry, handling most husbandry related challenges on their own with minimal supervision. Additional duties of an AWS 2 may include organizing daily maintenance tasks, project management, intern coordination, supply procurement, etc.
The AWS 2 is likely assigned as the primary of newly acquired animals or given training projects. The active goal of the person in this position is to continue to develop their aquarium skills and gain experience training other staff members and troubleshooting complex husbandry problems. The AWS 2 will also be given the opportunity develop leadership skills by teaching and assisting interns as well as AWS 1s with their professional development.
Functions & Responsibilities
Essential Functions
• Daily care and maintenance of the park’s animal exhibits and collection including fish, rays, sharks, sea turtles and many others.
• Performs public presentations to large groups of guests and feeding demonstrations with the animals while interacting in a positive manner that represents the park.
• Collection of specimens for aquatic exhibits and assist with designing new exhibits.
• Husbandry tasks including performing observational rounds, diet preparation, medicating animals and disease recognition.
• Responsible for animal training & enrichment for some of the species in the collection.
• Maintaining daily record keeping in accordance with established procedures.
• Maintaining exhibits and pools, including the use of SCUBA for underwater tasks.
• Participate in special events and educational programs.
• Keeping behind the scenes areas clean and organized.
• Working in a team environment and assisting in all areas of the park, as needed.
PREFERRED
• Wants to work in the Hospitality Industry.
• Bilingual
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
• Must be willing to work overtime, holidays, and weekends as requested by manager.
• Must be a team player and be able to get along with others.
• Must be personable, courteous, and able to work under pressure
Other Duties & Responsibilities
Supervisory Responsibility:
This position has minimal responsibilities with direction from Assistant Curator of Exhibit
Skills & Experience
Knowledge & Skills
- Minimum of 2 years’ professional experience in an animal care setting
- Basic computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
- Must be a team player with strong communication skills, have a positive attitude, and an outgoing personality, with the ability to work well unsupervised.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in marine biology, Zoology, Biology, or related field
Job Requirements
Physical Requirements
Must be able to lift 50 lb
Working Conditions
- Must be aware of the challenges of living on a Caribbean island (high cost of living,
working in the sun and heat all day, etc.) - Must be able to work in the U.S.
