Biologist 1, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center

Position Summary

The Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center Biologist 1 is responsible for assisting in the daily care of rescued and rehabilitating marine turtles and facility operations at the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center (STRC) based at The Florida Aquariums (TFA) Center for Conservation (CFC) campus in Apollo Beach FL. The position is also responsible for maintaining adherence to all Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requirements and guidelines in conjunction with the Animal Health team and assisting with field responses for stranded marine turtles.

Essential Position Functions

• Ensure compliance with all Florida Fish and Wildlife regulations and consistently maintain highest level of quality as it applies to marine turtle care and husbandry.
• Perform daily husbandry duties including but not limited to food/diet preparation animal feeding and medical tests/treatments to ensure high standards for sea turtle care and welfare are met.
• Perform daily facility operational duties including but not limited to diving to clean holding tanks/ deep dive tanks maintaining life support and ozone systems backwashing filtration systems and conducting water changes.
• Test/adjust water quality parameters according to established standard operating procedures.
• Work closely with Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center Manager to monitor animal health and provide medical care as necessary.
• Assist with field response/rescue/transport of stranded marine turtles data and specimen collection necropsy examinations at the Aquarium and in the field carcass disposal and/or release of rehabilitated marine turtles.
• Fulfill scheduling needs to provide 7 day/week coverage at the Center and 24-hour coverage for FWC requests for distressed or deceased marine turtle recovery and transport.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center and the Aquariums Shared Purpose as needed.
• Supports TFAs Shared Purpose by participating annually in a Community/Conservation Day of Action.
• Represents the Aquarium at selected professional development opportunities as appropriate.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Education Requirements and Technical Skills

• Bachelors degree in biological sciences or a related field preferred or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 1 year experience working with marine turtles in a rehabilitation setting.
• Basic knowledge of life support systems and water quality in closed-system applications with the ability to evaluate and troubleshoot systems in the event of malfunction.
• Ability to learn and utilize the Aquariums Animal Record Keeping system
• Knowledge of Windows and Microsoft Office software (Word Excel Power Point Outlook)
• SCUBA certification required.
• Must be willing and able to obtain a valid State of Florida Drivers License
• Ability to work independently and in a team setting.
• Flexibility in working weekends evenings and holidays.
• Available for on-call emergencies or stranding events.

Competencies

• Customer Service Demonstrates courtesy cooperation and friendliness with staff volunteers and customers. Actively listens anticipates and evaluates the customers needs. Ensures that customer satisfaction is a priority in all areas of responsibility. Actively engages our customers while fulfilling job responsibilities.
• Interpersonal Skills/Teamwork Supporting facilitating and participating in activities that promote team effectiveness; demonstrating sensitivity for the feelings and needs of team members and supporting team goals.
• Professional and Technical Knowledge Remains current on developments in the fields within and outside the organization; maintains proficiencies.
• Initiative Taking actions to achieve goals; self-starting and proactive; asserting oneself to support others in the achievement of their goals; originating action rather than responding only to the action of others; anticipating the needs of both internal and external constituencies.
• Work Standards Applies high performance standards to all work-related activities.

Typical Physical Requirements

• Sitting (2 hours per day)
• Standing (2 hours per day)
• Walking (4 hours per day)
• Bending/Stooping Frequently
• Squatting Frequently
• Reaching above shoulders Frequently
• Crouching Occasionally
• Kneeling Frequently
• Balancing Frequently
• Pushing/Pulling Frequently
• Carrying (up to 25 lbs.) Frequently
• Lifting (up to 25 lbs.) Frequently
• Exposure to marked changes in temperature and humidity
• Typing on a computer keyboard
• Coping with demands (stresses that are associated with the job and/or the work environment so that acceptable levels of performance and overall contribution are maintained)
• Operating machinery
• Ability to travel (car) as needed
• Ability to travel (air) as needed
• Ability to conduct field work in collection and research
• Daily contact with a living collection of plants and animals in a central Florida climate
• Ability to interact and be around wild animals
• Exposure to various plants and birds
• Subject to bites stings and scrapes

Required Experience:

IC