Newport Aquarium Biologist I - Penguin and Herps

Newport Aquarium • Newport, KY

13d • Onsite

About The Position

The Biologist I - Penguin and Herps position at Newport Aquarium is responsible for the husbandry and management of assigned exhibits, ensuring high standards of care and maintenance. This role involves daily cleaning, feeding, environmental upkeep, and animal monitoring, adhering to institutional, AZA, and USDA standards. The biologist will formulate and deliver species-specific diets, monitor animal health, and escalate any concerns to senior staff or the Assistant Curator. The position also supports veterinary care, assists with treatments, and manages life support systems and water quality. Additionally, the role involves animal handling, participation in dive operations as a safety or working diver, and applying enrichment principles to enhance animal welfare. Teamwork, communication, and adherence to safety protocols are crucial, as is accurate documentation. The role works under direct supervision and assists with departmental projects.

Requirements

• 4-year degree in related field and/or relevant and adequate experience at an AZA accredited institution.
• 1 year of paid experience at an AZA accredited institution performing in a relevant role.
• Open Water SCUBA certification.
• Successful completion of pre-employment drug screening and background check
• Ability to remain on feet for long periods of time, climb stairs, bend and stoop
• Ability to work in all weather conditions
• Physical strength, including the ability to lift up to 50 pounds

Responsibilities

• Serves as the primary biologist for assigned exhibit(s), consistently maintaining high exhibit standards with minimal corrective guidance.
• Provides support and coverage to additional exhibits as training, competency and need allow.
• Conducts daily cleaning, feeding, environmental maintenance, and animal monitoring to ensure exhibits consistently meet established standards.
• Performs daily husbandry in accordance with institutional standards, AZA standards and USDA regulations as required.
• Understands species-specific nutritional needs and ensures diets are formulated and delivered to support individual animal health, overall wellbeing, and exhibit/environmental requirements.
• Escalates exhibit and animal wellbeing concerns to senior biologists or the Assistant Curator to aid in decision making.
• Recognizes and accurately assesses abnormal behavior, appearance, or changes in animal condition. Promptly communicates concerns to supervisory or veterinary staff while working to correct environmental concerns that may lead to compromised health.
• Assists with veterinary-directed treatments and health procedures under supervision, ensuring proper technique, documentation, and follow-through to support positive medical outcomes.
• Understands the flow of water through a life support system (LSS), components, and the required maintenance. Monitors system performance using metrics such as flow rates, filter pressure, water quality, etc.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of the different filtration methods and the mechanical function of aquarium life support systems.
• Performs basic PVC plumbing tasks for life support system optimization and operational reliability.
• Interprets water-quality results with accuracy and actively maintains water-quality parameters within required ranges by making timely proactive and corrective adjustments.
• Ensures optimal system performance through effective gas-exchange management, balanced nutrient loads, and appropriate bio-load oversight.
• Participates in animal captures, transports, and procedures appropriate to their experience level, demonstrating safe, low-stress handling techniques while taking opportunities to assist in additional areas as development opportunities allow.
• Participates in animal shipments as determined by experience and need.
• Functions effectively as a safety diver or working diver, depending on certification and training level, ensuring safe execution of dive operations for self and team.
• Performs SCUBA diving tasks to support exhibit maintenance, animal care, and monitor the overall maintenance efficacy, adhering to all safety and operational protocols.
• Applies enrichment principles to design and construct appropriate, goal-driven enrichment devices that support species-specific behaviors and welfare.
• Develops and submits enrichment and training plans for approval, revising and refining them based on supervisor or veterinary feedback.
• Implements animal and environmental enrichment, documenting outcomes and adjusting to ensure effectiveness and animal wellbeing.
• Applies critical thinking to identify early signs of animal care or operational issues and resolves routine concerns—such as feeding inconsistencies, exhibit upkeep needs, or emerging stress indicators—by selecting and implementing the appropriate established protocols.
• Works under direct supervision while developing technical and professional skills, with no independent leadership or decision-making responsibilities.
• Maintains compliance with all established safety and operational protocols, and any additional direction set by Assistant Curator.
• Demonstrates advanced communication skills by providing verbal and written updates that are timely and clear to team members, supervisors, and veterinary staff on animal observations, concerns, and workflow, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Engages and guides volunteers, providing clear direction and support to ensure daily husbandry and operational objectives are completed to standard.
• Actively participates in training and team learning to strengthen husbandry skills, applying coaching and feedback to advance knowledge and technical proficiency.
• Assists with routine departmental projects with supervision and guidance while taking on limited independent project responsibilities as assigned.
• Regularly demonstrates behaviors that are consistent with the “Lead with Love” philosophy.
• Completes required documentation, logs, and Tracks entries accurately and on time; maintains competency in all forms of documentation.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vison insurances
• 40 sick hours, 40 personal hours, 8 Holidays, 80 Vacation Hours annually
• Profit Sharing and 401K Plan with company match
• Free entrance for you and your dependents which extends to most Herschend Enterprises’ properties
• Earn 1 General Admission complimentary ticket, that you can give to anyone, per pay period
• Discounts at Sharky’s Café, Sweet Dreams Candy Company, and the gift shop
• Discounted tickets and annual passes for friends and family
• Training and development
• Fully funded education programs through Grow U (certifications to master's degrees)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level