Biologist I, Animal Care

About the Opportunity
Reporting to the Curator of Water Quality and Aquarium Operations, this temporary part-time commissary biologist position is responsible for providing daily animal diet preparation, food stock inventory, and ensuring clean kitchen spaces. Also general animal care, maintenance and support for the Steinhart Aquarium’s diverse living collection. Work schedule will include weekends, evenings and holidays. This 16 hour per week position is currently funded for 10 months.

Organizational Culture
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy’s strategic plan includes three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices. Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. Candidates are required to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals receiving a conditional offer of employment from the California Academy of Sciences will be provided the full text of the vaccination policy.

About the Commissary Team
The Commissary Team is integral to the living collections at the Academy. This team is responsible for diet preparation of the mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, terrestrial invertebrate, and aquatic (fresh and salt water) collection. The Commissary Team is one of the several teams within the Steinhart Aquarium. The Aquarium is a collaborative, supportive and innovative department that promotes a culture of trust, accountability and respect.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepares food for the animals following established diets.
• Cleans and disinfects work areas on a daily basis and maintains the commissary in a neat, orderly manner to comply with United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) and Association of Zoo and Aquarium (AZA) standards.
• Provides the husbandry and maintenance of healthy live aquatic and terrestrial feeds by following established protocols.
• Provides a high standard of daily husbandry care and exhibit maintenance including animal feedings, exhibit and back of house cleaning, health monitoring and environmental sampling.
• Provides backup and support for areas assigned to other staff as the Primary and/or Secondary backup during their normal days off and holidays.
• Trains and supervises volunteers.
• Effectively communicates to the Aquarium management and staff.
• Participates in Academy committees and work groups as needed.
• Becomes fluent in our animal data software program - ZIMS.
• Establishes and maintains positive, cooperative and effective working relations with fellow employees.
• Actively participates in a culture promoting trust, respect and accountability.
• When required, presents programs to the general public, media and in professional meetings.
• Conducts general tours of the Aquarium and its support spaces.
• Answers questions from the general public through a variety of means.
• Interacts with professional colleagues, guests, the media and the general public in a professional manner.
• Follows all Academy and Aquarium safety regulations.
• Other duties of a similar scope and nature as otherwise assigned.

Qualifications: A successful candidate will have the following:

• Basic knowledge of essential animal care and welfare requirements for the living collection.
• Basic knowledge of essential animal care and welfare requirements for the living collection.
• Basic knowledge of USDA and AZA standards for animal care and welfare.
• Basic knowledge of public aquarium/zoo operations, maintenance, record keeping and life support systems.
• Excellent observation skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective organizational and problem solving skills.
• Effective at multitasking, adapting, and prioritizing.
• Ability to present programs and effectively convey information to guests, the general public, the media, colleagues, and in professional meetings.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and engage in a culture that promotes trust, respect and accountability.
• Experience caring for exotic animals, aquarium fishes, invertebrates, plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds and/or mammals.
• Ability to complete CPR/AED/First Aid Certification.
• Must be able to work weekends and holidays on a routine basis.
• Ability to read, interpret, and write documents such as departmental protocols, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of the organization.

Physical Environment:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, and reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.The employee must be able to lift and carry 50 lbs, must be able to perform repetitive motions 75% of the time, climb stairs and ladders, able to swim, able to use extension poles, long-handled nets and shepherd’s hooks and able to work with, or adjacent to, venomous and dangerous animals.

Schedule:Temporary Part-time currently funded for 10 months, 16 hours per week with a schedule of Sunday-Monday 7am-4pm 

APPLICATION DEADLINE:
This position will close two weeks after posting. Review of applications will begin immediately thereafter. 

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).

We are committed to ensuring that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placements, transfers, promotions, compensation, benefits, terminations, training, and social and recreational programs, will be on the basis of qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled. The Academy does not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment on account of any characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. Read our full Equal Opportunity Statement here.