Back to jobs

Vessel and School Partnership Educator

Norwalk, Connecticut

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND 

The Maritime Aquarium’s mission is to Ignite a connection to Long Island Sound and the ocean to enrich the lives of all people and inspire action to protect our blue planet. For 37 years, the Aquarium has played a significant role in shaping the landscape of Norwalk and the region. The second largest family attraction in Connecticut, and 50 miles from New York City, the Aquarium hosts nearly 450,000 guests annually. Its primary exhibits take guests on a voyage from the shallow salt marshes and estuaries to the depths of the Long Island Sound and the ocean beyond, culminating with habitats for sharks and harbor seals.  
  
Altogether, the Aquarium is home to more than 8,000 animals and 285 species in 75 exhibits. A new 4D Theater offers a unique sensory film experience for guests. Its education programs introduce nearly 50,000 students, campers and scouts to marine and STEM education. The Aquarium is recognized as a top aquarium in the nation and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is an active participant in the local and regional community. The strength of the Aquarium is its 85 full-time staff, and part-time and seasonal staff, in addition to our volunteers.  

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Maritime Aquarium (TMA) seeks a talented individual to lead programming in support of two of the Education Department’s hallmark programs: Vessel Programming and School Partnerships.

TMA vessels serve as floating classrooms, introducing passengers to the marine life and natural beauty of Long Island Sound. TMA’s fleet consists of two inspected passenger vessels — a 64- foot hybrid-electric catamaran (R/V Spirit of the Sound) and a 46-foot Chesapeake Deadrise — and a 14-foot rigid hull inflatable boat. Our passenger boats host education excursions year-round, and evening and special event cruises in the summer and fall seasons. This educator will be responsible for teaching school, group and public programming on board including Marine Life Study Cruises. They will also serve as a deckhand, responsible for the safe docking and deployment of gear and passenger personal safety and assisting captains with maintenance projects.

The Aquarium’s School Partnerships are collaborative relationships with select schools, and include customized programs and activities designed to support curricular goals. The Full-time Educator: Vessel & School Partnerships will play a key role in the teaching of hands-on programming with students from our partner schools, which include preschools through high schools. These programs take place at the Aquarium, at schools, on board our Vessel, and at outdoor locations such as local beaches.

The successful candidate will have teaching experience; experience on boats, especially in an educational capacity; situational awareness and a love of learning. This position’s regular days will be Monday through Friday from Labor Day through Memorial Day, and Sunday through Thursday in the summer.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Vessel Programs (50% of time)

  • Lead boat-based, wildlife and science programming as an educator and naturalist for groups of up to 40 passengers on public and charter cruises
  • Handle lines for docking, deploy and retrieve sampling gear including a dredge and otter trawl net aboard the Aquarium’s vessels
  • Maintain a safe environment at all times
  • Participate in regular safety trainings and drills
  • Speak with students about working in the maritime industry, serving as a positive role model
  • Assist captains with maintenance and projects, including bimonthly checks

School Partnerships (50% of time)

  • Teach programs and facilitate hands-on STEM and science activities, tours, and experiences for partner school. Student ages range from preschool through high school. Programs may take place at the Aquarium, offsite at schools and other venues, outdoors, and online.
  • Prepare for programs by reviewing outlines and curriculum in advance, organizing and packing materials, and following animal handling protocols.
  • Complete administrative tasks associated with programs in a timely manner.
  • Participate in department trainings and professional development.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • College degree in a related field, or equivalent work experience
  • Positive attitude and genuine enthusiasm for fostering personal connections to the ocean
  • Excellent interpersonal and public speaking skills, comfort speaking to groups, and ability to effectively communicate in noisy settings
  • Experience working with children in an educational setting and eagerness for working with people of various backgrounds and ages
  • Able to work some weekends and evenings
  • Enjoy working in outdoor settings and prepared for various weather conditions
  • Ability to handle gear and move about the boat; Must be able to lift/carry in excess of 60 pounds of gear and other equipment
  • Participate in drug screening program per USCG regulations
  • Ability to respond appropriately and according to training in emergency situations

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Prior boating experience, preferably professional
  • A current driver’s license with clean driving record
  • Knowledge of local marine flora, fauna, and maritime history in Long Island Sound
  • Spanish language skills a plus

Salary: $46,450

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The Maritime Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at The Maritime Aquarium? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in The Maritime Aquarium’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.