The Seattle Aquarium is much, much more than the exhibits, animals, activities and experiences that bring hundreds of thousands of people to our facility each year—our passionate staff members are a key element of what sets us apart. We're firmly committed to hiring highly skilled, talented and motivated people who genuinely want to contribute to our shared success. We seek out employees who lead by example, acting with truth, sincerity and fairness in all decisions. We have a positive, visionary view of our organization and its future, and hope you will join in our commitment to our mission, service and quality.
The Seattle Aquarium is a progressive, equal-opportunity employer that values a diverse workforce. As we move forward, we are committed to making the Aquarium a diverse, inclusive and welcoming space for our staff, partners, audiences and community as a whole.
Our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values
What Sets Us Apart
Culture
The Seattle Aquarium works to ensure that we are inclusive and welcoming to all segments of the community. We strive to have our audience reflect the diversity of our region, including underserved populations and groups, and have developed inclusive outreach and community engagement/action programs to help us toward that goal.
History
The Seattle Aquarium is the ninth largest aquarium in the U.S. by attendance and among the top five paid visitor attractions in the Puget Sound region. Since our opening, we’ve hosted over 22 million visitors and provided marine conservation education to over 1.6 million school children. We’re proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Conservation
The Seattle Aquarium aims to be a leader in conservation and education, defining the role of a great Aquarium in the 21st century as a catalyst for public engagement. Our focus is on making an impact: through our programs, partnerships, outreach efforts and more—helping people learn to love Puget Sound and Earth’s one big ocean, while galvanizing them to take action to protect these precious resources.
Great Benefits
We are invested in providing high-quality, comprehensive benefits and understand their importance for you and your family. Full-time staff enjoy the following benefits:
- Medical*, vision* and dental coverage
- An employer-funded health reimbursement account*
- Access to medical- and dependent-care flexible spending accounts*
- Basic life insurance
- Short- and long-term disability
- Access to voluntary life insurance
- 403b retirement plan with employer matching funds*
- Subsidized ORCA pass*
- Family Plus membership*
- Participation in annual variable pay program*
- Generous paid time off
Reporting to the vice president of philanthropy and leading a current team of four dedicated professionals, the associate director of individual giving is tasked with raising $5.5-million annually through major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, the Aquarium’s annual gala, and other donor events. The associate director will also help grow the capacity of the team and set even higher goals to help the Aquarium continue to invite and inspire budding conservationists and passionate donors.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Associate director of individual giving job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: open until filled
- Interviews ongoing
- Start date: ASAP
As an integral member of the executive leadership team and reporting to the COO, the Director of People and Culture will oversee all human resource functions of the organization and drive process, policy, and systems change with a lens toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion. This newly reimagined Director role will work closely with senior leadership on strategic initiatives related to organizational design and development, change management, employee development and training, total rewards, performance management, and employee relations. In the immediate future, the Director of People and Culture will be responsible for spearheading the following initiatives:
- Oversee a professional and high-performing team of three, facilitating their individual growth and professional development and delegating appropriately to maintain balance between high-level strategy and hands-on tactical delivery.
- Serve as staff liaison to the Board’s 403b and Compensation Committee as well as spearhead ongoing initiatives as part of the DEI Council.
- Vet and implement new technologies and tools to meet the demands of an ambitious growth plan and ongoing professional development needs, including payroll system (ADP) and HRIS integrations and a new learning management system.
- Review and refine the hiring process to enable greater autonomy of hiring managers, improve efficiency in decision making, and advance the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion values.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Director of people & culture job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: Open until filled.
- Interviews: ASAP
- Start date: TBD with final candidate
The Seattle Aquarium is looking for a dive safety officer (DSO) to join the Life Sciences team. The DSO will help lead and manage the Seattle Aquarium’s diving services program. This work includes coordinating diver proficiencies for all Aquarium divers; managing and maintaining the compressed gas systems, underwater diving equipment and research vessel; working closely with volunteer divers in support of our mission; and providing safe diving and research vessel support to efficiently serve institution-wide programs, among other duties. The DSO will report to the dive program manager.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Dive Safety Officer job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: Open until filled. Preference given to applications received by June 30.
- Interviews: Two rounds of interviews anticipated, over zoom and onsite in July and August.
- Start date: ASAP.
The Seattle Aquarium is looking for a maintenance technician to join the facilities team. As a member the facilities department and under general supervision of the maintenance supervisor and in coordination with other Aquarium departments, responds to both preventative and reactive maintenance, custodial and day porter service activities. This position will assist the maintenance supervisor in oversight and coordination of schedules and activities of the maintenance/custodial staff on a day-to-day basis ensuring the highest level of cleanliness and customer service for staff, volunteers and guests. The maintenance technician must be able to work both independently and collaboratively and prioritize workload in a dynamic environment.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Maintenance technician job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: open until filled. Priority given to applications received June 24.
- Interviews: complete by mid-July.
- Start date: August 2022, ideally.
The Seattle Aquarium is searching for a major gifts officer to join the Philanthropy team. The major gifts officer advances the Seattle Aquarium’s mission by building upon an emerging individual donor portfolio through qualification and a thoughtful moves management plan with the goal of increasing donor contributions in the $10,000+ range. The position works closely with the VP of philanthropy and, when hired, the associate director, individual giving and the individual giving team to grow annual and programmatic support, as well as with the VP of philanthropy and associate director, campaign to close gifts for the Aquarium’s One Ocean, One Future campaign.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Major Gifts Officer job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: Tuesday, June 28, 9pm PST.
- Interviews, using Zoom: Through July.
- Start date: As soon as possible.
The Seattle Aquarium is looking for a part-time marine science performer/puppeteer to join the volunteer engagement team. Part of a duo, the marine science performer is responsible for teaching, inspiring and entertaining Aquarium guests through performances in live, puppet-based, theatrical shows and programs. These live puppet shows, typically three to four performances of the same show per day, require acting, audience interaction, puppetry, singing and humor. These staff will apply their talent and enthusiasm to provide the highest level of performance and customer service for guests, community and professional peers while supporting the Aquarium’s mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment.
Performances primarily take place on Aquarium grounds and may also include travel to nearby off-site locations. Audiences will consist of general visitors, school groups, camps and community partner organizations. This position is grant-funded for 18 months, at which point continuation will be contingent on funding. The performers will work with the public programs coordinator to provide the highest educational quality. We view this work through an equity lens to remove barriers where they exist for community members to meaningfully engage with the Aquarium, foster authentic, mutual relationships between the Aquarium and the community, and bring diverse audiences together to achieve our mission. This work supports our goal of fostering empathy for conservation and making the Aquarium and its programs accessible and welcoming to all.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Marine science performer/puppeteer—part time job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: open until filled. Preference given to applications received by Tuesday, June 7.
- Interviews, using Zoom: complete by June 30.
- Start date: ASAP
The ocean policy program within our Conservation Programs and Partnerships (CPP) department is seeking a part-time ocean policy associate to support the Seattle Aquarium’s growing policy work through June 2023. The position will have the opportunity to work directly on policy and advocacy related to the 2023 Washington state legislative session, which runs from January until April, as well as work on federal policy priorities. The work accomplished during this period will help the Seattle Aquarium realize our vision to emerge as a pro-active leader in conservation, both in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
On the state level, issues of focus are likely to include plastic pollution, salmon recovery, orca recovery and environmental justice. On the federal level, issues of focus are likely to include climate change, environmental justice, wildlife and ecosystem protections and plastic pollution.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Ocean Policy Associate —Part-Time job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: Open until filled. Preference given to applications received by July 11.
- Application review: Begins immediately.
- Interviews: Virtually using Zoom, late July 2022.
- Start date: September 8, ideally.
The Seattle Aquarium is looking for an events coordinator to join the Philanthropy team. This position contributes to the success of the department’s fundraising and stewardship goals through the coordination of donor recognition, cultivation and stewardship events and assisting the senior manager, philanthropy events in the planning and execution of those events. A successful candidate will be able to execute events logistics with precision, contribute to strategy, recommend new approaches, collaborate with Aquarium colleagues across departments, and steward key donor and volunteer relationships.
The event coordinator reports to the senior manager, philanthropy events. The position works closely with the Philanthropy, Marketing & Communications, Membership and Visitor Engagement teams.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Philanthropy Events Coordinator job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: open until filled. Preference given to applications received by July 4, end of day.
- Interviews, using Zoom and on site: complete by end of July.
- Start date: August 2022, ideally.
The Seattle Aquarium is looking for a public relations specialist to join the team. This role supports the mission of the Seattle Aquarium by using communications channels internally and externally to help with storytelling that will bring positive attention to the Aquarium. The PR specialist supports Public Relations & Strategic Partnerships team operations, working in close coordination with other departments, local media, consultants and vendors.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Public Relations Specialist job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: Open until filled.
- Interviews, using Zoom: complete by mid-August 2022.
- Start date: September 6, ideally.
The Seattle Aquarium is looking for a temporary research technician to join the Conservation Programs and Partnerships Research team. The research technician is responsible for assisting with climate resilience conservation research projects. This person participates in all aspects of research projects including, but not limited to: gathering data with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), maintaining the ROV, imagery post-processing activities (e.g., annotating ROV-derived imagery to train machine-learning algorithms, overlaying abundance and percent-cover community data onto existing habitat layers to create maps), analyzing and interpreting data, and communicating research findings to both scientific and non-scientific audiences via scientific papers, presentations, news media and web-based channels (e.g., blogs, podcasts, social media).
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Research technician―temporary job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: Open until filled, preference given to applications received By June 24
- Interviews, using Zoom: through mid-July
- Start date: July, ideally
The Seattle Aquarium is looking for a safety and security manager to join the facilities team. The safety and security manager, under general supervision of the director of facilities and in coordination with other departments (facilities, life sciences, dive safety, human resources, events, etc.) plans, develops, implements and administers the Seattle Aquarium’s safety (occupational and environmental) and security programs to facilitate an environment conducive to delivering our marine conservation mission. This position ensures the safety and security of the Aquarium’s employees, volunteers and visitors as well as the physical buildings, grounds, off-site programs and vehicles.
The safety and security manager serves as the representative for the Seattle Aquarium in compliance with various regulatory agencies such as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE), etc., partners with local law enforcement, emergency response agencies and other local public safety groups, and is the acting section 504/accessibility coordinator. This role also has budgetary responsibility and manages the third-party security staffing and contract.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: May 4. Priority given to applications received by April 20.
- Interviews, likely over Zoom and on-site: complete by May 15.
- Start date: May 2022, ideally.
The DEI Program Manager (PM) will be responsible for overseeing the implementation, integration and advancement of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice throughout all of the Aquarium’s systems and operations. The DEI Program Manager will be a thought leader, implementing initiatives and priorities identified through the 2022–2025 DEI strategic plan developed by the DEI Council.
The DEI Program Manager will have specific duties that impact the Aquarium both internally and externally. The individual in this position will be a strong partner to the DEI Council, executive leadership team, board, staff, community members, guests and all other stakeholders. The equity initiatives PM will report to the director of people & culture. This individual will be committed to creating an equitable and safe work environment for employees and community members.
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Senior Equity Initiatives Program Manager job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: May 28
- Start date: ASAP
The Aquarium’s regenerative program launched in 2021 with the development of the Aquarium’s first regenerative plan, setting a regenerative vision, goals with key performance metrics, and identifying strategies to achieve our vision. The Sustainability Program Manager will have the opportunity to help shape and expand this new program, including continuous improvement, identifying new opportunities to advance regeneration, accelerating climate action, and launching additional projects.
You will focus on:
- Develop, coordinate, implement and monitor regenerative initiatives to advance the aquarium’s mission and conservation priorities, guided by the Aquarium’s values, including D.E.I. priorities.
- Lead coordination and facilitation of the regenerative steering committee (RSC) which brings together cross-functional leaders for the purpose of aligned regenerative planning, prioritization, policy, process integration and resource allocation.
- Convene committees and working groups to maintain coordination, foster collaborations, develop work plans and advance project implementation.
- Coordinate, lead and participate in facility infrastructure and operational audits to ensure progress toward our regenerative goals.
- Conduct a variety of different numerical analyses to measure and report progress on our regenerative goals, individual regenerative initiatives and other regenerative metrics by collecting, measuring, managing, tracking, analyzing and summarizing data.
- Create a system of data and progress transparency to hold our organization, the RSC and subgroups accountable to workstreams, including keeping our regenerative dashboard updated to share information with both internal and external collaborators.
- Help identify and steer the piloting of new regenerative initiatives.
- Perform research on relevant topics and summarize the results into an easy-to-digest format for target audiences.
- Encourage a positive, rewarding and productive culture that enhances awareness and knowledge of regenerative practices, invites employee participation, incentivizes sustainable behaviors and establishes sustainability as an important cultural norm.
- Coordinate with the Marketing & Communications (MarCom) team to develop clear, compelling communication materials related to the regenerative program.
- Support fundraising activities of the regenerative program.
- Support pursuing regenerative and green certifications for operations and the built environment (e.g., Energy STAR, ISO 14001, Living Building Challenge, WELL Building, LEED, etc.).
To read a comprehensive list of essential functions, skills, abilities and other requirements, and to apply, please use the link below.
Sustainability Program Manager job posting
Recruiting timeline:
- Application deadline: July 8
- Interviews: Two rounds of interviews to be concluded by end of July (First round over Zoom, second in person if possible)
- Start date: ASAP
