Careers

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.

 

Current openings

Our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values

Sustainable

Adopting and promoting, internally and externally, practices that improve ocean health.

Awe inspiring

Creating captivating experience for all audiences.

Learning & improving

Fostering, evaluating and applying knowledge and discovery.

Inclusive community

Recognizing that diversity is critical to achieve our mission.

Scientific Integrity

Ensuring our credibility with evidence-based practices.

Honoring place

Using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.

What Sets Us Apart

Seattle Aquarium volunteers
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.

 

Historic photo of Pier 59
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.

Seattle Aquarium employees preparing to dive
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.

Seattle Aquarium volunteers

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

*Part-time staff are eligible for these benefits.

Current Openings

Philanthropy coordinator

The philanthropy coordinator provides support for the events and corporate sponsorship functions within the Philanthropy Operations team. This role helps advance the Seattle Aquarium’s mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment by ensuring the success of the Aquarium’s signature donor acquisition and stewardship events and fulfilling corporate sponsorship packages in a fast-paced environment. Knowledge of nonprofit organizations and a proven track record in a detail-oriented support role handling confidential material are essential. This position reports to the deputy director of philanthropy operations.

Until July 2020, 90% of the philanthropy coordinator’s time will be spent helping to execute two signature fundraising events, and the remaining time supporting sponsorship fulfillment. Beginning July 2020, the role will reduce events time to 70%, and 20% of time will be spent supporting sponsorship activities and 10% will focus on administrative work; these percentages are approximate and may flex as needs arise.

For more information and to apply, click here.
Posting expires: Thursday, March 12, 2020, end of day.

Donor relations officer

The Seattle Aquarium is hiring a donor relations officer to join our Philanthropy team. The primary responsibility of this position will be qualifying donors. This position will work closely with the prospect researcher and major gifts officer to identify new major donor prospects and will do extensive work qualifying those individuals for increased annual or campaign support. Phone outreach will be a large part of the qualification and cultivation work done by this position, along with personalized emails and targeted mailings and invitations.

The donor relations officer will also coordinate the Friends of the Aquarium donor circle stewardship for individuals giving $1,000–$5,000 annually. They will work to increase renewal rates and overall giving from those individuals. In that work the donor relations officer will be responsible for creating touchpoints for donors at different giving levels, providing them with multiple unique and engaging ways to learn more about and get more involved with the Seattle Aquarium.

The donor relations officer reports to the major gifts officer and will work closely with the annual fund officer and the rest of the Philanthropy and Membership teams.

For more information and to apply, click here.
Posting expires: Wednesday, February 26, 2020, end of day

Seattle Aquarium employee performing enrichment activities with harbor seal
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