Job Description

The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced aquarium professional to advance the organization’s mission of supporting a life-long passion for science through education, research, and first-hand exploration of the sky, land, and sea of Nantucket Island. Reporting to the Director of Science and Programs, the Aquarium Manager will play a crucial role in our organization's growth and success and will serve as the public face of the MMA marine science initiatives. The successful candidate will run the day-to-day aquarium operations, manage interns and volunteers, lead and supervise all marine husbandry, oversee the marine laboratory and its operations, the MMA’s research buoy, and lead educational experiences. They will also be responsible for cultivating relationships with constituents and the public at large. This role requires a dynamic individual with excellent interpersonal and organizational skills and provides a unique opportunity to learn about managing a popular public aquarium, grow leadership skills, and build relationships with the Nantucket marine science community

Key Responsibilities and Duties :  

• Select the summer aquarium intern cohort and provide training to summer interns through an orientation process in marine biology (focus on Nantucket/ New England), marine chemistry, and marine husbandry. 
• Assemble (including plumbing, cleaning, and cycling) up to 15 or more marine aquaria each season. 
• Train, mentor, and supervise volunteers and high school interns in marine biology education and basic marine husbandry skills. 
• Work with interns to collect local marine animals and curate live animal exhibits/displays. 
• Supervise day-to-day operations at the Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium, including educational tours and programs, marine husbandry, marine biology monitoring projects, and retail sales. 
• Organize and lead trips to schools, birthday parties, and community events using the MMA mobile touch tanks and educational resources. 
• Help with MMA fundraising events as needed. 
• Work with interns to release animals, deep clean the aquarium, and do various winterization tasks in the fall. 
• Relocate and care for year-round marine animals (tropical fish, lobster, etc.) 
• Assist with husbandry and education at the MMA Natural Science Museum as needed during the fall/winter/spring. 
• Collaborate with the Education Department to lead educational programming to increase youth engagement. 
• Work with Director of Science & Programming to complete necessary reports for permits, grants, and MMA.
• Maintain accurate records of constituent interactions using Altru CRM (Customer Relationship Management). 
• Oversee Marine Laboratory and its programs, including marine mentorship for teenagers 
• Oversee the maintenance, management, and collection of research for the Environmental Monitoring research buoy 
• Provide regular reports and analyses on admissions and program attendance from Altru CRM. 
• Availability to work evenings, holidays, and weekend events, as necessary. 

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in marine science, biology, environmental science, or related field. Master’s degree preferred. 
• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience working with marine aquaria. 
• Experience with leading public outreach education programs. 
• Demonstrated ability to plumb, cycle, and care for aquaria without direct supervision. 
• Understanding of aquarium water quality and biochemistry. 
• Familiarity with New England marine species and marine ecology. 
• Experience with drafting/editing communication to key constituents and writing content for external facing publications. 
• Familiarity with Nantucket. 
• Strong project management skills
• Exceptional leadership, interpersonal, communication, engagement, organizational, and relationship-building skills with constituents. 
• Ability to engage guests of all ages in marine science. 
• Experience working with environmental monitoring buoys. 
• Willingness to work selected evenings and weekends, when necessary. 
• Captain’s license, while not necessary, is advantageous. 

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