Padilla Bay Aquarist (Program Specialist 2)
Washington State Department of Ecology · Mount Vernon, WA · 1 mo ago
ManagementFull-time
We need to output HTML fragment with sections: About the role? Actually the description includes sections: Description (intro), Location, Schedule, Application Timeline, Duties (What You Will Do), Qualifications, Special Requirements & Conditions Of Employment, Desired Qualifications, Supplemental Information (maybe not needed), About About the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program, About The Department Of Ecology, etc. We need to keep only substantive sections, not boilerplate like EEO, legal, application instructions, accommodation, etc. Also remove cookie/navigation/legal/EEO/equal-opportunity/scam-warning boilerplate, duplicated lines, and application instructions. Also remove "Application Process" etc. Also remove "Supplemental Information" if it's just about E-Verify etc. We need to keep substantive info: description, location, schedule, application timeline, duties, qualifications, special requirements & conditions, desired qualifications, maybe "About the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program" and "About The Department Of Ecology" as they are substantive about the organization. Also maybe "Benefits" section appears later: "Ecology employees may be eligible for the following : Medical/Dental/Vision...". That is benefits info. So we should include a Benefits section. Also Pay? Not mentioned. Schedule is given: "This position is NOT eligible for telework." Also maybe schedule details like full-time? Not given. So we include Schedule section with that note.
We must not repeat job title as heading. Use for section headings. Use
for section headings. Use - for any list of duties/requirements/benefits. Use
for prose.
We need to preserve all substantive information, not invent or summarize away detail. So we need to include details like location: Padilla Bay Office in Mount Vernon, WA. Must live within commutable distance. Application timeline: Apply by October 9th, 2026. Applications submitted after may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants needed.
Duties: many bullet points. We'll convert to
- .
Qualifications: Required Qualifications includes four years experience and/or education related to duties, with sub-bullets: Aquarium Life Support Operations, Animal Husbandry, Water Quality Data & Analysis, Emergency Response & Problem Solving, Volunteer and Staff Coordination, Environmental Education Support. Also Education: Involving a major study in environmental science, life science, environmental education, aquarium science, or related field. Also "Examples Of How To Qualify": list of combos. We'll include those as list.
Special Requirements & Conditions Of Employment: technical competency, certifications: Level 1 AALSO Life Support Operator Certification (or equivalent) and Level 1 AALSO Water Quality Technician Certification (or equivalent) – need to obtain second within one year of hire. Equivalent certifications etc.
Desired Qualifications: Have level 2 AALSO Life Support Operator or Water Quality Technician Certification or equivalent. Additional experience leading environmental education programs and/or working independently in caring for and managing aquariums are preferred.
Supplemental Information: includes E-Verify statement, DEIR commitment, etc. The DEIR commitment is substantive? It's a statement about diversity etc. Might be considered boilerplate? It's part of the posting but maybe we can keep as a section "Commitment to DEIR". However the instruction says remove EEO/equal-opportunity/scam-warning boilerplate. DEIR is similar to EEO but maybe it's substantive? It's a statement about values. Might be considered boilerplate but it's not EEO exactly. Safer to keep? The instruction: "Remove cookie/navigation/legal/EEO/equal-opportunity/scam-warning boilerplate". DEIR is about diversity, equity, inclusion, respect - could be considered EEO-related. Might be safer to remove. However the "Our Commitment to DEIR" is a paragraph that may be considered substantive about the organization's values. But it's similar to EEO. I'd lean to remove it as it's boilerplate-ish. The Supplemental Information also includes Ecology does not use E-Verify etc. That's legal. Remove.
About About the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program: keep.
About The Department Of Ecology: keep.
Benefits: list of benefits: Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave *, 11 Paid Holidays per year *, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth. We'll keep as list.
We must not include headings with filler like "commensurate with experience". Not present.
We must not repeat job title as heading. So no heading for "Padilla Bay Aquarist (Program Specialist 2)". Good.
We need to output only HTML fragment, no /, no markdown.
Let's structure:
Location
This position will be located in our Padilla Bay Office in Mount Vernon, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Schedule
This position is NOT eligible for telework.
Application Timeline
Apply by October 9th, 2026. Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.
Duties
- Manage daily operation, maintenance, and performance of aquarium and touch-pool life support systems, ensuring stable environmental conditions and healthy living environments for resident organisms.
- Independently conduct routine and preventative maintenance, troubleshoot equipment issues, perform repairs, and coordinate facility needs with the Reserve’s facility coordinator.
- Monitor water quality and organism health using technical equipment and data-tracking systems, analyze trends, diagnose system issues, and implement corrective actions to improve performance and animal welfare.
- Provide technical judgement and recommendations for long-term aquarium facility planning, exhibit improvements, system upgrades, and operational efficiencies.
- Respond to critical aquarium needs during power outages, closures, or emergencies, ensuring the safety and care of organisms during after-hours and holiday periods.
- Develop and deliver aquarium-based educational presentations, demonstrations, and public engagement events, including fish feedings, touch-pool interpretation, and hands-on estuary science programs.
- Collaborate with Education, Research, Stewardship, CTP, and Facilities sectors to design exhibit improvements, align messaging, and develop curriculum materials that utilize aquarium systems.
- Coordinate, train, and oversee volunteers, interns, WCC members, and Reserve staff who support aquarium and touch-pool care; maintain schedules, delegate tasks, and organize aquarium team meetings.
- Identify and support service-learning and internship opportunities related to aquarium operations, environmental interpretation, and estuarine science.
- Maintain required permits and ensure full compliance with policies and regulations associated with capture, holding, and release of organisms.
- Follow agency policies for records and information management, maintaining accurate electronic and paper records that align with retention and public records requirements.
- Perform additional duties as assigned to support Padilla Bay operations, public programs, facilities, and visitor services.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications: Four (4) years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following:
- Aquarium Life Support Operations: Ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot closed and open-system aquarium life support equipment, including pumps, filtration systems, monitoring devices, and water quality instrumentation.
- Animal Husbandry: Experience observing, assessing, and supporting the health of marine organisms through appropriate feeding, preventative care, habitat management, and species compatibility evaluation.
- Water Quality Data & Analysis: Ability to collect, track, and analyze water quality and organism-health data to identify trends, diagnose system performance issues, and implement corrective measures that ensure stable aquarium conditions.
- Emergency Response & Problem Solving: Ability to assess and respond to aquarium system failures, environmental fluctuations, power outages, and other urgent conditions that require timely action and sound technical judgment.
- Volunteer and Staff Coordination: Experience organizing task schedules, training volunteers or staff, and delegating daily operational activities to ensure consistent, safe care of aquarium systems and organisms.
- Environmental Education Support: Ability to convey biological, ecological, or aquarium-system concepts clearly to public visitors, students, and community groups through demonstrations, presentations, or interactive learning experiences.
- Education: Involving a major study in environmental science, life science, environmental education, aquarium science, or related field.
Examples of how to qualify:
- 4 years of experience.
- 3 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
- 2 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
- 1 year of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
- Bachelor’s degree or above.
Special Requirements & Conditions of Employment
This position requires technical competency with aquarium life support systems and water quality monitoring. Candidates must hold at least one of the following certifications—or an equivalent credential—and be able to obtain the second within one year of hire:
- Level 1 AALSO Life Support Operator Certification (or equivalent)
- Level 1 AALSO Water Quality Technician Certification (or equivalent)
Equivalent certifications or training may include documented aquarium life-support coursework, professional training, or industry-recognized credentials demonstrating comparable knowledge and skill.
Desired Qualifications
- Have level 2 AALSO Life Support Operator or Water Quality Technician Certification or equivalent.
- Additional experience leading environmental education programs and/or working independently in caring for and managing aquariums are preferred.
Benefits
- Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- Vacation, Sick, and other Leave
- 11 Paid Holidays per year
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Tuition Waiver
- Long Term Disability & Life Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Programs
- Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
- Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commute Trip Reduction Incentives
- Combined Fund Drive
- SmartHealth
About the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program
The mission of the SEA Program is to create community conservation partnerships to protect and restore our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.
About the Department of Ecology
As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state,
for prose. We need to preserve all substantive information, not invent or summarize away detail. So we need to include details like location: Padilla Bay Office in Mount Vernon, WA. Must live within commutable distance. Application timeline: Apply by October 9th, 2026. Applications submitted after may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants needed. Duties: many bullet points. We'll convert to
- .
Qualifications: Required Qualifications includes four years experience and/or education related to duties, with sub-bullets: Aquarium Life Support Operations, Animal Husbandry, Water Quality Data & Analysis, Emergency Response & Problem Solving, Volunteer and Staff Coordination, Environmental Education Support. Also Education: Involving a major study in environmental science, life science, environmental education, aquarium science, or related field. Also "Examples Of How To Qualify": list of combos. We'll include those as list.
Special Requirements & Conditions Of Employment: technical competency, certifications: Level 1 AALSO Life Support Operator Certification (or equivalent) and Level 1 AALSO Water Quality Technician Certification (or equivalent) – need to obtain second within one year of hire. Equivalent certifications etc.
Desired Qualifications: Have level 2 AALSO Life Support Operator or Water Quality Technician Certification or equivalent. Additional experience leading environmental education programs and/or working independently in caring for and managing aquariums are preferred.
Supplemental Information: includes E-Verify statement, DEIR commitment, etc. The DEIR commitment is substantive? It's a statement about diversity etc. Might be considered boilerplate? It's part of the posting but maybe we can keep as a section "Commitment to DEIR". However the instruction says remove EEO/equal-opportunity/scam-warning boilerplate. DEIR is similar to EEO but maybe it's substantive? It's a statement about values. Might be considered boilerplate but it's not EEO exactly. Safer to keep? The instruction: "Remove cookie/navigation/legal/EEO/equal-opportunity/scam-warning boilerplate". DEIR is about diversity, equity, inclusion, respect - could be considered EEO-related. Might be safer to remove. However the "Our Commitment to DEIR" is a paragraph that may be considered substantive about the organization's values. But it's similar to EEO. I'd lean to remove it as it's boilerplate-ish. The Supplemental Information also includes Ecology does not use E-Verify etc. That's legal. Remove.
About About the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program: keep.
About The Department Of Ecology: keep.
Benefits: list of benefits: Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave *, 11 Paid Holidays per year *, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth. We'll keep as list.
We must not include headings with filler like "commensurate with experience". Not present.
We must not repeat job title as heading. So no heading for "Padilla Bay Aquarist (Program Specialist 2)". Good.
We need to output only HTML fragment, no /, no markdown.
Let's structure:
Location
This position will be located in our Padilla Bay Office in Mount Vernon, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Schedule
This position is NOT eligible for telework.
Application Timeline
Apply by October 9th, 2026. Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.
Duties
- Manage daily operation, maintenance, and performance of aquarium and touch-pool life support systems, ensuring stable environmental conditions and healthy living environments for resident organisms.
- Independently conduct routine and preventative maintenance, troubleshoot equipment issues, perform repairs, and coordinate facility needs with the Reserve’s facility coordinator.
- Monitor water quality and organism health using technical equipment and data-tracking systems, analyze trends, diagnose system issues, and implement corrective actions to improve performance and animal welfare.
- Provide technical judgement and recommendations for long-term aquarium facility planning, exhibit improvements, system upgrades, and operational efficiencies.
- Respond to critical aquarium needs during power outages, closures, or emergencies, ensuring the safety and care of organisms during after-hours and holiday periods.
- Develop and deliver aquarium-based educational presentations, demonstrations, and public engagement events, including fish feedings, touch-pool interpretation, and hands-on estuary science programs.
- Collaborate with Education, Research, Stewardship, CTP, and Facilities sectors to design exhibit improvements, align messaging, and develop curriculum materials that utilize aquarium systems.
- Coordinate, train, and oversee volunteers, interns, WCC members, and Reserve staff who support aquarium and touch-pool care; maintain schedules, delegate tasks, and organize aquarium team meetings.
- Identify and support service-learning and internship opportunities related to aquarium operations, environmental interpretation, and estuarine science.
- Maintain required permits and ensure full compliance with policies and regulations associated with capture, holding, and release of organisms.
- Follow agency policies for records and information management, maintaining accurate electronic and paper records that align with retention and public records requirements.
- Perform additional duties as assigned to support Padilla Bay operations, public programs, facilities, and visitor services.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications: Four (4) years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following:
- Aquarium Life Support Operations: Ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot closed and open-system aquarium life support equipment, including pumps, filtration systems, monitoring devices, and water quality instrumentation.
- Animal Husbandry: Experience observing, assessing, and supporting the health of marine organisms through appropriate feeding, preventative care, habitat management, and species compatibility evaluation.
- Water Quality Data & Analysis: Ability to collect, track, and analyze water quality and organism-health data to identify trends, diagnose system performance issues, and implement corrective measures that ensure stable aquarium conditions.
- Emergency Response & Problem Solving: Ability to assess and respond to aquarium system failures, environmental fluctuations, power outages, and other urgent conditions that require timely action and sound technical judgment.
- Volunteer and Staff Coordination: Experience organizing task schedules, training volunteers or staff, and delegating daily operational activities to ensure consistent, safe care of aquarium systems and organisms.
- Environmental Education Support: Ability to convey biological, ecological, or aquarium-system concepts clearly to public visitors, students, and community groups through demonstrations, presentations, or interactive learning experiences.
- Education: Involving a major study in environmental science, life science, environmental education, aquarium science, or related field.
Examples of how to qualify:
- 4 years of experience.
- 3 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
- 2 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
- 1 year of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
- Bachelor’s degree or above.
Special Requirements & Conditions of Employment
This position requires technical competency with aquarium life support systems and water quality monitoring. Candidates must hold at least one of the following certifications—or an equivalent credential—and be able to obtain the second within one year of hire:
- Level 1 AALSO Life Support Operator Certification (or equivalent)
- Level 1 AALSO Water Quality Technician Certification (or equivalent)
Equivalent certifications or training may include documented aquarium life-support coursework, professional training, or industry-recognized credentials demonstrating comparable knowledge and skill.
Desired Qualifications
- Have level 2 AALSO Life Support Operator or Water Quality Technician Certification or equivalent.
- Additional experience leading environmental education programs and/or working independently in caring for and managing aquariums are preferred.
Benefits
- Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- Vacation, Sick, and other Leave
- 11 Paid Holidays per year
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Tuition Waiver
- Long Term Disability & Life Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Programs
- Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
- Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commute Trip Reduction Incentives
- Combined Fund Drive
- SmartHealth
About the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program
The mission of the SEA Program is to create community conservation partnerships to protect and restore our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.
About the Department of Ecology
As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state,