Description

Dive Volunteers require a minimum of 4 hours per month for at least a 6-month commitment to maintain active Volunteer status.

Dive Operations Volunteers will be influential in daily operations such as exhibit cleaning and maintenance, safety skill practices, and guest engagement. Volunteers will spend time alongside OdySea Aquarium Team Members in a supportive and supervised role with the opportunity to dive alongside diverse animals such as sharks, rays, fish, and reptiles. OdySea Aquarium diving follows scientific and commercial diving safety practices rather than recreational. As a result, Volunteers are required to complete a swim evaluation and dive physical during the onboarding process. Dive Volunteers are required to follow all OdySea Aquarium Zoological Standard Operating Procedures (which may differ from general Aquarium Standard Operating Procedures), including those that prohibit wearing of jewelry.

Requirements

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Proof of Open Water SCUBA certification.
• Satisfactory completion of OdySea Aquarium swim evaluation demonstrating the below skills. Skills are evaluated on a pass or fail scale.
• Swim underwater without swim aids or wetsuit for a distance of 25 yards surfacing.
• Swim 400 yards within 12 minutes without swimming aids (swim googles permitted).
• Without swimming aids, tread water for 10 minutes, the final 2 minutes with hands out of the water from the wrist up.
• Without swimming aids, perform buddy tow of a person of equal or larger size 25-yards in the water.
• Surface dive to a depth of approximately 10ft, retrieve a 10lb weight from bottom and resurface.
• Satisfactory completion of a dive physical.
• Cost of initial dive physical is the responsibility of Volunteer (cost may vary based on provider). Subsequent physicals will be at the cost of OdySea Aquarium for active Volunteers in good standing.
• Satisfactory completion of a background check and drug screen.
• Follow all policies and procedures set forth by OdySea Aquarium Foundation and OdySea Aquarium including zoological grooming standards for applicable roles.
• Willingness to be flexible, learn, and multitask. Positive attitude, team oriented, responsible, and enthusiastic.
• Proactively engage guests in a friendly and courteous manner while upholding standards of excellence in guest experience.
• Comfortable greeting and engaging with guests with the possibility of speaking on microphone. Required to frequently talk and hear.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time, as well as walk.
• Ability to complete tasks in an environment that may be loud, wet, or humid at times.
• No impairment of senses that might interfere with the ability to complete tasks.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time, as well as walk, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or climb.
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds and able to access animal pools, exhibits, and enclosures.