New England Aquarium

One of the many goals of the New England Aquarium and the live blue Service Corp is to foster an environmental stewardship ethic in the general public. One of the best ways to do this is to get people outdoors to simply enjoy and appreciate nature! The live blue Service Corps has adopted a set of trails in the western section of the Blue Hills and will visit on a recurring basis to cut back overgrown areas, keep trails clear, mark areas in need of extra care, and note any significant needs. Volunteers will receive training in general safety as well as proper maintenance and use of any necessary tools. This work will improve accessibility to nature for people of all ages! Wear sturdy boots, long pants and work gloves and bring at least one quart of water. You may also want to consider bringing sunscreen and (non-deet) bug spray.

Help protect Boston Harbor by raising awareness about storm drain pollution! Every time it rains, pollutants from the street and sidewalk (such as oil, gasoline, pet waste, and trash) can run off into storm drains. These pollutants are eventually discharged into Boston Harbor, causing water quality to deteriorate and negatively affecting marine life. A representative from Boston Water and Sewer Commission will lead a brief orientation on the history of the city's storm drains, how these drains impact water quality, and what we can do to improve local water quality. Volunteers will then be given detailed city maps which we will use to locate and label with decals that read "Don't dump, drains to Boston Harbor." Come prepared to walk and navigate the city for the sake of clean water! Saturday, November 17th is Family Volunteer Day! Anyone age 10+ is welcome to join (with adult supervision). Please RSVP by signing up below, and email volunteer@neaq.org if you intend on bringing guests or anyone under 18.

Family Volunteer Day is a day of service that celebrates the power of families who work together to support their communities and neighborhoods. The Service Corps will be taking part in this national event through various field projects and Aquarium visitor engagement. The Service Corps will be visiting Revere Beach to conduct a fall cleanup and 'bioblitz' to collect debris and note any unique species and trash found. Because the beach usually has fewer visitors (human or otherwise) in the fall, this day will give us a chance to see any changes in marine debris and wildlife. Families welcome! When you sign-up, please send an e-mail to volunteer@neaq.org to let us know of any guests or children under 18 planning on attending.

Ever wonder how we make our exhibits? This is your chance to find out! Volunteers will work alongside our design team in the Charlestown studio to help create some new exhibits. Volunteers will help prepare models, chip away excess, and paint foam structures with a protective sealant to prepare them for display. This work is dirty, dusty, and sealant is industrial-grade, so volunteers should wear clothes they don't mind ruining. Gloves and burshes will be provided. Help is needed with a number of tasks which may vary day to day. To get an idea of what to expect and goals of the project, check out this video assembled by Shannon Leary, Fabrication Studio Intern: https://vimeo.com/300446336?ref=em-share After signing up, please check the "Locations Details" link in your Upcoming Opportunities (in the My Account tab) for instructions, including important phone numbers.

Want to know more about the live blue Service Corps? Through this program, we partner with area environmental organizations to provide episodic volunteer opportunities with a smaller commitment that also have an important impact on our mission! This program has built in flexibility; you only sign up for the service events in which you're interested and for which you have the time. To become a live blue Service Corps member, volunteers are first required to attend a one time, hour long orientation at the Aquarium. During this orientation you'll learn more about the live blue Service Corps, what kinds of projects you'll be doing, and what to expect. It's also a great chance to meet other volunteers! After attending the orientation you'll be able to sign up for any and all live blue Service Corps projects posted on serve.neaq.org/calendar. [Note that if you are interested in a more committed program, namely those in animal care and education, please visit serve.neaq.org/ClassicCorps to read about the application process]

Myles Standish is the largest publicly-owned recreation area on the South Shore. Consisting largely of pitch pine and scrub oak forest, this is the largest forest of its kind north of Long Island. The forest surrounds 16 lakes and ponds, including several ecologically significant coastal kettle ponds. A popular destination year-round for camping, hiking, and other recreational activities, the Mass Department of Recreation manages this site for both people and wildlife alike. Volunteers on this day will cut back brush around campsites and roads and assist DCR staff in other tasking as needed. Come journey to the South Shore with us to experience this unique habitat and help prep it for winter! (Limited transportation from the Aquarium will be provided. After signing up, email volunteer@neaq.org to RSVP for a spot in the van.)

The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a 1.5 mile stretch of parks running between Surface Road and Atlantic Ave in an area that was once covered by highway. This park acts as a natural oasis along the bustling Boston waterfront. Join us for Gardening on The Greenway! This project takes place in the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a park system which run from Chinatown to the North End. Location and tasks are based on current park needs and this time of year will focus on bulb planting and fall clean up. The Greenway Conservancy provides training, tools, gloves, water, and a small snack. No experience is required, and they encourage all volunteers to have a great time and ask lots of questions! Tasks include planting bulbs, clearing plant matter, removing trash, and other gardening-related jobs. The next project is Wednesday, December 12th with a raindate of Thursday, December 13th.

Accepting Applications for Waitlist Time commitment: One full day (8:00 am.-5:00 p.m.) per week for a period of 6 months Summary: American lobsters are a cultural icon and one of the most important fisheries in New England. But did you know it takes a lobster 7 years to grow to 1 pound (the legal harvest size)? At the New England Aquarium, larval and juvenile lobsters are raised in a small hatchery and then used in experiments, which have focused on growth, nutrition, and disease. Project Description: Responsibilities: Must have a desire to learn how to care for hundreds of juvenile lobsters in a small research setting. Daily tasks include observing, recording data, and feeding all lobsters in the research collection, collecting and counting newly hatched larvae, changing filters, and cleaning tanks. Opportunities to become a more active participant in ongoing research may become available, but are subject to current progress, research scope, and supervisor discretion. Qualifications: Strong interest in working with animals in a research environment. Must have basic computer skills, be able to follow written protocols, and work independently. Must be comfortable working in a wet laboratory environment, and willing to get dirty. Good attention to detail is essential. Prior lobster experience is not necessary. Must be at least 18 years old.

Education Outreach Volunteer Not currently recruiting FLEXIBLE hours due to variability of programming Summary: Aquarium Student Programs Volunteers represent the New England Aquarium off-site at schools and community centers as well as onsite alongside Aquarium Education staff. Volunteers will assist in the delivery of programs to preschool and school-age children and families on a range of marine topics. Programs may include live animals, classroom-style, exhibit-style programming or a theater presentation. The New England Aquarium reaches over 35,000 school children a year through our off-site programming. Responsibilities: · Assist with material preparation and transportation for New England Aquarium programs across New England; transportation of animals; program setup. · Answer questions and initiate conversation with program participants. · Train to lead portions of scripted programs. · When applicable, maintains marine organisms and observes animal health during programs. Programming includes: a. Outreach to schools & daycare centers b. Outreach to member's homes for birthday parties c. Outreach to community centers and after school sites d. Outreach/on-site private & promotional events e. Outdoor programming with school groups & families at a field site f. On-site classes for school groups, homeschool students, families and members 2 years-18 years Qualifications: · Willingness to learn about Aquarium exhibits, programs and marine science. · Comfort in public speaking for multiple age groups of diverse interests and backgrounds. · Must be comfortable handling marine organisms. · Must have enthusiasm and an interest in meeting and working with elementary age children. · Must be at least 18 years old. · Must have the ability to be CORI/SORI certified. Desirable: · Comfortable interpreting and presenting on marine science topics · Experience in public speaking and/or theater · Experience working with early childhood (ages 2 through 8) · Experience working with English Language Learner and/or special needs audiences · First Aid, CPR, or higher life saving certification · Knowledge of Boston neighborhoods, Boston Public Schools, and/or Boston afterschool centers · Summer camp background or experience teaching in the field Physical Demands: The physical demands listed are representative of those that must be met by a volunteer to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. While performing the duties of this position, the volunteer is required to talk, hear, sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, crawl, reach, push/pull, and lift up to 59 lbs. Occasionally the volunteer is required to lift up to 99 lbs. The volunteer is required to apply limited manual dexterity in combination with eye-hand coordination such as basic keyboarding, basic hand tools and instruments, filing, operating office equipment, operating a motor vehicle, etc. The volunteer must have good vision to read documents for general understanding. The volunteer will be required to review non-written materials for general observation purposes. Shift schedule varies according to program; start time between 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Shifts are typically between 5 to 10 hours. It may be possible to accommodate some schedule preferences.

Volunteer Department Office Assistant Volunteer Currently full One ½ day per week Sunday-Saturday to start Summary: The New England Aquarium’s Office of Volunteer Programs & Internships processes hundreds of applications each year and mobilizes a team of 1,000 volunteers/interns annually in support of the New England Aquarium’s mission of protecting the blue planet. Responsibilities: · Assist the with administrative tasks that support the day-to-day operations of the Office of Volunteer Programs & Internships · Assist with filing, scanning, data entry, and other office tasks as needed. Qualifications: · Detail-oriented, organized, friendly, and flexible. · Familiarity with MS Word, MS Excel, and Google Drive preferred.

Limited Weeday Openings One full day per week (8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.) for a period of six months Summary: Marine Animal Rescue responds to calls to provide medical treatment for whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea turtles. Established in 1968, the Marine Animal Rescue Team has responded to thousands of calls providing medical treatment to stranded, injured and diseased marine animals throughout the New England coastal region. Volunteers provide support for Rescue staff in all aspects of the program. Responsibilities: A significant amount of cleaning is required in order to maintain the hospital environment. Additional responsibilities include following standard quarantine protocols, food prep, feeding, restraining animals for treatments and injections, monitoring behavior and health of animals, maintaining records including water quality, daily food intake, swim charts and treatment sheets. Qualifications: Previous (large) animal handling experience is recommended. Must be in good physical condition and able to lift 50 pounds. Must be able to perform significant cleaning tasks daily. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. Must be at least 18 years of age. *NOTE: Your own reliable transportation is highly recommended as this program is offsite at our Quincy, MA facility and is not easily accessible by public transportation.

Monday-Friday, 1 full day or 2 half days per week for a period of 6 months Morning and/or afternoon availability from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Summary: The New England Aquarium’s Conservation Department aims to integrate scientific information, public outreach and policy initiatives to effect lasting change in the ocean environment. Our work involves extensive web-based research and report writing, which must be thoroughly and accurately documented. This position will assist the Conservation Department with organization of their computer based library, a collection of downloaded reports and journal articles. This position is an excellent opportunity for an individual majoring in library science or a related field. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic, self-directed and able to successfully design and implement an organizational system for the library. Responsibilities: Organize an extensive collection of PDFs stored on a shared network Navigate existing Endnote files to extract relevant information in order to incorporate files into new organizational system Categorize PDF files based on topic/subject matter preferably in manner easily accessed within Windows 7 Represent the Conservation Department in a professional manner when interacting with other departments Perform other position related duties as assigned Qualifications: Must be willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement due to access to proprietary information. Proficient in Windows 7, Microsoft programs, Endnote, and Adobe Familiarity with the principles and procedures necessary for computer-based recordkeeping preferred Familiarity and understanding of archival description and representation preferred Professionalism and comfort working independently in an office environment are required