New England Aquarium

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. Below is generally what you can expect: Aug 27-31: Assist (mainly cleaning up) with foam sculpting Sept. 3-7: Assist (mainly cleaning up) with foam sculpting and painting latex on reef sculptures Sept. 10-14: Assist (mainly cleaning up) with foam sculpting and painting latex on reef sculptures Sept. 17-21: Painting latex on reef sculptures Sept. 24-28: Painting latex on reef sculptures Oct. 1-5: Painting latex on reef sculptures and removing foam from fiberglass pieces Oct. 8-12: Painting latex on reef sculptures and removing foam from fiberglass pieces Oct. 15-19: Removing foam from fiberglass pieces and helping with some cleaning Oct. 22-26: Removing foam from fiberglass pieces and helping with some cleaning After signing up, please check the "Locations Details" link in your Upcoming Opportunities (in the My Account tab) for instructions, including important phone numbers.

Polls show that voters consistently rank environmental issues among their lowest concerns in every election. This is a huge problem. Politicians want to win elections, and if environmental issues are a low priority for voters, they will be a low priority for policy makers. Yet polls also show that tens of millions of Americans strongly prioritize progressive environmental policies – the real problem is that these people do not vote. Indeed, even in recent nationwide elections, over 15 million individually identified environmentalists have stayed at home on Election Day. Therefore, the key to getting powerful environmental policies in place is not only to persuade more Americans to be environmentalists, it is also as simple as getting more of our existing environmentalists to vote. The Environmental Voter Project uses big-data analytics to identify inactive environmentalists and then applies cutting-edge behavioral science to turn them into more consistent voters. Using a new generation of Get-Out-The-Vote techniques, they are dramatically increasing voter turnout while precisely measuring our impact. EVP is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that does not endorse candidates or tell people how to vote; instead, EVP focuses on increasing environmental voter turnout to make the voices and needs of the environment heard. This is where you come in! Volunteers will receive an introduction to EVP’s mission and a training on basic phone and text-banking tools. From there, we will contact environmental voters via phone calls and/or text messages in an effort to increase voter turnout. No prior experience or training is necessary! Scripts will be provided, and you can opt for either speaking on the phone or sending text messages. *Please note: volunteers will need to use their own phone to participate. Smart phones work best for the texting app. If opting for phone banking (instead of texting), please bring a laptop so we can provide the appropriate applications.*

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]

Join us for Stewardship Saturday on the Boston Harbor Islands! We will be working with the National Park Service to conduct clean-ups, remove invasive species, and other beautification projects. Each project takes place on a different island and will involve a different set of work. Tools and gloves will be provided, but be prepared with sturdy shoes, long sleeves and pants to protect from thorns and poison ivy, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty. The boat for these projects leaves precisely at 9am. The departure site varies between projects, so keep an eye on your e-mail for details.

Non-native, introduced marine species, such as green crabs and striped anemones, can have detrimental impacts on the ecosystems they invade. These species can out-compete native plants and animals, leading to drastic changes in marine habitats. 298 species of marine invertebrates, 100 species of fish, and 200 species of plants have been identified as invasive in North American bays and coasts alone. Once established, these species can be impossible to remove. Our best defense is to monitor their growth and attempt to pass policies to prevent their spread. This is where citizen science comes in! The Service Corps is partnering with the Office of Coastal Zone Management and the Marine Invader Monitoring and Information Collaborative (MIMIC) to regularly identify and monitor invasive species in Quincy. After a brief training on identifying a few common culprits, volunteers will work in teams to record what species are growing on floating docks in a marina. No prior species identification experience necessary! Just come prepared to learn and to get your hands dirty! *Note this project may vary in length from 1-2 hours depending on size of the volunteer team*

Massachusetts COASTSWEEP takes place from September through November! Organizations all over the world take part in an annual effort to cleanup coastlines while collecting valuable data on the marine debris we collect. In Massachusetts, this effort is coordinated by the Office of Coastal Zone Management over the course of the fall season. Join us and members of the community in Hull, MA in keeping this coastal town free of debris! Not only will we remove harmful debris, but also tally our findings to report to the State.

Volunteers for the Aquarium Lecture Series assist with checking in guests, answer questions, set-up and break down materials, provide general program support, and provide an overall pleasant and inviting atmosphere. You are also welcome to stay to enjoy the lecture! To learn more about the lecture series and to see upcoming speakers, see our website.

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: you must have your own transportation because this program has moved offsite to our Animal Care Center in Quincy, MA and is not 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