New England Aquarium

Want to know more about the live blue Service Corps? Through this program, we partner with local environmental organizations to provide episodic volunteer opportunities with a smaller commitment that still has an important impact on our mission! This program was 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, the 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]

Member Appreciation Night (formerly Dive-In) is a quarter-annual event where NEAq members are invited to attend the Aquarium after hours. At this event, LBSC volunteers will staff a table to sign folks in and help with general set-up, provide directions, and event support as needed. You can also take some time yourself to walk around the Aquarium afterwards!

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 text-banking tools. From there, we will contact environmental voters via text messages in an effort to increase voter turnout. No prior experience or training is necessary, and your phone number is kept private! Scripts/templates will be provided, and while our focus is on texting, you can opt to speak over the phone as well. *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.*

Speak for the Trees needs your voice and environmental passion! Urban trees provide many benefits to residents: from cleaner air and water to cooler temperatures and more livable neighborhoods. In this training session you will learn about the benefits of trees and how to recognize and measure your local street trees. The data you collect will help build a map of our urban forest. A smart device/phone is helpful to collect and map data, but physical data sheets will also be used. Prior tree ID experience is helpful, but not necessary.

One of the many goals of the New England Aquarium and the live blue Service Corps 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. Note: The next project on Saturday, March 9th, is weather dependant. This event will primarily involve walking the trails to assess their status, and removing trash if needed. Volunteers should expect to walk up to 1.5 miles through wooded trails.

Park Serve Day is an annual state-wide cleanup event that began in 2006. Since its inception, tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents have helped prepare parks and beaches for the summer recreation season. The Neponset River is one of the major waterways that drains into Boston Harbor. Given its proximity to both urban and rural communities, trash and debris of all sorts can find its way into the river and thus into the harbor. In addition, storms and tides often bring derelict fishing gear, construction debris, and even loose floating docks onto shore! Join the live blue Service Corps, the Neponset River Watershed Association, and our partners as we cleanup various sites along the river. Are you a new volunteer or part of a group? You can sign up as a team for this project! An orientation will take place on-site to induct you into the Service Corps. Attendance will allow you to continue volunteering at future events. Please be in touch with Ryan at volunteer@neaq.org if you have a group or guests you would like to bring.

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.

Currently accepting applications for limited weekday openings One ½ day per week Monday through Friday, potential for more time if desired Summary: The human resources volunteer will help with administration of the Human Resources department in support of the policies and procedures of the New England Aquarium. Responsibilities: Assist the Human Resources department with ongoing administrative projects. Perform other position-related duties as assigned. Qualifications: Strong interpersonal communication skills Keen eye for details Commitment to strict confidentiality Ability to handle multiple tasks & projects Motivated, flexible, and willing to take on new responsibilities and initiatives.

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. This position is not located in Boston and is at our Animal Care Center located along the Fore River in Quincy. Transportation to this facility is easiest by car but one can also reach the facility by public transportation. Public transportation requires taking the Redline to Quincy Center, transferring to bus, and walking about 5 minutes.​

Apply Now for Limited Weekday Openings Time commitment: One full day (8:00 am.-5:00 p.m.) per week for a period of 6 months Summary: The Giant Ocean Tank is a 200,000 gallon cylindrical Caribbean reef exhibit situated in the center of the Aquarium. It is home to over 600 animals and 130 species, including tropical fish, sharks, and sea turtles. 4 feeding dives and 2 maintenance dives occur daily and on a schedule. Volunteers are an integral part of our team, helping with all aspects of animal husbandry and tank maintenance. Responsibilities: This position involves no diving, but can serve as a prerequisite for the Giant Ocean Tank Dive Volunteer position. DAs will provide support to the Giant Ocean Tank dive staff and senior dive volunteers in the care and maintenance of the exhibit. Duties will include daily food preparation for the Giant Ocean Tank inhabitants, surface feedings, equipment repair and maintenance, cleaning of the food prep room and other support areas. The candidate will also provide support and assistance to the dive staff and senior dive volunteers with all aspects of Giant Ocean Tank surface work. Qualifications: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be able to lift 50 pounds. Note: After 200 hours, DAs may be eligible to apply for the Giant Ocean Tank Dive Volunteer position, depending on volunteer’s performance, open water dives logged, and position availability. Although completion of the DA position serves as a prerequisite for the Dive Volunteer position, it does not guarantee a spot on the Dive Volunteer Team. Individuals interested in advancing to the Dive Volunteer Program must meet all criteria. All interested individuals must understand that even when all criteria are met, they may be wait-listed, depending on availability of current Dive Volunteer positions.

Apply Now for Limited Weekday Openings Time commitment: 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. one morning per week for a period of 6 months Summary: Volunteer divers will assist the Marine Mammal Department staff in the underwater care and maintenance of various marine mammal exhibits and holding areas that feature our Atlantic harbor seals, northern fur seals, and California sea lions. NOTE: Candidates MUST be SCUBA certified from a nationally recognized dive training program at the time of application. Responsibilities: Maintenance work includes window washing, scrubbing, and vacuuming of exhibit rock work, walls, and floors with brushes, scrub pads and/or motorized scrubbers, and soft mesh material. Divers must be able to communicate clearly with all staff as well as follow written or verbal instructions. Dives may or may not take place while animals are on exhibit. Volunteer divers may dive solo on exhibit with a surface tender or with another diver. Qualifications: SCUBA certification by a nationally recognized dive training program. Must have logged a minimum of fifteen (15) open water dives, at least five (5) of which must have taken place in the last twelve (12) months. These dives are in addition to certification checkout dives Medical clearance to dive based on requirements outlined in NEAq Medical Dive Forms. Completion of a Giant Ocean Tank checkout dive under the supervision of the NEAq Dive Safety Officer. Ability to work in various climates throughout the year. Ability to walk on wet, slippery surfaces in full scuba gear and must be able to list forty (40) pounds unassisted. Physical demands may also include bending, stooping, repetitive motion, lifting, reaching, climbing and swimming.