©2017 New England Aquarium, an affiliate of the HandsOn Connect, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110 | 617 - 973 - 5200
Log in with
Where would you like to volunteer?
We are actively recruiting for new volunteers in nearly every department at New England Aquarium! You can apply for up to THREE Classic Corps Volunteer Positions and we will do our best to pair you with an appropriate position.
To help you navigate our positions, please read on about each department and the kind of service you would be asked to deliver.
Animal Husbandry Volunteers work directly with our animal population. These positions generally involve a lot of cleaning and diet preparation. Volunteers must be in good physical health and able to make quick decisions. All animal husbandry positions require a commitment of 8am-6pm the same day each week for a minimum of six months.
Animal Health Volunteers aid the Aquarium's Veterinarians, Vet Techs, Environmental Quality Team, Rescue Team, and Biologists in providing both preventative care and rapid response to the animals in our Central Wharf and Quincy locations. Animal Health volunteer tasking may include any of the following tasks: a lot of cleaning, diet preparation, data entry, lab work, data analysis, and administrative support. Volunteers are never hands-on during procedures. Volunteers must be in good physical health and able to make quick decisions. All animal health positions, with the exception of Water Quality and Field Response, require a commitment of 8am-6pm the same day each week for a minimum of six months. Our Water Quality positions require a commitment of 8:45am-1:00pm the same day each week for a minimum of six months. Field Response Volunteer positions are on-call after a single full-day training.
Museum Operations and Conservation & Research Volunteers are involved in a variety of tasking including everything from designing written communications, special events, technology, database administration, and general administrative support. These positions require a weekly commitment. They are often more flexible regarding scheduling, which allows volunteers to work half days or shifting days each week. Details regarding specific tasks and scheduling needs can be found in each position description.
Education Volunteers serve both onsite and throughout the Greater Boston Community by teaching the general public about marine science. Volunteers answer questions from the public, aid in programs, demonstrate appropriate animal handling at our touch tanks, and assist with general administrative projects. Most education positions require a consistent, weekly commitment of the same half day (morning or afternoon) each week for at least six months.
live blue Service Leaders volunteer on a more episodic basis. These individuals work within the greater live blue™ Service Initiative and the Volunteer Programs & Internships office to identify environmental and community needs that can be addressed by the program, reach out to potential partner organizations, and, after attending a series of workshops, lead their own service events with NEAq staff support. SLs will participate in a professional development program designed to ensure Service Leaders are fluent in a variety of relevant topics. SLs will be responsible for identifying opportunities within the community and work with staff and other Service Corps volunteers to develop and create service projects that they will lead with support from the live blue™ Service Coordinator.
Still unsure about which position is right for you? Try clicking a department and reading through specific position descriptions, and dont hesitate to email us at volunteer@neaq.org for more information!
Looking for a more flexible commitment? You may be interested in joining the live blue Service Corps! Read about it here.
Connect with Us!