Volunteer Program

Exhibit guides love the excitement of working on the front line while explaining and interpreting exhibits to visitors. After training, they are experts on the animals and their habitats.

Requirements

Exhibit guides are:

• Keenly interested in biology, animals and their habitats, and conservation
• Enthusiastic and eager to engage international and hometown visitors

Training and Commitment

After successful completion of training sessions and a written test on Aquarium information, biology and teaching techniques, exhibit guides commit to working at least one 3.5-hour shift each week for a year.

Animal Programs assistants share the best of two worlds — caring for exotic birds and reptiles and speaking with Aquarium visitors about them.

A volunteer with Animal Programs works behind the scenes preparing the diets for, cleaning the enclosures of and feeding reptiles and birds of varying sizes; as well as participating in their bathing, exercise and environment enrichment. A volunteer also assists staff with the public presentation of these animals during daily scheduled encounters.

Requirements

Applicants with previous animal care experience, especially with birds and/or reptiles, are preferred. Animal Programs Assistants are:

• Enthusiastic, reliable and team-oriented
• Able to lift 50 pounds
• Adept at following established rules, safety procedures and assigned tasks
• Comfortable working around large birds and reptiles
• 18 years of age or older

Training and Commitment

Upon acceptance, Animal Programs assistants must participate in a general volunteer training, orientation and on-the-job training. A volunteer must commit to a weekly shift: morning (8 am to 12 pm) or afternoon (1 pm to 4 pm) for at least a year.

We depend on volunteer divers not only to maintain a major aquarium exhibit but also to prepare the diets and feed many of the animals with which they’ll be diving. A diver also serves as an underwater liaison between our visitors and collection animals through personal interactions and public talks.

Upon successful completion of written and in-water recruitment testing processes, a volunteer diver may serve on one of 14 Blue Wonders dive teams. (Placement depends upon availability of team openings.) Our Blue Wonders dive teams take care of the animals in the Atlantic Coral Reef, maintain the exhibit and interact with our visitors.

Requirements

All volunteer dive applicants must be 18 years of age or older and satisfy both of the following prerequisites:

• Possess a scuba certification of Advanced Open Water or higher
• Proof of at least 30 logged dives

Training and Commitment

Volunteer divers will be trained in safely performing the tasks necessary for their program and required to attend general volunteer orientation and training. Divers must commit to work one eight-hour shift (8:30 am to 4:30 pm) every other week on one of 14 teams.

If you love fish and are looking to get your hands wet, aquarist assistant is the volunteer position for you!

Aquarist assistants work behind the scenes, handling insects, fish, shrimp and squid for the feeding of the Aquarium’s animals; recording dietary data; maintaining freshwater and saltwater exhibits; using power filters; and joining in on occasional special projects. Aquarist volunteers may be found working with many of the exhibits in the main building, as well as Australia: Wild Extremes, Jellies Invasion and our Animal Care Center in Fells Point.

Requirements

Only applicants with previous fish and invertebrate animal care experience or related academic background will be considered. Aquarist assistants are:

• Enthusiastic and committed
• Able to climb on top of tanks
• Capable of lifting a 35-pound bag of gravel

Training and Commitment

After successful completion of training classes and a written test, volunteers commit to working at least one four-hour morning shift (8 am to 12 pm) every other week for a year.

Aviculture assistants care for the exotic birds in the Upland Tropical Rain Forest and Australia: Wild Extremes exhibits. While working, they sometimes speak with visitors about the animals.

Observing animals is an important service of aviculture assistants. They assist with the daily collection, preparation and distribution of food for the birds, adhering to strict dietary guidelines. They also help to maintain exhibits and behind-the-scenes housing.

Requirements

A basic knowledge of bird nutrition and physiology and a willingness to learn how to identify individual species and assess their nutritional needs is indispensable. Aviculture assistants are:

• Able to follow recipes and handle bugs
• Able to climb on rock ledges in a hot, humid environment
• Capable of lifting a 35-pound bag of grain

Training and Commitment

After successful completion of training classes and a written test, aviculture assistants commit to working one four-hour morning shift (7:30 am to 11:30 am) every other week for a year.

Herpetology assistants have the rare opportunity to work with neo-tropical frogs and lizards in the Upland Tropical Rain Forest and Australia: Wild Extremes exhibits, as well as our Animal Care Center in Fells Point.

Herpetology assistants design and create live terrariums; feed frogs, turtles and lizards; and maintain food colonies. Additional responsibilities include animal observation and maintenance of exhibit and off-exhibit animal rooms.

Requirements

A basic knowledge of the care of reptiles and amphibians is valuable. Similarly, shop skills are desirable but not essential. Herpetology assistants are:

• Willing to work in a hot, humid environment
• Able to handle small, delicate frogs; lizards; and live food
• Enthusiastic about caring for reptiles and amphibians
• Capable of lifting 35-pound terrariums

Training and Commitment

After successful completion of training classes and a written test, herpetology assistants commit to working at least one four-hour morning shift (8 am to 12 pm) every other week for a year.

Horticulture assistants get wet and occasionally dirty, but they work when the Upland Tropical Rain Forest and Australia: Wild Extremes exhibits are at their liveliest—before they open to the public.

Watering, fertilizing, inspecting plants, caring for seedlings, controlling pests and cleaning the exhibit and backup area are the most important jobs of a horticulture assistant.

Requirements

Horticulture assistants have a basic knowledge of plants and learn about daily needs of plant specimens. Volunteers are:

• Able to climb on rock ledges in a hot, humid environment
• Enthusiastic about caring for plants

Training and Commitment

After successful completion of training classes and a written test, horticulture assistants commit to working at least one 2.5-hour shift (7:30 am to 10 am) in the Upland Tropical Rain Forest or one four-hour shift (8 am to 12 pm) in Australia: Wild Extremes every other week for a year.