Senior Animal Care Specialist - Pinnipeds

Company: Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Location: Clearwater
Posted on: February 15, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description POSITION DESCRIPTION POSITION TITLE: Animal Care Specialist - Senior - this position is for Pinnipeds REPORTS TO: Animal Care Program Supervisor SUPERVISES: Animal Care Specialists, Associate Animal Care Specialists, Apprentice Animal Care Specialists, volunteers and interns within the Animal Care Program EXEMPT OR NON-EXEMPT: Exempt ON-SITE, REMOTE, OR HYBRID: On-Site PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY: This position is for Pinnipeds. However there may be some cross training with dolphins. Pinniped experience is required for this role. The Senior Animal Care Specialist of Pinnipeds will be expected to support the goals and objectives of the Animal Care Department by performing the responsibilities including but not limited to the following standards of operations and care as identified in this position description. Provide the highest possible daily healthcare to the CMA animal population. Maintain and advance animal training with all animals in the CMA population. Maintain, create, implement and condition environmental enrichment devices. Ensure proper husbandry equipment is maintained. Mentor, coach and guide all personnel to achieve high quality training techniques, enrichment and husbandry practices. Perform educational and entertaining presentations. Conduct fun and educational animal interaction programs. Prepare daily animal diets. Maintain sanitary areas for food preparation and storage. Collect and record accurate animal data. Assess animal behavior and health daily and report any anomalies to the department manager. Ensure a high standard of guest service is carried out. Maintain a flexible work schedule and adapt to shifting priorities. Be familiar with and ensure all duties are performed in accordance with departmental and CMA policies and procedures. The Senior Animal Care Specialist will work with CMA management to support the mission, vision and values of Clearwater Marine Aquarium. They will also work with CMA management to support and participate in departmental plans and projects, enhance team knowledge and advance techniques. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 4 or more years of marine mammal experience is required with progressively increasing responsibilities 1 or more years of experience with Pinnipeds Provide the best care possible to the animal collection – Pinnipeds and other marine mammals Follow safe policies and provide a safe working environment for animals, team members and guests Demonstrate strong communication skills with clear, friendly, and effective verbal and nonverbal communication Exhibit great problem solving and time-management skills with ability to plan, organize, and prioritize multiple tasks at once Be diligent in a fast-paced environment with a full schedule and changing priorities Notice areas of improvement and present creative solutions to management Demonstrate ability to maintain previously established animal behavior and identify when maintenance schedule needs to be implemented in the marine animal collection to include Pinnipeds Demonstrate an advanced understanding, execution and maintenance of training techniques. Specifically with Pinnipeds Demonstrate ability to troubleshoot during atypical situations Ensure all personnel within the animal care team is thoroughly and properly trained in the following with all animals in the collection: Training techniques Animal Welfare Maintenance schedules Creation, implementation, and conditioning of EEDs Pro-active behavior management Aggression prevention Demonstrate ability to develop, condition and implement enrichment with all animals in the collection Submit enrichment initiatives and species specific enrichment techniques (Pinnipeds) and products to Senior Enrichment Coordinator for approval Works closely with animal point, Senior Enrichment Coordinator and supervisory staff to implement initiatives Demonstrate a strong knowledge in training and sample collection of advanced husbandry procedures specifically with Pinnipeds and all other animals in the collection Demonstrate ability to plan, organize and conduct all aspects of an animal procedure specifically with Pinnipeds and all other animals in the collection Prioritize human and animal safety as it pertains to exhibit doors and locks Responsible for entering the water to scan and remove any foreign objects that could injure our resident animals or team members – this may include standing on the pool ledge/rocks or diving Ability to pass an advanced swim test and dive checkout Maintain animal habitats to highest standard outlined by USDA, ensuring that aesthetics as well as function are the primary focus Ensure proper administration of medications to all animals as prescribed by the veterinarian Demonstrate proficiency in proper netting, gating and separation techniques specifically with Pinnipeds and all other animals in the collection Facilitate the overall development of the animal care specialists, associate animal care specialists, apprentice animal care specialists, and animal care volunteers and interns Supervise and provide feedback to animal care specialists, associate animal care specialists, and apprentice animal care specialists after training sessions Responsible for ensuring that all members of the animal care team are thoroughly and properly trained on all policies and protocols pertaining to the animal care department Responsible for delegating workloads Organize USDA checks for assigned areas to ensure compliance with all regulations pertaining to the marine mammal department Understand, enforce and provide suggested updates on all department and assigned facility SOPs Assist Marine Mammal Supervisor in writing annual employee evaluations, goal setting and one on one feedback sessions Assist Marine Mammal Manager and Supervisor with staff and volunteer conflict as needed Demonstrate skills in public speaking to provide guests with educational and entertaining presentations and interactions Perform proficient opening and closing procedures for the entire facility Assist with tours, education programs and public relations or marketing events as assigned Complete training in safety programs including but not limited to: Water extrication, swim tests, scuba certifications dive safety and hold a current CPR/First Aid certification Pass advanced swim test Perform other duties as workload necessitates included but not limited to Enrichment Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator, Intern Coordinator and Research Demonstrate efficiency in computer related tasks or assignments, including but not limited to data entry, MS Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook Assist with grant writing as needed Assist with research projects as needed Assist with creating ways to fund projects Assist at offsite rehabilitation facilities with cetacean and otter rehab if/when necessary Assist with in house sea turtle procedures adhering to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) Marine Turtle permits held by CMA EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Minimum 4 years experience with at least 1 year with Pinnipeds Minimum of 24 months’ paid experience at an Animal Care Specialist (MID) level specifically with Pinnipeds, this experience may be at CMA or equivalent facilities Bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences, a related field, or equivalent experience preferred. Ability to pass an Advanced Swim Test within 30 days of hire Possess a valid SCUBA certification. Free diving experience required. Current CPR/First Aid Certification PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to work long hours in extreme weather conditions, including, but not limited to; extreme heat, cold, high humidity, direct sunlight, rain, wind, and other outdoor conditions - Daily Able to routinely perform physically demanding work – Daily Pass swim test – Annually Lift up to 50lbs to waist level - Frequently Lift up to 20lbs to shoulders and above head – Frequently Walk/stand for long periods of time - Frequently Maneuver safely on uneven terrain or in tight spaces - Frequently Safely climb ladders when needed – Frequently Squat, bend, kneel, twist and reach - Frequently Reach above the shoulders - Frequently Push and pull larger equipment – Frequently Work outdoors in all weather conditions and adapt to changing weather – Frequently Work indoors, under cover without air conditioning or heat – Frequently The Clearwater Marine Aquarium reserves the right to revise job descriptions or work hours as required. All job requirements are subject to change to reflect the evolving position requirements or to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a threat or risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to which will be required in this position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor/manager (within guidelines and compliance with Federal and State Laws). Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis. Clearwater Marine Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Clearwater Marine Aquarium participates in E-Verify, please view the Notice of E-Verify Participation and the Notice of Right to Work.

Keywords: Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Sarasota , Senior Animal Care Specialist - Pinnipeds, Science, Research & Development , Clearwater, Florida