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Internships
The Oklahoma Aquarium offers students the opportunity to get involved with our day-to-day operations and work with staff. Students who participate in our intern programs will gain experience and understanding of what it is to be an aquarist at a public aquarium.
General Program Requirements & Expectations
Please also read specific requirements for the position you are applying:
- Currently enrolled in a college or vocational program
- Good standing with your school
- Must receive course credit for internship hours completed
- All interns must commit to 120 hours at the aquarium
- Adhere to dress codes and all other rules established for all Oklahoma Aquarium employees
Benefits
- Congenial working environment
- Course credit
- References and recommendations
- Opportunity to work in a world-class aquatic facility with animal caregivers
Please follow these steps to apply:
- Download the intern application and release of liability.
- Completely fill out the application and obtain a faculty sponsor/adviser signature. Applicants must receive credit from their school to participate in this program
- Attach brief responses to the questions found on the application
- Enclose a transcript from your school
- Include one letter of recommendation from a school representative
- Incomplete applications will not be considered
- Email rlovelace@okaquarium.org the completed application, transcript, and letter of recommendation
Aquarist
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Animal husbandry
- Cleaning; information research
- Collecting of local specimens
- Fish disease treatment
- Necropsy
- Plumbing
- Special projects as they arise
- Systems maintenance
Position-specific requirements:
- Aquaculture
- Biology major with a 2.5 GPA or higher
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Coursework in any of the following: biology, vertebrate zoology, and/or invertebrate zoology
Typically eight-hour shifts (available shifts are seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) but must have some flexibility with schedule.
Please also list three references that we may contact (full name, phone number, and email).
Events
Create and develop small to large-scale events in one of Oklahoma’s most premier venues. Our event spaces showcase the watery wonders found deep within our oceans and rivers, and highlight the beauty of our natural world.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Assisting the event’s team
- Event planning, decorating
- Preparing material for display
- Reaching out to local vendors and more
Specific program requirements:
- 2.5 GPA or higher
- Excellent project management skills
- Experience in public speaking; computer skills in Word and Excel
- Interest/major in event planning and/or marketing
Typically works four to six-hour shifts and has flexibility with schedule (including some weekends and evenings). Please also list three references we may contact (full name, phone number, and email).
Lab Technician
Be prepared to get wet! Assist biology staff in maintaining superb water quality for our fish.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Chemical calculations
- Cleaning of lab and aquarium systems, building and working on weekends as needed
- Daily collection and testing of water quality
Position-specific requirements:
- Coursework in biology and inorganic chemistry
- Knowledge of sterile lab procedures
- Preferred knowledge and understanding of volumetric weights and measurements
- Science major (biology, chemistry, etc.), 2.5 GPA or higher
Typically works eight-hour shifts (available shifts are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Friday), but flexibility is required. Please submit two letters of recommendation (full name, phone number, and email).
Want to be a marine biologist? With the Oklahoma Aquarium in our community, you can explore the possibility of that career without having to leave home for the coastal regions. Working at an aquarium is fun, but it is hard work. The following information may be helpful in making the decision to pursue an aquarium career.
Biologist
Bachelors degree required. Each has its own area of expertise (cold water, sharks, freshwater, etc.). Job requires flexibility. Biologist responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Filtration
Appropriate water chemistry is crucial to the well-being of the animals. The water must be cleaned and circulated constantly in order to prevent toxic chemicals (ammonia from decaying food, waste, etc.) from building up and to oxygenate the water. We use floss bags and floss pads to help remove gunk from the water. These must be cleaned often. Usually, we think of bacteria as a bad thing, but in the case of tank systems, there are certain bacteria that you need to have in the water. The bacteria helps convert toxic chemicals into less-toxic substances. Bacteria is added to the water in a bioball tower. The bioball tower is filled with blue spiky balls that provide surface area for bacteria to grow.
Feeding
Each type of animal has specific dietary needs. Some eat dried food (algae, blood worms, etc.), while some of our animals eat fresh food like rotifers, shrimp, or mussels. The sharks eat salmon and bonita, and are fed three to five percent of their body weight per week.
Record-Keeping
Good record-keeping skills are essential to the health of the animals.
Cleaning
Tanks must be cleaned often. Sometimes this involves diving in the tanks to scrub algae, scrubbing the shell of a slipper lobster with a toothbrush, or vacuuming the substrate.
Water Quality
Water samples are taken from each tank each day and tested for various aspects (salinity, pH, etc.) Adjustments and new water are made as needed. We have a person on staff that does nothing but test the water quality of all of our tank systems.
There are many other aquarium careers beyond biology. Other possible aquarium careers include: administration, catering, education, events, marketing, guest services, life support, and maintenance. The biggest requirement for any aspect of aquarium work is passion! If you share our passion, then we invite you to explore the possibilities found at the Oklahoma Aquarium.