Aquarist/Research Assistant
Job Description
The tasks and duties taught will greatly improve the student’s confidence, knowledge of animal care, system maintenance skills, and working both independently and in group settings. All of which are important work-force trainings which will make them more likely to be hired for positions post graduation, or pursue graduate education. Will help solidify class based curriculum knowledge (both AQS and BIO courses).
Year 1
Responsibility/Function
- Learn the basic functions of each animal department in the lab. There are 3 departments in the lab: Broodstock, Larval, and Shrimp.
- Student will learn how to feed a variety of animals to satiation
- Student will learn how to take care of the aquatic animal systems:
- Clean and adjust protein skimmers, change filter socks, clean tanks, and adjust flow and air in tanks
- Student will learn how to conduct water quality.
- Students will learn to test a variety of parameters such as temperature, salinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and alkalinity.
- Student will learn how do complete a water change
Year 2
Responsibility/Function
- Exhibit based trainings: Students will gain real life application of the skills learned sophomore year at the RI Audubon facility in Bristol, RI
- Students will learn how to take care of a variety of fresh water and saltwater exhibits.
- Students will learn how to feed a variety of animals to satiation
- Students will learn how to maintain the water reservoirs
- Students will learn how effectively feed community tanks, and maintain exhibit aesthetics for the general public
- Live feeds
- Students will learn how to take care of live feed cultures. This includes feeding the cultures, counting the cultures, transferring the cultures, and cleaning.
- Students will learn how to culture live feeds. Live feeds include Artemia, rotifers, and two species of copepods.
- Learn how to use specialized equipment
- Students will learn how to use the pasteurizer and autoclave
Year 3
Responsibility/Function
- Learn how to take care of our raw water system
- Students will learn how to pump water from the bay to our towers outside
- Students will learn the filtration methods and sterilization methods used in this process
- Learn how to take care of our indoor tower.
- Students will learn how to change the canister filters
- Students will learn how to adjust valves to ensure canister filters are the correct pressure
- Students will learn how to fill the inside tower
- Students will learn how to dechlorinate (thio) the tower in AM
- Students will learn how to brine the tower to adjust the salinity
- Students will learn how to buffer the tower to adjust the alkalinity
- Students will train underclassman to help them gain skills necessary to work in the lab
RWU.
*Students are prohibited from driving during work-study employment with the limited exception of authorized work-study driver positions.