Aquarium divers share enthusiasm and stories about the animals in our care with Aquarium guests using underwater communication equipment while performing habitat maintenance and animal husbandry tasks.
Aquarium volunteer divers receive extensive training on the marine animals in our care and interpretive communication techniques.
The minimum time commitment required for volunteer divers is one three-hour shift every other week. All volunteers are required to successfully complete a criminal background check prior to beginning their service.
To be eligible for a volunteer diver position at the Seattle Aquarium you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Have obtained a minimum certification level of advanced open water diver.
- Have a minimum of 12 dives in local diving conditions within the last 12 months.
- Have a minimum of 50 lifetime logged dives.
- Have an up-to-date diver’s log.
- Successfully complete a checkout dive with our dive safety officer.
- Commit to a minimum of one three-hour shift every other week for at least one year.
- Attend volunteer orientation.
- Complete mandatory trainings for new divers.
- Complete an annual diver’s physical (at your expense).
Please note that meeting the minimum eligibility requirements of the program does not mean you’ll be invited to a checkout dive. Each round of training has a limited number of training slots, and those divers with the greatest amount of experience and whose schedules match current dive openings will be invited to fill these positions first. We have the greatest need for divers on weekdays. If not selected for a checkout dive, you’re encouraged to apply again in the future.
To be considered for the upcoming orientation and checkout dive, please complete the diver experience form below and return it via email to volunteers@seattleaquarium.org. Checkout dives are scheduled based on the need for volunteer divers and staff availability. We anticipate hosting a minimum of five checkout dives annually.
After experience forms are reviewed, invitations to orientation and the checkout dive will be extended to select divers. For volunteer divers, the checkout dive will take the place of the in-person interview after orientation.
If invited for a checkout dive, you must provide your own gear. Once you become a volunteer diver at the Aquarium, you’ll only need to provide mask, fins and exposure suit.
Skill requirements for checkout dive:
- Surface skills
- Pre-dive safety check with buddy
- Snorkel swim
- BC removal and replacement
- Weight belt removal and replacement
- Tired swimmers carry
- Underwater skills
- Regulator clearing and recovery
- Mask removal and replacement
- Air-sharing using an alternate air source (stationary and ascending)
- Emergency swimming ascent
- Neutral buoyancy hovering
- Underwater navigation
If you successfully complete the checkout dive, you’ll complete full face mask training and habitat orientation prior to diving in the habitats (dates to be determined).
