Diving Safety Officer

The Diving Safety Officer establishes and maintains New England Aquarium's Diving Standards, trains and certifies scientific divers, and ensures adherence to New England Aquarium (NEAq) and AAOA, ANI, AZA, and OSHA standards. The primary role is to ensure the safety of staff and visiting divers. The DSO chairs the Dive Control Board and maintains the Dive Safety Manual and dive equipment. In addition, the DSO provides oversight for other important safety protocols in the animal care division and supports the integration of safety and safe diving practices into animal care operations. The position is a hands-on role regularly diving in exhibits and connecting with and mentoring diving teams.

New England Aquarium has implemented comprehensive safety protocols for employees and visitors to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure. In addition, the Aquarium requires all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a reasonable medical or religious accommodation is requested and approved.

SCHEDULE

This is a full-time position offering a comprehensive benefits package. The schedule will be 40 hours working Monday-Friday.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Maintains awareness of developments in the Dive Safety Field. Develops and updates safe diving standards and maintains the Dive Safety Manual.
2. Communicates diving standards and ensures all diving practices are in accordance with New England Aquarium's dive safety standards.
3. Verifies compliance with established NEAq diving standards. Enforces routine matters related to the diving program. Suspends diving activities and takes disciplinary action via correct channels for any violations or unsafe behaviors in violation of established NEAq safe diving protocols.
4. Serves as the Chair of the NEAq Diving Control Board (DCB). Schedules and leads meetings, and, assembles, disseminates and maintains meeting notes. Follows through on action items from meetings.
5. Is a member of the NEAq Safety Committee and provides oversight on first aid, first aid responders, animal envenomation and zoonotic safety, hoist licensing and operation, and related drills and meetings. Coordinates 'Safety Month' and other safety refreshes and communications within the division.
6. Conducts practical SCUBA training evaluation for all NEAq Scientific Divers. Tracks and screens NEAq Scientific Diver candidate medical records. Maintains confidential medical record files.
7. Maintains and/or verifies diving records including Scientific Diver files and dive logs.
8. Manages the field diving program in its entirety. This includes vetting and training new field divers on NEAq field diving protocols, reviewing and approving all local and remote field diving plans, facilitating DSO meetings for any remote dive teams, and reviewing and uploading completed dive profiles once a field dive activity concludes.
9. Conducts agreed upon training and certification for NEAq diving specialties and diving safety, within the scope of the current budget, including but not limited to; drysuit, Advanced Diver, Rescue Diver, Full Face Mask, Diving First Aid for Professional Divers, Fill Station Operator, Diver Communications, and other training or certifications as appropriate.
10. Develops, oversees, and maintains the records of routine practical diving and other emergency response drills.
11. Maintains or facilitates the maintenance of NEAq's air compressors and ensures that the breathing media is in compliance with compressed breathing air specifications.
12. Ensures the maintenance of all NEAq SCUBA equipment.
13. Manages Dive Program budget and recommends purchases pertaining to diving under NEAq auspices, fosters relationships with both local dive shops and SCUBA equipment manufacturers and solicits in-kind donations of products and services.
14. Provides guidance and direction on safe boating practices and ensures that emergency gear relating to emergency dive response is in good working condition and on each vessel when diving is taking place.
15. Works with the First Aid Responder team to maintain certifications, refresh skills and ensure preparation for an effective response to any dive-related or first aid emergencies.
16. Provides Hoist program oversight and management.16. Trained in all aspects of exhibit diving husbandry and maintenance to assist animal care teams as needed.
17. May be asked to work in conjunction with husbandry diving teams such as Fishes and Mammals to assist in certain dive-related tasks including large animal collections, routine exams, and transports.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Training and Experience

• Bachelor's degree
• 5 years of experience as a scientific diver and at least 2 years leading a dive safety program at a similar institution/facility
• Active status SCUBA diving instructor from a nationally recognized agency
• Active status First Aid / CPR instructor
• Active status Oxygen administration instructor
• Medical Examiner's authorization to SCUBA dive in accordance with standards in NEAq DCB
• Good driving record and Medical Examiner's Certificate to drive a commercial vehicle in accordance with Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (49 CFR 391.41-391.49) or willingness to obtain.
• Expertise in related OSHA safety regulations and requirements under the scientific diving exemption
• Willing to obtain MA 3A hoist license

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Small boat handling and trailering experience
• Dive equipment maintenance experience
• Membership in / experience with American Academy of Underwater Sciences
• Membership in the Association of Dive Program Administrators
• Strong understanding of hardwired diver communications equipment, including high definition video systems
• Knowledge of aquatic animals in aquarium settings
• Experience with Filemaker Pro or other database systems

For more information and to apply online please visit: https://neaq.applicantpro.com/jobs/

New England Aquarium is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer as defined by the EEOC