Now taking applications!

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is looking for volunteers in the Education Department to serve as interpreters at our touch tanks, discovery carts and at the Information Desk.

Volunteers fill vital roles in the operation of the Aquarium. They assist with Visitor Services and Education. They help visitors come to appreciate the beauty and wonder of our state’s aquatic life and to discover ways to conserve and protect it.

Whatever your interests or skills, there is a volunteer niche for you.

Positions include:

Information Desk Assistant

Touch Tank Interpreter

Classroom Assistant

Some of the benefits of volunteering include free admission to the Aquarium, discounts in the Gift Shop and for special activities, a monthly newsletter, greater knowledge of North Carolina’s natural resources, new skills, new friends and appreciation from the staff, the visitors and the animals.

Volunteering carries with it significant responsibilities. Volunteers are asked to commit to a 2-4 hour shift per week for a year. Most assignments have a set schedule, but hours occasionally can vary.

The application process for all volunteers consists of a written application, a phone or in-person interview and an orientation session. Volunteers learn “on the job” and through formal training sessions in specific areas of interest.

Download the application here!

To learn more about volunteering with the Aquarium, contact Volunteer Coordinator Chris Carlin, at 252-247-4003.

Wanted: Junior Volunteers!

The Aquarium offers a Summer Junior Volunteer Program for students ages 15-17. Teenagers interested in marine biology and aquatic science are encouraged to apply.

Junior volunteers:

• Work closely with Aquarium staff and experienced volunteers in the Education department. This experience includes opportunities to learn about the Aquarium and explore areas of personal interest. Provide valuable assistance to Aquarium staff, and contribute significantly to a variety of visitor experiences.

• Junior volunteers work as interpreters at the touch pools and discovery carts and in the exhibit galleries, as assistants in classroom activities or in other Education programs.
  

• Gain opportunities and earn responsibilities as they complete training and undergo professional evaluation. Participation provides experience that may aid teens with future education and employment in marine biology and aquatic science.

Junior volunteers are selected through a competitive application and interview process Applicants should be prepared to commit to a minimum of eight hours per month. Please complete an application and return it to the Volunteer Coordinator.

Download the Junior Volunteer Application

Please call the Volunteer Coordinator at 252-247-4003, ext. 286, for more information

Come on and DIVE in!

Our new Aquarium offers certified SCUBA divers an unusual underwater experience. Divers inside the 306,000-gallon "Living Shipwreck" exhibit converse with visitors about the many animals gliding around the three-quarter-size replica of a sunken WW II U-boat. Divers are also needed for other in-tank programs, as well as for maintaining and cleaning the displays. The requirements to be an Aquarium diver are listed below. To apply, simply complete the following application and return to Volunteer Coordinator, Chris Carlin. For more information, please visit the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores - Dive Program Website at www.ncadivers.com or contact Dive Safety Officer, Steve Broadhurst at steve.broadhurst@ncmail.net.

Dive Requirements

Dive Application