Career Opportunities at SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary
Senior Beluga Whale Care & Training Specialist
Join the SEA LIFE Trust team and our beluga whale residents, Little White and Little Grey, as a Senior Animal Care Specialist at the world's first Beluga Whale Sanctuary in Iceland.
This is a unique opportunity to play a leading role in the care and management of our resident beluga whales while supporting the wider operation of a pioneering marine conservation facility. Working alongside a passionate and experienced team, you will help deliver the highest standards of animal welfare, husbandry, environmental management, and training, while contributing to the ongoing development of the sanctuary.
As a Senior Animal Care Specialist, you will be responsible for all aspects of daily animal care including diet preparation and administration, nutritional planning, medicine administration, behavioural observations, enrichment, training, and detailed record keeping. You will lead the design, construction, implementation, and evaluation of enrichment programmes and contribute to both short and long-term behavioural management plans for our cetaceans.
This role is full-time and includes working a regular, fair share of weekends and bank holidays, participation in an emergency call-out rota, and being on-call for life support system support when required.
Animal Care Team Specialist- Aquarist
Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary and Puffin Rescue Centre is looking for an aquarist who genuinely loves fish and cold-water marine life. This role is hands-on, day-to-day care for our aquarium department, with a focus on husbandry, water quality, and creating displays that are as engaging for guests as they are healthy for the animals. You'll also lend a hand with our puffins when needed.
Responsibilities:
· Daily Animal Care
· Water Quality & LSS Maintenance
· Display Design & Enrichment.
· Record Keeping
· Facility Upkeep
· Visitor Engagement
· Team Collaboration as needed for instance admissions.
· Undertake daily animal welfare evaluations.
· Assist with puffin care as needed.
Animal Care Team Specialist-Belugas
Do you want to change the world for whales?
At the Beluga Whale Sanctuary, we're looking for animal care team members to join us. Every day you'll care for every part of our belugas' lives, learning from experts as you go. This isn't training for shows. We're breaking new ground, helping whales who spent their lives in tanks find their way back to a more natural life in the ocean. You'll also help care for our puffins and other aquarium animals.
What you'll be doing
- Positive reinforcement training with belugas and other marine mammals
- Diet prep and habitat maintenance
- Boat work and open water dives, including cold water conditions
- Talking with visitors through tours, feeding presentations, and guest experiences
- Helping other departments like Admissions or Maintenance when needed
- Drysuit or cold water dive certification, rescue dive certification, CPR/First Aid
Commercial Diver
We're looking for a Commercial Diver to support our diving operations and help maintain the sanctuary's marine infrastructure, facilities and equipment.
This is a varied, hands-on role combining commercial diving, maintenance and operational support. You'll be responsible for carrying out underwater inspections, cleaning and maintenance activities across the sanctuary, ensuring nets, moorings and critical infrastructure remain safe and operational. From maintaining dive equipment and conducting routine inspections beneath the surface to supporting maintenance projects and facility upkeep above water, your work will play a key role in the day-to-day operation of the sanctuary.
Working closely with the Animal Care team, you'll help ensure the highest standards of safety, operational excellence and animal welfare are maintained within this unique marine environment. Whether supporting habitat maintenance, assisting with infrastructure projects or contributing to emergency planning and preparedness, you'll be part of a team dedicated to protecting and caring for one of the world's most remarkable marine species.
This is a fixed-term (8 months), full-time role.
Puffling Season Volunteer
*Applications are currently closed for the 2026 season, but please check back next year to join us in Summer of 2027!
As a Puffin Rescue volunteer, you'll play a vital role in the day-to-day care of rescued seabirds while helping visitors connect with our conservation work.
From supporting rehabilitation behind the scenes to inspiring guests with the stories of the puffins in our care, every task contributes to giving these incredible birds the best possible chance of returning to the wild.