THIS OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE TO CURRENT CAREER REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES ONLY

The current full-salary range is $36.35 - $45.14.
Represented employees are subject to a promotional pay increase under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Join a mission-focused team at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, where the Life Support Specialist plays a key role in supporting the health and care of aquatic and terrestrial animals throughout the zoo and aquarium. Our team is known for being collaborative, skilled, and solutions-driven. This is a fully on-site position that will appeal to someone who enjoys hands-on, field-based work in a dynamic environment. You will work closely with aquarists, maintenance staff, and animal care teams to operate and maintain complex life support systems, including filtration, ozone, and temperature regulation equipment. This role is a chance to make a direct impact on animal wellbeing, conservation, and public education through meaningful daily work.

Work where you play!
Join our team at Parks Tacoma to put your skills to use serving your community and making Tacoma a vibrant, healthy, and welcoming place to live.

Who We Are
Parks Tacoma is a CAPRA-accredited and AZA-accredited, independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community. Located in Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma Parks’ mission is to create healthy opportunities to play, learn, and grow. The independent park district spans the city providing a wide range of life-enriching destinations and services, including 70+ parks, 80+ miles of trails, 1,000+ acres of urban forest, 66 playgrounds, four community centers, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Park, and much more. Our work is guided by eight core values that are the foundation of our actions and goals: innovation, excellence, equity, inclusiveness, sustainability, accountability, safety, and fun.

Why You’ll Love it Here
Come work where you play! You will contribute to the overall vitality and well-being of your community when you work for Parks Tacoma, and you’ll do so as part of a supportive team of committed, passionate, and mission-driven professionals. The people of Parks Tacoma are the key to its success, and you just might be the next great addition to our team. You’ll receive a competitive wage, along with an attractive benefits package, including medical, dental, retirement, vacation, holidays, and much more. On top of that, you’ll wake each day knowing that you’re helping make Tacoma a great place to call home.

Position Information
The primary purpose of this position is to manage, operate and maintain the filtration, ozonation and chemical treatment equipment and systems for the aquariums, marine mammal exhibits and pools in other animal exhibits. Working collaboratively with relevant Animal Care curators and zoo keepers, is responsible for maintaining water quality standards in these pools that meet or exceed professional and legal standards for animal health. Water quality standards in several of these exhibits are subject to USDA/APHIS Animal Welfare Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act requirements, as well as other federal and state laws, rule and regulations that apply.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to:

Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
Interact professionally with other employees, customers and suppliers.
Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
Observe applicable safety requirements, use safety equipment provided, implement appropriate safety practices at all times and report immediately any unsafe working conditions or hazards.