Position Description
Job Duties:
Join Our Team as an Exhibits Technician II – Grounds, Trails, and Horticulture
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is seeking a passionate, conservation‑minded individual who loves the outdoors and enjoys hands‑on work that makes a meaningful impact. As part of our dedicated and dynamic team, the Exhibits Technician II will help care for and enhance the Aquarium’s 38 acres of nature trails, gardens, and natural areas. This position plays a key leadership role in shaping the guest experience through beautifully maintained grounds and thoughtfully designed planted exhibits.
About the Role
In this position, you will lead a team responsible for the maintenance, care, and improvement of the Aquarium’s outdoor spaces. You will collaborate closely with cross‑departmental partners on exhibit design, educational opportunities, and sustainability initiatives. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys outdoor work, values ecological stewardship, and takes pride in creating inviting, functional, and environmentally responsible spaces.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Leading and training the grounds and trail maintenance team.
- Performing all aspects of trail maintenance and groundskeeping across 38 acres.
- Maintaining all gardens, planted exhibits, and woodland areas.
- Coordinating with Facilities, Building Maintenance, and other Aquarium teams to plan, schedule, and execute projects.
- Managing inventory, purchasing, and maintenance of tools and equipment.
- Operating and maintaining powered and/or heavy equipment and tools used in landscaping and gardening in compliance with safety standards.
- Designing, maintaining, and rehabilitating planted areas and exhibits.
- Ensuring aesthetically pleasing and educational landscapes that support wildlife and animal habitats.
- Implementing sustainable and green practices, including invasive species control, pest management, and plant fertilization.
- Managing the onsite composting and browse programs.
- Participating in collaborative initiatives with Education, Scientific Exhibits, Animal Husbandry, and the Nature Trail Committee.
- Supporting essential operations during closures, inclement weather, or emergencies, including storm debris removal and snow clearing.
Work Schedule:
Typically M-F, 7:00am - 3:30pm; requires flexibility for occasional evenings/weekends/holidays or based on operational needs.
Official City Job Description:
Working Conditions:
https://workingcondition-summary-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/B.007851.2.pdf
Minimum Requirements:
MINIMUMS: Requires Any combination of education (above the high school level) and/or experience equivalent to four (4) years in fields such as landscape maintenance, beautification, park or public lands maintenance, cultural center, botanical garden, museum, aquarium, zoo, or science center work that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Must have a valid driver’s license.
Must be available to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime when required to meet operational needs.
This position may require incumbents to wear and maintain appropriate personal protective equipment such as, but not limited to, steel-toed shoes, hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, or other safety attire and equipment in designated areas of risk. Specific requirements will be determined and communicated by the employee’s supervisor based on position assigned.
This is a safety sensitive position and is subject to mandatory drug testing. Positive drug test results may result in counseling and/or discipline, up to and including, termination.
Positions within this class have been designated as Alpha I positions requiring employees to work during inclement weather, regardless of the City’s operational status.
Requires successful completion of a pre-employment physical.
Additional Requirements:
DMV Transcript: Required
CDL: Not Required
DOT History: Not Required
CPS Check: Not Required
Physical: Required
Respirator: Not Required
Polygraph Review: Not Required
Psychological Screening: Not Required
Attachments Required:
Preferences:
Two (2) or more years of experience maintaining grounds, trails, or gardens for an aquarium/zoo, cultural institution or similar facility.
Experience using and maintaining powered equipment and tools used for gardening.
Experience with plant care, including eradicating invasive species and pest control.
Experience purchasing plants, gardening equipment/supplies, and maintaining related inventory.
Experience leading and training staff in a related field.
Experience in customer service, interacting with or communicating with guests in a similar setting.
Experience developing and implementing projects in a related field.
Related certifications or college courses are a plus.
Special Instructions:
- Please complete the application in its entirety and include your resume if required by the posting.
- Your responses to any "Supplemental Questions", if attached to this requisition, must be supported by the information you provide on your application and/or resume; or otherwise demonstrated during the hiring process.
- You will not be able to access the details of this job ad once the closing date has passed. If you would like to retain this information, please take a screen shot or print using your browser's printing capability.
VRS Contribution: All full-time employees are required to contribute 5% of annual salary toward their retirement account; in accordance with VRS retirement provisions. This will be handled through a pre-tax payroll deduction.
Drug Free Workplace: The City of Virginia Beach maintains a drug free workplace.