Lead Aquarist

We are Hiring: Lead Aquarist at Soneva CSM Coral Restoration project

Soneva Conservation and Sustainability Maldives aims to establish a thriving coral hub in the Maldives. Based at AquaTerra in Soneva Fushi, Maldives, Soneva CSM operates the largest coral restoration facility in the Indian Ocean, featuring both in-situ and ex-situ capabilities.

Role Description

The Lead Aquarist is responsible for managing the Spawning Lab, V-shaped Raceways, and Microfragmentation Tanks in our land nursery at AquaTerra. Main responsibilities include:

• Life Support System management, including maintenance of pumps, sumps, filtration systems, protein skimmers, chillers, and pipework
• Water quality management/monitoring and upkeep of dosing systems and reagents
• Husbandry of coral fragments, broodstock and recruits in the land nursery
• Research and development support for our visiting scientists and ongoing research projects at AquaTerra
• Emergency response and crisis management for land nursery aquarium systems
• Leading and training interns and permanent staff in aquarium upkeep and land-based tasks

Key Requirements and Skills

• Degree in Marine Biology, Aquaculture, Marine Science, Environmental Science or related discipline preferred.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience operating marine aquarium or aquaculture life-support systems.
• Demonstrated experience with coral husbandry and propagation.
• Strong understanding of marine water chemistry.
• Experience with pumps, plumbing, filtration systems and aquatic life-support infrastructure.
• Knowledge of coral spawning and larval propagation is advantageous.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities with limited resources
• Ability to supervise and train junior staff
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Open Water SCUBA certification required

Application deadline: 16 June 2026

Start date: July 2026 (or ASAP)

Suitable candidates are invited to send a CV and cover letter to: johanna@soneva.com & benedict@soneva.com