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Marine mammal trainer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Michael Hunt

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical marine mammal trainer skills. We ranked the top skills for marine mammal trainers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 19.5% of marine mammal trainer resumes contained medical procedures as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a marine mammal trainer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 marine mammal trainer skills for your resume and career

1. Medical Procedures

Here's how marine mammal trainers use medical procedures:

Assisted curator and supervisor in animal catches for medical procedures and relocation.
Work with veterinary staff to communicate animal health concerns, assist with medical procedures and carry out preventative medicine programs.

2. Training Sessions

Here's how marine mammal trainers use training sessions:

Diet preparation, cleaning exhibits and behind the scene areas, assist training sessions and presentations and conduct enrichment sessions.
Participated in behind the scenes tours and in water training sessions with the public and the harbor seals.

3. Water Quality Tests

Here's how marine mammal trainers use water quality tests:

Performed routine water changes with some water quality tests.
Conducted water quality tests on all marine habitats.

4. Scuba Diving

Here's how marine mammal trainers use scuba diving:

Cleaned exhibits weekly via SCUBA diving.

5. Public Presentations

Here's how marine mammal trainers use public presentations:

Conducted public presentations regarding marine mammal strandings and rehabilitation.
Supervised interns/volunteers, maintained scientific records, conducted educational public presentations.

6. Public Speaking

Public Speaking or oration, as it is sometimes known, is the act of any one person speaking live in front of an audience. Although in the past the audience was only a physical one, nowadays oration might be done on an online video call, at a digital conference, at an online class, or elsewhere. The art of public speaking is very old, drawing its first established roots from Ancient Greece and likely from before, too. It is an important skill and asset in many industries.

Here's how marine mammal trainers use public speaking:

Started off as an intern working to educate public about marine science, public speaking, customer service and sales.
Experienced with public speaking in front of large and small audiences, including all age groups.

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7. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how marine mammal trainers use data collection:

Conducted observations and data collection to determine harbor seal preference for enrichment items.
Assist with data collection and sample gathering.

8. SEA Turtles

Here's how marine mammal trainers use sea turtles:

Maintained logs of observations for marine mammals, sea turtles, et al for reporting to federal agencies.
Aided in the rescue and rehabilitation of numerous stranded Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins and Green Sea Turtles.

9. SEA Lions

Here's how marine mammal trainers use sea lions:

Supervised the care of 15 adult and juvenile sea lions while on relocation at Sea World, Orlando following Hurricane Katrina.
Experienced in all aspects of animal care, training, and husbandry for a large collection of sea lions and dolphins.

10. Research Projects

Here's how marine mammal trainers use research projects:

Ensured the marine mammals were provided with the appropriate care, while educating the public and performing various research projects
Provided support to the animal care staff in animal physicals and assisted with different marine mammal research projects.

11. Animal Training

Here's how marine mammal trainers use animal training:

Act as assistant internship coordinator responsible for assisting with the hiring and education of all animal training interns.
Developed skills in animal care, husbandry, and animal training.

12. Behavioral Observations

Here's how marine mammal trainers use behavioral observations:

Quantify data from behavioral experiments, behavioral observations of mice, ensure proper treatment and care of animals
Provided detailed records of animal physical exams and behavioral observations.

13. Educational Presentations

Here's how marine mammal trainers use educational presentations:

Narrated dolphins and otter educational presentations for visitors of the Aquarium.
Conducted educational presentations for audiences of all ages on a daily basis

14. Blood Draws

Here's how marine mammal trainers use blood draws:

Assisted veterinarian in blood draws, eye exams, ultrasound, and urine and fecal collection.

15. Animal Diets

Here's how marine mammal trainers use animal diets:

Prepare animal diets and perform daily husbandry and care for dolphins and birds.
Prepared animal diets and developed a strong knowledge and understanding of exotic animal nutrition.

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What skills help Marine Mammal Trainers find jobs?

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What marine mammal trainer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Michael Hunt

President, International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association

It is uncommon for an entry-level applicant's resume to make it through a zoo's human resources filter without at least one animal-related internship. Most zoos and aquariums offer internship programs for college students looking to pursue a career in zoology or animal training. Although these programs are offered year-round, at some locations, the internship "season" is typically in spring and summer. Internships are generally competitive and require a comprehensive application and interview process. Interested students can learn more about current internships and internship postings by visiting the website of the International Marine Animal Trainers' Association (IMATA) at www.imata.org. Additionally, IMATA has historically offered informative career-focused workshops and a job fair at their international conferences; the 50th annual IMATA conference will be held in Chicago, IL in spring 2022.

Do you want to know more?

List of marine mammal trainer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a marine mammal trainer resume and required skills for a marine mammal trainer to have include:

Medical Procedures
Training Sessions
Water Quality Tests
Scuba Diving
Public Presentations
Public Speaking
Data Collection

SEA Turtles
SEA Lions
Research Projects
Animal Training
Behavioral Observations
Educational Presentations
Blood Draws

Animal Diets
Natural History
USDA
Training Techniques
Educational Programs
Medical Care
Combat

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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