Guest Services Explorer in Draper, Utah at The Living Planet Aquarium
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Job Description
Position: Guest Services Explorer (Full-time/Part-time)
Reports To: Guest Services Manager
Compensation: $13.50 per hour
Why Utah?
Utah is home to five national parks, world-class skiing and snowboarding, hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, and stunning deserts, mountains, and lakes, all within easy driving distance. Outdoor adventure is part of everyday life. The Salt Lake Valley consistently ranks high for safety, clean communities, short commute times, and family-friendly amenities. Draper offers a balance of suburban comfort and urban access, with downtown Salt Lake City just 15 minutes away. Enjoy all four seasons without extremes—sunny summers, colorful falls, snowy winters, and mild springs, perfect for both outdoor recreation and city living. Utah’s communities are known for being engaged, supportive, and service-oriented, making it easy for newcomers to feel at home.
About Loveland Living Planet Aquarium:
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (LLPA) is a mission-driven institution dedicated to inspiring people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Founded in 1997, the Aquarium provides impactful educational experiences for guests of all ages and backgrounds.
Since opening its Draper, Utah facility in 2014, LLPA has welcomed more than 10 million visitors and delivered over 650,000 educational experiences to students. Home to over 4,000 animals representing 650 species, the Aquarium features immersive habitats from around the world, including coral reefs, kelp forests, the deep ocean, Antarctic waters, tropical rainforests, Asian cloud forests, and Utah’s freshwater ecosystems.
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2019, LLPA is in an exciting phase of growth. With the opening of the Sam and Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center, the Aquarium became the largest in the Mountain West and the fifth largest aquarium in the continental United States, offering expanded opportunities for education, research, and professional impact.
Position Summary:
Guest Services Explorers are primarily responsible for maintaining a clean, safe, organized, and show-ready environment throughout the Aquarium. The majority of each shift is spent cleaning, sanitizing, stocking, inspecting, organizing, and maintaining guest-facing and operational spaces to ensure they consistently meet Aquarium presentation, safety, and cleanliness standards.
This position supports a wide variety of public and operational areas, including galleries, restrooms, lobbies, vestibules, the Rio Tinto Kennecott Plaza, Welcome Center, parking lot, dock area, stage and play areas, and other assigned spaces. Guest Services Explorers respond to spills and sanitation concerns, maintain restroom and facility cleanliness, receive and organize deliveries, support emergency procedures, and help ensure all assigned areas remain clean, safe, organized, and ready for guests throughout the day. Guest interaction and operational support are important components of the role; however, facility cleanliness and show-readiness are the primary responsibilities.
Critical Skills/Competencies:
- Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to interact professionally and positively with guests, coworkers, and volunteers in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to maintain clean, safe, organized, and show-ready guest and operational spaces
- Ability to follow established cleaning procedures, safety protocols, checklists, documentation requirements, and radio communication standards
- Knowledge of proper cleaning product use, chemical dilution, personal protective equipment (PPE), and sanitation procedures
- Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to spills, sanitation concerns, guest needs, safety issues, deliveries, and changing operational priorities
- Ability to maintain productivity, accuracy, and attention to detail while working independently or as part of a team
- Professional appearance, behavior, and communication while representing the Aquarium
- Ability to receive feedback, adapt to changing expectations, and continuously improve performance
- Comfortable working indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions and guest volume levels
- Commitment to maintaining high standards of cleanliness, safety, organization, and guest service
- Willingness to complete ongoing training and maintain operational readiness
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Spends the majority of each shift cleaning, sanitizing, stocking, inspecting, organizing, and maintaining Aquarium facilities to ensure all assigned areas remain clean, safe, and show-ready for guests at all times
- Provides exceptional internal and external guest service according to established guidelines
- Conducts routine cleanliness inspections and maintenance in restrooms, galleries, lobbies, vestibules, theatre areas, parking lots, Plaza, Welcome Center, dock area, play areas, and other public or assigned operational spaces
- Keeps the dock area clean, organized, accessible, and free of clutter or safety hazards
- Receives and organizes incoming packages, notifies appropriate departments of arrivals, maintains orderly receiving areas, and reports delivery concerns, damaged packages, misplaced items, or pickup issues as needed
- Performs hourly restroom inspections, restocking, sanitation, and documentation procedures
- Uses safe restroom closure procedures when deep cleaning is required
- Responds promptly to spills using approved cleanup procedures, proper equipment, and required safety signage
- Uses approved cleaning products, dilution procedures, and personal protective equipment in accordance with Aquarium safety standards
- Reads and follows product labels, SDS guidance, chemical handling requirements, and surface-specific cleaning procedures
- Maintains cleaning carts, supply closets, restroom inventories, and operational supplies needed to support cleanliness and guest readiness
- Collects, launders, and returns cleaning rags according to established schedules
- Empties interior and exterior trash and recycling receptacles before overflow and transports waste to designated disposal locations using approved equipment
- Performs Plaza and Welcome Center upkeep, including woodchip inspections, raking woodchips into safety zones, resetting furniture, sweeping debris, removing fingerprints, and maintaining guest-ready conditions
- Maintains stage and play areas by sanitizing surfaces, cleaning bird droppings as needed, resetting furniture, and addressing debris or safety concerns
- Assists with Tuki's and exhibit window cleaning as assigned
- Performs final cleaning, sanitation, and readiness inspections of guest seating areas and other assigned closing areas
- Follows Triple P procedures for bodily fluids and other sanitation-related incidents
- Assists with Code Nemo/Marlin searches, evacuations, crowd management, and other guest safety or emergency procedures as assigned
- Supports evacuations by clearing restrooms, assisting guests, and helping direct traffic as needed
- Monitors assigned areas for safety, cleanliness, and security concerns and reports issues to supervisors
- May assist with guest admissions activities, including scanning or counting guests, when needed
- Communicates clearly with supervisors and team members regarding area status, cleaning completion, supply needs, safety concerns, package deliveries, and guest issues
- Other duties as assigned
Physical Demands of the Job:
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, lift, push, pull, use stairs, and move throughout indoor and outdoor areas for most of the shift
- Ability to safely lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds
- Ability to push, pull, and transport supplies, trash, cleaning equipment, carts, wheelbarrows, wagons, and packages as needed
- Ability to perform repetitive cleaning and maintenance tasks, including sweeping, mopping, wiping, sanitizing, stocking, and organizing
- Ability to work in varying temperatures, weather conditions, and outdoor terrain
- Ability to perform routine exterior cleanup, including woodchips, dust, pollen, leaves, trash, and debris
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively using a two-way radio
Special Working Conditions
- Works with guests, staff, and diverse populations in public-facing spaces
- Works in noisy, crowded, indoor, outdoor, dock, and receiving areas
- Handles cleaning supplies, diluted chemicals, trash, recycling, restroom cleaning, exterior cleanup, bodily fluid procedures, and package receiving tasks
- Must use required PPE and follow safety procedures for chemicals, spills, restroom closures, sanitation concerns, dock organization, and package handling
- Must follow restroom check schedules, Plaza woodchip schedules, cleaning documentation, package notification procedures, and all safety and operational standards
Scope of Position
- Schedule includes weekends, evenings, holidays, and special event rotations, excluding Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
- This position is primarily custodial and facility-readiness focused, with most scheduled hours dedicated to cleaning and maintaining show-ready conditions throughout the Aquarium
- May be required to work beyond scheduled hours based on guest attendance, special events, operational needs, weather conditions, deliveries, or staffing levels
- May assist with crowd management during peak attendance periods or special events
Benefits & Perks
- Comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus optional FSA/HSA accounts
- Paid time off & 12 paid holidays per year
- Paid bereavement leave and paid new child leave (birth, adoption, or placement)
- Employer-paid short-term disability; optional long-term disability coverage
- Convenient onsite childcare (employees pay approximately 20% of the cost)
- 401(k) with match up to 4% - fully vested from day 1 of contribution
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Free Aquarium membership
- Discounts on tickets, gift shop, and café purchases
- Free and discounted animal encounters
- Pet insurance and discounts
- Footwear discounts
- Entertainment, travel, and retail savings through Tickets at Work
While this job description attempts to describe the essential functions of the position, it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. It does not restrict management’s right to assign or reassign duties or responsibilities to this job at any time. The overall work environment while performing this job includes exposure to weather conditions and the noise level is usually moderate. The employee is expected to adhere to all policies and to act as a role model in the adherence to the policies.
The Living Planet Aquarium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or military status. The Living Planet Aquarium is committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application and interview process. Should you require accommodations, please contact accommodation@livingplanetaquarium.org.