Fish House Assistant job at Retford Full Time NEW

About Us

Koi Retail Services is the UK’s leading direct-to-consumer Japanese koi business. We import koi directly from elite breeders in Niigata and run a professional fish farm, online auctions, and live sales. Our standards are high, our approach is meticulous, and we take pride in doing things properly.

The Role

We’re looking for a Fish House Assitant to join our team at the fish farm, working under the Fish House Manager. This is a broad, hands-on role that sits at the heart of our operation. No two days are the same.

Your responsibilities will span:

• Fish husbandry and care: day-to-day support of our koi, including monitoring health and wellbeing
• Filtration and pond maintenance: keeping our systems running to the highest standard
• Water testing: routine analysis and record-keeping
• Packing and fish movements: preparing fish for dispatch, assisting with shipments and on-site movements
• Photography support: assisting with our koi photography sessions
• Image processing: post-production work on koi photographs (full training given)
• General fish house duties: cleaning, preparation, and supporting the wider team as needed

What We’re Looking For

• Genuine interest in fish. You don’t need to be a koi expert – we’ll train you on our way of doing things – but a real interest in or experience around fish is essential. This needs to be a baseline.
• Maturity and self-awareness. This isn’t an entry-level position for school leavers. We need someone who knows themselves, takes ownership, and can work to a high standard without constant supervision.
• Some experience helpful, but not essential. A little bit of background with fish or aquatics will help you settle in – but we’re not looking for someone so set in their ways that they can’t adapt to our methods.
• Solid IT skills. Comfortable with computers and software – there’s a digital element woven through most of what we do, from listings to image processing to record-keeping.
• Physically capable. This is a demanding role. Our fish houses are hot in summer and humid in winter, the wider facility is cold, and there’s a significant manual element. You need to be physically able to handle that.
• Team-oriented and trainable. We have established systems, processes, and a culture built on doing things the right way. You’ll be trained across everything, but you need to come in willing to learn our standards.

What We Offer

• A full-time, permanent position at a market-leading koi business
• Salary of £25,000 – £35,000 depending on experience
• Hands-on training across all aspects of professional koi keeping and farm operations
• A chance to develop genuine expertise in a specialist industry
• Work alongside a small, experienced team that takes real pride in what we do

To Apply

Send your CV and a short covering message telling us a bit about yourself, your interest in fish, and why this role appeals to you.

We review applications as they come in, so early applications are encouraged.

Pay: £25,000.00-£35,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person