This may mean some early starts and 24-hour days on field trips. Working hours vary according to your area of work.įield work contracts are usually between 40 and 50 hours a week although the exact hours are project specific and may be dictated by the tide. Income figures are intended as a guide only. CEOs in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) earn upwards of £40,000, while high level research positions span up to £90,000 a year and university deans earning around £120,000.Salaries for PhD holders are between £26,000 and £35,000, although some marine laboratories and research organisations pay on a university lecturer scale between £28,000 and £45,000 a year (the scale for postdoctoral research positions). Experienced marine biologists working in the field are paid in accordance with local salaries.Entry-level salaries start from £12,000 for research field assistant positions abroad, up to £14,000 for apprentice lab technicians and £30,000 for consultancy work.liaising with colleagues across the field including fellow research staff, technicians, ships' crews and research assistants.keeping up to date with new research and technologies and attending training courses.writing grant proposals, contract negotiations, marketing and business development.senior level management of existing and new projects within or outside an academic setting.coordinating and tracking of assignments, scopes, schedules budgets and deliverables.developing, implementing and managing projects relating to the marine environment.
lecturing or teaching on policy, planning and management of marine activities.interviewing local divers, fisherman and stakeholders about animal behaviour and local marine practices.carrying out environmental impact assessments evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, including socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts.communicating the latest advances in marine science to to the public, governments, agencies, and commercial organisations.preserving specimens and samples of unknown species and diseases and mapping the distribution, ranges or movements of marine populations.analysing samples in a lab and developing new research theories from them.collecting samples and data-using processes such as coring techniques, geographic information systems (GIS), visual recording and sampling.
conducting species inventories, testing and monitoring sea creatures exposed to pollutants.Responsibilitiesĭepending on your area of work, your duties as a marine biologist could include: There is a lot of competition for jobs, so seizing opportunities to develop your skillset and prove your commitment is key. While many marine biologists have a marine biology or science related undergraduate degree with postgraduate study, the key to breaking into this career is to gain relevant experience, either voluntary or paid. marine ecologist and dive operations managerĪlthough most roles require strong technical, research and scientific skills, specialising in a particular area is usually required for career progression - whether in coastal management, reef ecology, invertebrate biodiversity, fisheries biology or marine pollution.You could go into field work, academic research, laboratory work, consulting, charity, outreach or policy making. Marine biology is a broad-ranging career. The main aims of marine biology are to improve understanding of the marine world and to understand and predict changes in ecosystems affected by human and natural disturbances. This includes marine plants, animals and other organisms, both vertebrate and invertebrate, in deep oceans, shallow seas and the laboratory. Marine biology is the study of organisms and ecosystems in the oceans and other saltwater environments.
Studying the sea and its complex ecosystem is not only a popular and rewarding career, but is also vital for the continued challenges facing marine environments under threat from human activities