Marine Biology

Every employer is different so there are no definitive lists here. These are meant as a guide and should be considered in addition to fully exploring role requirements outlined in the person specification, job description and advert for each role you consider applying for. 

• Adaptability: willingness to travel, work irregular hours or live in isolated environments.
• Boat handling: RYA Powerboat Level 2 or similar is often a plus.
• Communication: both written and verbal, for science communication or stakeholder engagement.
• Data collection and analysis: especially biological, ecological or environmental data (often field-based).
• Database management: SQL, Excel, Access.
• Diving certifications: PADI, BSAC or scientific diving (e.g., HSE Professional SCUBA).
• GIS & remote sensing: widely used for habitat mapping, spatial ecology, and marine planning.
• GIS software: ArcGIS, QGIS.
• Laboratory skills: including DNA analysis, microscopy, water quality testing and sample processing.
• Policy understanding: familiarity with marine policy, conservation legislation or the UN Ocean Decade goals.
• Problem-solving: particularly in remote, field-based or time-sensitive situations.
• Project management: planning, budgeting and time management.
• Public engagement/outreach: experience with citizen science, schools or science festivals.
• Remote sensing tools: e.g., drones, sonar, satellite imagery.
• Report writing: technical writing can be useful for environmental impact assessments, policy briefs or scientific papers.
• Species ID: strong knowledge of marine flora/fauna, including taxonomy and biodiversity monitoring.
• Statistical packages: R, Python, MATLAB.
• Statistical software: proficiency in R, Python, or SPSS for analysing complex datasets.
• Survey techniques: such as transects, quadrats, or hydroacoustic surveys.
• Teamwork & collaboration: especially in multidisciplinary or international teams. 

To develop these skills, Career Zone also offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term.  Please also read through the sections about Gaining Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications.    

All experiences ranging from volunteering, active involvement in clubs/societies can help you to develop relevant and transferable skills. You may wish to consider involvement in: 

Volunteering 

• Environmentjob – Volunteering – job site focussed on environmental roles.
• Marine Conservation Society - environmental charity dedicated to protecting our ocean.
• Natural England – UK government’s advisor on the natural environment in England.
• OceanWatch – Volunteers - international volunteering opportunities.
• ORCA – training opportunities for whale and dolphin conservation in the UK.
• Sea-changers – Volunteering opportunities – marine-based volunteering opportunities across the UK.
• Sherkin Island Marine Station - Southern Ireland, Co. Cork.take on volunteers April to September: diving, otter, intertidal surveying.
• The Conservation Volunteers, practical conservation work and training courses around the world.
• The Nature Conservancy – global environmental non-profit organisations focused on conserving lands and waters.
• The Rivers Trust – volunteering opportunities with UK rivers. 

Volunteering Overseas: 

Be sure to thoroughly research overseas marine biology opportunities. In most cases organisations will charge a fee and some of these can be quite significant. It’s worth looking around to find an option that suits you and checking the organisations’ reputation with your academics and graduates who may have engaged. 

• Blue Ventures Conservation - UK based charity dedicated to enhancing coral reef conservation and research.  Marine scientists and volunteers required.
• Greenforce - marine conservation expeditions.
• North Cyprus Society for the Protection of Turtles – conservation programme focussing on turtles.
• Operation Wallacea – various conservation programmes across the globe.
• World Wildlife Fund - limited opportunities to volunteer overseas if you are under 27 and can fund your own expenses (e.g Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands etc). 

University of Exeter Employability Schemes 

• Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and get relevant vacation work or placements.  Look for ‘SCP’ (Student Campus Partnerships) and then add your location as these are often relevant opportunities to gain experience on campus.
• Exeter Award: The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you've had at university.
• The Global Leaders Experience: is a unique opportunity to develop your intercultural skills as part of a short, outbound mobility experience.
• Green Consultants: an award-winning programme designed to provide students with additional skills and experience required to work in the highly competitive environmental and sustainability sector.
• Ask an Alum: A fuss-free way to connect with University of Exeter alumni to ask careers questions.
• Career Mentor Scheme: A popular employability scheme which matches a student or graduate with an experienced professional, for sector insight and one-to-one careers advice and guidance, over a 6-month period.
• Professional Pathways: a suite of sector specific training courses and paid week-long internships that take place in June.   

Speculative applications and where to find opportunities 

Undertaking relevant work experience will also allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector. As jobs and opportunities are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and make speculative applications.  Before visiting the sites below you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page. 

Finding part time work  

• Learn about student and graduate employment on campus.
• Find on-campus work using Handshake. 
• Search for part-time jobs on Handshake. 

Competition can be strong, especially for entry-level positions and graduate schemes. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.  

Devon and Cornwall-based opportunities: 

• AK Wildlife Cruises – operating marine life tours in the Falmouth area. Have taken on students as crew in the past.
• British Divers Marine Life Rescue - become a marine mammal medic.
• Clean Ocean Sailing – non-profit organisation cleaning marine plastic pollution and protecting the marine environment.
• Cornwall Seal Group - supporting seal conservation across the UK, promoting citizen science.
• Cornwall Seaweed Company - social enterprise sustainably harvesting, processing and packaging edible seaweeds.
• Falmouth Marine Conservation - one of several marine conservation groups in Cornwall.
• Fathoms Free - volunteer divers who protect marine wildlife and the environment.
• Helford Marine Conservation - one of several marine conservation groups in Cornwall.
• Marine Strandings Network - Cornwall Wildlife Trust – recording and monitoring stranded marine wildlife.
• National Coastwatch – provides a visual and radio watch along the coast of England and Wales to assist in saving life at sea and along the coastline.
• National Lobster Hatchery - Volunteering and placement opportunities relating to lobster conservation and research.
• Seaquest - Citizen science project focussing on marine sightings led by the Wildlife Trusts with training events and opportunities.
• Seasearch - A national project for volunteer divers and snorkellers to record marine habitats and species found around our coast.
• South West Lakes Trust - – A charity dedicated to caring for and enhancing the South West’s reservoirs and lakes.
• Surfers Against Sewage – Charity promoting ocean activism.
• The Rock Pool Project – Citizen science and marine education charity.
• Westcountry Rivers Trust – Events and other ways to get involved with rivers in the southwest.
• WiSe Scheme - Wise Oceans is a specialist Marine Education and Conservation Company. 

Jobs boards 

• Aquatic Network - Marine biologist jobs from around the world
• Centre for Conservation Biology Network (CCBN)
• CMScoms.com - promotes the delivery of sustainability and environment management in the marine, coastal and water sectors. This website offers mainly high-level jobs, but internships and training schemes do occur regularly. It also offers a variety of events which may help in furthering your professional development
• Environmental Science.org - Is a good resource if looking to work in the US, but jobs from around the world are also posted here. It also contains information on studying, internships and scholarship availability around the US
• Environmentjob – Marine Conservation – environmental jobs board
• EnvironmentalJobs – environmental jobs board
• GreenJobs – Jobs board for green careers
• Marine Conservation Jobs - Marine Biology jobs board
• Nature Jobs - science recruitment site
• New Scientist Jobs - sign up for specific posts
• Society of Environmental Journalists - for journalism related jobs
• Zoos & Aquariums - the British and Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums (BIAZA) advertises jobs in zoos, aquariums and conservation work. 

Public Sector & Government Organisations 

• Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) – provides scientific advice on marine and freshwater environments.
• Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) – safeguards the natural environment.
• Environment Agency – working to create better places for people and wildlife and supporting sustainable development.
• Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) – Cornwall – opportunities relating to fisheries and conserving marine environments.
• Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) – Devon - opportunities relating to fisheries and conserving marine environments.
• Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) – the statutory nature advisor to all four countries of the UK.
• Marine Management Organisation (MMO)  – responsible for managing fisheries, marine nature conservation, and marine planning.
• Natural England – government’s adviser for the natural environment in England. 

Research Institutes 

• British Antarctic Survey (BAS) – Conducting research in polar regions.
• Early Careers Ocean Professionals (ECOP) – Supporting early career ocean professionals in their capacity development, providing networking, training, professional development and funding opportunities.
• Marine Biological Association (MBA) – Undertaking marine biology research.
• National Oceanographic Centre (NOC) – World-leading oceanographic centre. 

NGOs and Conservation Charities 

• Blue Marine Foundation – Conservation charity protecting and restoring life in the ocean.
• Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit – Summer training placements.
• Inland Waterways Association – An independent, national charity campaigning for Britain’s canals and rivers.
• Marine Conservation Society (MCS) – A leading environmental ocean charity.
• Marine Stewardship Council – International non-profit organisation combating overfishing and promoting sustainable seafood.
• Ocean Conservation Trust – Ocean charity centred around people and positive action.
• OceansWatch – Combining environmentalism and sailing to help conserve oceans.
• The Shark Trust – Working globally to improve the conservation status of sharks, skates and rays.
• The Wildlife Trusts – Local charities across the UK, managing nature reserves, engaging with communities to promote conservation and sustainable living.
• Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust – A charity for wetlands and wildlife.
• Wild Planet Trust – Working in the UK and internationally to halt species decline, operating at Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo.
• World Wildlife Fund UK (WWF) – Global environmental organisation.
• Wise Oceans - Wise Oceans is a specialist Marine Education and Conservation Company.
• Zoological Society of London (ZSL) – ZSL have a Marine and Freshwater Conservation programme. 

Aquariums 

• National Marine Aquarium – Plymouth
• Blue Reef Aquarium – Newquay
• Sea Life Centres – Across the UK 

Graduate schemes 

Structured graduate schemes in marine biology are rare, you are more likely to find graduate/entry-level jobs at the sites listed above.  

If you are interested in a broader range of graduate schemes, then these websites are worth investigating: 

• Bright Network
• Civil Service Fast Stream (Science and Engineering)
• Environmentjob
• Gradcracker
• Jobs.ac.uk
• Milkround
• New Scientist Jobs
• Prospects
• STEM Graduates
• TargetJobs 

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page.

Internships and placements 

If you are interested in finding out more about work placements, you can also access the Work Placements SharePoint via Single Sign-On. This resource covers all aspects of credit-bearing work experiences as part of your degree, including what a placement is, how to apply for them, and bespoke information for international students or those interested in working abroad.  

General websites for internships and placements 

• Collection for internships on Handshake 

• Collection for placements on Handshake

Several of the organisations in the sections above offer placement and internship opportunities, make sure to check their websites first to see if they have any advertised opportunities before reaching out to them directly.  

Organisations that have previously offered on taken students on placements include: 

• Blue Reef Aquarium – aquarium based in Newquay.
• Cornish Seal Sanctuary – rescue and rehabilitation centre for injured and orphaned seals in Cornwall.
• Marine Discovery Penzance – marine wildlife watching and research organisation conducting boat-based surveys and promoting marine conservation awareness.
• Marine Energy Wales – organisation supporting marine renewable energy development and environmental sustainability in Wales.
• National Marine Aquarium – UK’s largest public aquarium in Plymouth, dedicated to marine conservation, research, and education.
• OceanWise – UK-based company specialising in marine data and environmental solutions for ocean industries.
• The Rock Pool Project – citizen science and marine education charity.
• WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre – wetland conservation reserve in Gloucestershire managed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. 

Further sources of support 

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally. 

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.

For help with making speculative applications you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page. 

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to develop their skills and knowledge of the sector and related occupations. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. Use the sites below to research your further study options.  

• If you would like to stay at Exeter University, you can search through our other postgraduate courses on our Postgraduate study pages. 
• Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
• A huge list of academic journals to assist with research.
• You may also want to consider putting yourself on the mailing list for both MARMAM and ECS talk, as both advertise events that you can go to and continue your professional development.
• You can use the following links to search for courses:
  • findamasters.com
  • prospects.ac.uk
  • findaphd.com 

• A comprehensive list of universities in the UK and abroad which offer postgraduate courses for further Marine Biology study.

Advice 

If you would like to pursue postgraduate study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study information page for more information about choosing further study.  You can also visit our applying for Postgraduate Study page.  

Information and links from professional bodies 

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary; however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector.  

• British Ecological Society (BES) - Promotes the science of ecology and supports students with grants, conferences, and training.
• Challenger Society for Marine Science - Supports the advancement of marine science through networking, conferences, and student funding.
• Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) - The main professional body for ecologists and environmental managers in the UK and Ireland.
• Fisheries Society of the British Isles (FSBI) - Supports research and education in fish biology and aquatic science.
• Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) - An international professional body for marine scientists, engineers, and technologists, offering free student membership.
• Ocean Generation - A youth-focused NGO using science and storytelling to inspire ocean action and awareness.
• Royal Society of Biology (RSB) - A professional body representing all areas of biology, offering accreditation and career support.
• Society for Conservation Biology (SCB – Europe Section) - A global community of conservation professionals working to advance biodiversity protection.
• The Marine Biological Association – Research charity focused on the marine environment.
• The Nautical Institute - A global organisation for maritime professionals involved in safe and sustainable marine operations.