Graduate in Marine Biology

[loquat149]

Now back to Marine Biology – sad to say, but just like in archaeology there are not many well paying jobs for one inside or outside of the academic world. But, there are ways that may not be thought off. One I would suggest is the NOAA Officers Corp. If you have a degree and are willing to go into NOAA’s uniformed ranks you can become a Science officer on any number of expeditions. Anything from coral studies 1,000 miles from Hawaii to Bio interactions on the Titanic.
Pete Johnson

I'm a Fisheries Oceanographer and work for NOAA as a contractor. I've worked with several NOAA Corp Officers during the last several years. This is quite a different career track if you're interested in "science". All of the officers I know spent 2 yrs driving the NOAA ships before being assigned to my lab for their 2-3 yrs of "land" duty. During that time some of them had the opportunity to do a lot of field work which involved diving and driving small boats. Others drove small boats occassionally and spent a fair amount of time effectively acting as an administrative assistant to their supervisor. All of them were unhappy about NOAA's policy of shipping them off to a new location every 2-3 years. Like the military, this is especially hard on those with families. While NOAA does take into consideration the officer's interests and abilities, at the end of the day they go when and where and do what NOAA tells them. There's very little time to pursue science, beyond collecting raw data for a Principal Investigator. For the right person, however, this may be a dream job.

Dave

 

[Thalassamania]

I believe NOAA Corps is a Uniformed Service.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Yep. Commisioned officers:

http://www.noaacorps.noaa.gov/index.html

 

[Oceana Diver]

i knew a couple noaa corps guys when i went to rsmas (loquat, we probably know a couple of the same people), and on the plus side of their work, they got to dive alot.

i've been following the discussion because i'm considering returning for a phd, and i'm looking for schools that have a blend of policy/social science and tropical marine ecology. any suggestions?

 

[daniel f aleman]

RSMAS, of course. Near Washington D.C. the U. of Delaware has a great Marine Policy program, but may not have the Tropical component that you requested.

 

[Thalassamania]

URI likely has the best marine Policy program, but if you want tropical RSMAS may have to be it. Univ. of Hawaii?

 

[Arete]

http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/molecularecology/

I'm the master's student who hasn't filled out my profile yet... (hate typing those things). The research is rewarding but first and foremost I'm a population geneticist rather than a marine biologist.

If the stuff we do at our lab interests you check out the links page, there's a few US labs in there

 

[Thalassamania]

http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/molecularecology/

I'm the master's student who hasn't filled out my profile yet... (hate typing those things). The research is rewarding but first and foremost I'm a population geneticist rather than a marine biologist.

If the stuff we do at our lab interests you check out the links page, there's a few US labs in there

Neat stuff, if I were going to school today I think that's the field I'd be interested in, as long as there was to opportunity for a reasonable level of field work, all lab and no field makes one a cranky boy.

 

[loquat149]

i knew a couple noaa corps guys when i went to rsmas (loquat, we probably know a couple of the same people)

Yes, including each other...how'd you make out at Lake Placid???

[updated my avatar: me @ work]

Dave

 

[loquat149]

For those interested, the following link may help give you an idea of the kind of work a Fisheries Oceanographer does:

http://www.moc.noaa.gov/gu/visitor/gu0601/gu0601.htm


Dave