Opportunities
Having a hard time finding opportunities within oceanography? Well, look no further! From research cruises to internships and all the way to jobs.
Research Cruises
Looking to get more sea-going experience? Down below are some programs and sources where you may potentially find opportunities
Faculty
Many faculty go out to sea collect their data and at times have the opportunity to bring on students to help them
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Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences - https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/fwcs-research
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COS Marine Science - https://science.oregonstate.edu/research/marine-science
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URSA Faculty Search - https://academicaffairs.oregonstate.edu/research/engaging-research/finding-faculty-information-and-research-college
Nautilus Live
Has various at-sea internships in; sea-floor mapping, ocean science, ROV and video engineering
NOAA Ocean Explorer
Opportunity for sea-going experience in hydrography and sea-floor mapping internship for 2-4 weeks, also provides an opportunity for a 10-week land-based internship.
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UNOLS Cruise Opportunity Program
UNOLS provides sea-going experience provided by Principle Investigators (PI's) that are looking for volunteers to help out with conducting their research. They also provide other sources, such as; Early Career Programs and Job Opportunities.
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https://www.unols.org/node/35652/unols-cruise-opportunity-program
NOAA Fisheries At-Sea Volunteer
Volunteers from academic institutions and other State and Federal agencies assist with biological sampling and research operations at sea. Volunteers will assist NOAA biologists, if you're interested, they have a form at the bottom of the page to provide contact info
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Internships & Research
Some sources where you can find and/or apply to internships throughout the year
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
REU's are one way to get involed with research and there are many out there. CEOAS does offer an REU but has limited spots for students at Oregon State University, there's still a good chance that the professor that you would like to work with could bring you on
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OSU Faculty
Many professors at OSU conduct their own research and oftentimes will take on undergraduate students for lab work; if funding and space allow. Reach out to your potential mentor; it never hurts to ask. This is a great opportunity to get lab, research and potentially, sea-going experience
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Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences - https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/fwcs-research
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COS Marine Science - https://science.oregonstate.edu/research/marine-science
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URSA Faculty Search - https://academicaffairs.oregonstate.edu/research/engaging-research/finding-faculty-information-and-research-college
Hatfield Marine Science Center
Internships at HMSC, as well as sources for other internships. HMSC offers some summer courses, including ones required for the oceanography major, scholarships and housing may be available.
Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE)
Learn how to become a marine technician while at sea; has short-term (a couple of months) to long-term (six months) departure times. Successful internships may potentially lead to job offers (as stated on their site).
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Oregon Sea Grant - Summer Scholars
Paid 10-week summer internship, designed to prepare students for careers and graduate school in the ocean sciences
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https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/fellowships/summer-scholars
Scientists in Parks
Fall/Winter and Summer internships for various fields, including ecology, conservation, and management.
Research Program & Scholarships in STEM
A search engine within the STEM field to find various internships or scholarships.
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URSA Engage
A way to connect with a professor and conduct research as an undergraduate student.
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https://academicaffairs.oregonstate.edu/research/ursa-engage
South Slough Reserve
Opportunity to volunteer at an estuary that is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve.​ Many estuaries and bays have opportunities in volunteer work and internships.
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NOAA College-Supported Internship Program
List of current internships available through NOAA
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Marine Studies Initiative / Marine and Coastal Opportunities
MACO has various internship opportunities open up yearly located on the Oregon coast. Some internships consist of working for the aquarium or with the Seabird Stewardship.
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https://marinestudies.oregonstate.edu/academics/internship-opportunities/2024-summer-internships-5
List of Internships and Research Programs
The following document contains a list of potential internships and research programs as well as search engines to look for opportunities. It also provides information about when applications are typically due plus a brief description who's eligible to apply
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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RPcPB1Ub4n9CSe_06KoCNFOz6ayS_y4ALcpK9Ypw13I/edit#gid=0
General Resources
The Oceanography Society
Provides a lot of resources for those within oceanography, there is a link under Career Search Engines catered to ocean sciences provided by TOS.
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Maritime Academy Programs
Allows you to work potentially in marine research, commercial and passenger transportation, the workboat industry, etc. There are various programs out there, the link provided gives some information about the maritime academy, as well as some of the schools you can apply to.
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NOAA Sea Grant
There are several Sea Grant outsides of Oregon that may have more opportunities, there is also a link below on the site (linked below) that will take you to the informational page for students.
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NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps
The NOAA Corps supports most of all of NOAA's programs/missions; they have positions for at-sea operations and aviation. This is a uniform position and training occurs at the US Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut.
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Undergradaute STEM Opportunities
List of federal opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Contains scholarships, fellowships, internships, programs, and competitions for several fields including oceanography.
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Career Search Engines
The Oceanography Society Job Search
Oregon State University Job Portal
NOAA Professional Mariner Hiring Portal
NOAA provides opportunities for civilian mariners to apply and work on board their ships.
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Josh's Water Jobs
Conservation Job Board
Careers at AIS Inc
A brief list of job openings for various jobs related to the ocean sciences, primarily marine biology and fisheries.
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https://aisobservers.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-openings.php
USA JOBS
The link below takes you to the help page for current and recently graduated students that are looking to get federal internships and jobs.
https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/
After Graduation
Graduate School
A common next step but one that can feel overwhelming. If you ever have questions regarding graduate school, please feel free to reach out. We will be creating a page with graduate school resources.