Work Placements.
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Activities & Duties.
The placement lasts for 2, 3, or 4 weeks with longer placements available on a case-by-case basis. Placement activities run Monday to Fridays, leaving the weekends free to explore the beauty of Tropical North Queensland.
During your placement you will become a true part of the Marine Discoveries team and although this is designed to give you highly transferable skills and a fantastic experience, we hope to give you an authentic experience of what it is to be a marine biologist and so you will work on the same projects, at the same time, as our staff.
Activities that you will be partaking in include:
- Reef Ecology training
- In water Reef monitoring data collection
- Data input and interpretation
- Resource development
- Reef education projects(3)
- Community engagement projects(3)
Program Inclusions
Program Exclusions
(1) Reef trips are dependent on weather and availability. No refunds for less or no reef trips beyond the control of Marine Discoveries management and staff.
(2) Dietary requirements will be catered for as far as reasonable. Please inform Marine Discoveries management of any dietary requirement prior to arrival.
(3) Not all these projects are covered in every 2, 3 or 4 week program. Volunteers may only work on a few areas as some of these programs are seasonal. -
What You'll Be Doing.
For more information on the research projects that you will be involved in, check out our research page. We aim to give all interns the best experience possible and so will strive to get you involved in the greatest variety of projects(1).
Reef days usually have a data collection focus but occasionally you may be involved in community engagement projects as well. This aspect of science is important as without public engagement in science and research, there is little hope of changing things for the better in the future.
Whilst in the office, we aim to give interns a wide variety of tasks but will also work with you if you have a specific interest or goal. For example, we have had interns who have enjoyed and been talented at video editing and so these interns have helped create creative content for Marine Discoveries during their placement.
You will be participating in projects supported by the following organisations.
Sightings Data Collection
Identifying, mapping and documenting sightings of a variety of marine wildlife species for inclusion in the "Eye On The Reef" Sightings Network program.
Reef Health Monitoring
Monitor coral cover and indicator species at local reef sites through repeated surveys and provide a look at reef health at less frequently visited sites.
Education Program Support
Designing and creating educational resources and programs. Engaging with school and university education and conservation programs run by Marine Discoveries.
Computer Data Entry
Collection and collation of data for entry into various databases both national and worldwide. Analysis of data for publication in multiple forms.
(1) Projects that you will be involved in depend greatly on what is happening at Marine Discoveries at the time of your placement.
