The purpose of this job is to study certain aspects of the ocean and factors of the ocean that affect human and animal life.
They study and research all the different aspects of oceans and ocean life. They perform experiments to find out how the ocean effects things, and research to see how they can make full use of the ocean and protect it. Most marine biologists are scientific researchers. What they do (generally) is ask questions about some aspect of ocean life - often questions that have never been answered before - and find ways to answer it based on scientific observations or experiments. Their questions may be about particular species of organisms, particular areas in the ocean, or entire ecosystems. Often they look at interactions among species, ecosystems, or between an organism and it's environment.
Researchers generally make money by teaching at a university, applying for grants from the government by showing that their research is important, by working directly for the government through environmental or agricultural sectors, or by working for private groups or companies.
Nature of the work
The person usually works in labs. They also do field research and tests outdoors and at the ocean. As an academically employed researcher, the hours are highly variable. Research science is more of a lifestyle than a job. Researchers have certain goals that they would like to reach by certain dates, but most do not have specific hours which they must work, Some work from 9 to 5. Most spend a few late nights or weekend days in the lab each week. For the scientists that I have seen, the average work week consists of about 40-50 hours. Of course, the hours are longer when one is just starting out (e.g. graduate school). A marine biologist does not have a very concrete schedule and can take breaks generally whenever they need.
The social environment at work varies. In the lab everyone is very focused. In the field the environment is more relaxed. The person generally does not spend time in a cubicle.
Qualifications:
Generally marine biologists majored in marine biology in college. Many researchers hold PhDs. There are many chances for advancements in the career. Generally people move up as they gain more education. Entry level positions for persons with high school diplomas exist and can be satisfying to an individual, but these positions are not common and opportunities for career advancement are limited. Most entry level jobs minimally require a bachelor's degree in a natural science from an accredited college or university. The bachelor's degree certifies that the graduate has successfully completed a formal introduction to the core curriculum in a given field. Because a bachelor's degree dose not usually require research experience, applicants may expect to participate as assistants in research and advance mostly on the basis of on-the-job experience. A master's degree means that the graduate has literally mastered the design and collection of quantitative data and has demonstrated an ability to analyze and report the results. An applicant for a position in marine science who has a master's degree may play a greater role in research projects or design and manage research programs immediately or with some experience. A doctorate means that the graduate has received advanced training in a discipline and has applied the skills of research to make a unique contribution to knowledge in that field. The Ph.D. degree is usually required for academic positions and in other settings means that an employee enjoys the opportunity to manage other scientists and conduct studies of his or her own design.
Salary:
One marine biologist said: "I was paid $12,500/yr to attend graduate school. Once I completed my Ph.D., I expected about $25,000/yr as an entry level pay. According to the Occupational Handbook, the average biologist makes about $31,300/yr. Most biologists with Ph.D. (who often become professors at universities) make from $40-50,000/yr."
Salaries can vary but in general marine biologists do not make a lot of money.
Reflection:
I chose to investigate this job because it seemed like a joke job at first. I didn’t think it was that important to society, or that the people really did anything difficult besides look at sea animals. I would not seriously consider going into this job because it is not very people oriented, and I want to work with people. I like this job because it is hands on and involves science. I also like the freedom it gives workers. I do not like all of the time that this job calls for in the lab. I also think this would be a frustrating job because it wouldn’t always produce results.
Great Things about Marine Biology
some helpful links
about Marine Biology
more info
and more
