What is the job outlook of a marine biologist?

Answer 1

The prospects for marine Biology jobs are good. An increase in employment of approximately 21 percent from 2008 to 2018 is expected. A marine biologist can work in the private sector, academia, or in research.

Answer 2

A marine biologist can work at zoo's, nature preserves and for foundations that study marine life. Most marine biologists work in a research capacity. They have a wide variety of jobs to choose from and make good money.

Answer 3

One area of specialization, the emerging field of marine biotechnology, offers great opportunity for marine biologists. In addition, research in the new field presents a wide range of possible applications. For example, in the biomedical focus area, scientists develop and test drugs, many of which come from marine organisms. An example application of biotechnology research can be seen in industry or defense, where researchers have developed nontoxic coatings that prevent the buildup of fouling organisms, such as barnacles and zebra mussels. Such coatings are useful for ships and intake pipes used in power plants.

Molecular biology - the branch of biology that deals with the formation, structure and function of macromolecules essential to life, such as nucleic acids and proteins, and with their role in cell replication and the transmission of genetic information - is a related area of specialization in marine biology. Researchers apply molecular approaches and techniques to many environments, from coastal ponds to the deep sea, and to many different organisms, such as microscopic bacteria, plants, land animals and marine mammals. For example, molecular biology can be used to identify the presence of a specific organism in a water sample through the use of molecular probes. This is very useful when the organism being identified is microscopic or similar to other organisms.

The study of disease in organisms also has been furthered by the use of molecular techniques. Researchers have developed antibodies that are specific to a particular virus so that when the virus is present in an organism, detection and diagnosis is easier and faster. Likewise, new molecular techniques help scientists identify whether an animal has been exposed to pollutants and, in some cases, can determine the source of the pollutants. The field of molecular biology is growing and will continue to experience significant advances.

Marine biology researchers also are experimenting with ways to administer drugs to diseased populations of farm-raised fish. Disease can wipe out an entire crop of farm-raised fish or shellfish due to the confined setting in which they are raised. One technique for administering drugs involves exposing a pen of fish to ultrasound (high frequency sound that cannot be heard by humans).

Unfortunately, the supply of marine biologists far exceeds the demand, and the number of government jobs (the federal and state governments are important employers in the field) is decreasing. Other employers of marine biologists are local governments, aquariums/museums, colleges and universities, private research laboratories and consulting firms. In fishery science, where the study of fish and marine mammal population dynamics is in the most demand, a strong background in advanced mathematics and computer skills in addition to coursework in the animal and aquatic sciences is recommended for a competitive edge in the job market. Also, more universities now are offering courses and programs in fisheries and wildlife management, increasingly important aspects of the study of fishes, marine mammals and sea turtles.

Answer 4

Well, you need to live near an ocean to do most of your work! There are some jobs at aquariums and zoos that would not require living near an ocean - but you would likely need to for your training.

Unfortunately, due to the popularity of the field there are more people than jobs. Many are research oriented with either government or universities. There are some jobs with companies in the fishing industries and Oil industries as well. If this is what you want to do, try to spend a day with someone who does this for a living - it is different than many people think.