Skip to main content

CZ-Tip - Internship/Job-Search Resources: Get into the Blue

Find ways to get to, protect, and enjoy the coast with tips from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

With more than 70% of Earth's surface covered in ocean, it's not surprising how many marine-related professions there are to choose from. Some have you literally out in the field or on or in the water (e.g., extreme-science coastal geologist), others have you working directly with sea creatures (e.g., marine mammal trainer), and still others surround you with test tubes and technology (laboratory research). Additionally, many marine management and coastal protection organizations and government agencies need people with expertise in policy development, planning, GIS, law, science, and communications (covering advocacy, education, fundraising, journalism, photography, and even film making). There are hundreds of possibilities, so if the blue calls to you, check out the links below to learn more.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) student opportunities database lists opportunities for students at all levels (from kindergarten through high school, undergraduate and graduate, and even recent graduates) and includes one-day events, summer internships, multi-year fellowships, and more. And for a mix of postings for jobs, scholarships, funding, and other items from industry, government, academia, and nonprofits based in New England, check out New England Marine Science Opportunities. This Google Group provides a moderated platform for sharing these postings.

High School Internships and Fellowships

For high school students ready to get wet behind the ears, here are some excellent resources.

  • Ocean STEAM Powered Women Fellowship - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Sea Education Association provide week-long, summer, residential fellowships in Woods Hole for young women who are sophomores or juniors in Massachusetts high schools that are interested in pursuing marine careers. The fellowships are free, and applicants from diverse groups that have been underrepresented in ocean sciences are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by March each year.
  • UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) Summer Internship Program - This five-week, paid, marine science internship program introduces high school students from under-represented groups to education and career opportunities in marine science and related fields. Applications are due by the April of each year. See this online form to apply.
  • Woods Hole Science Aquarium Summer Intern Program - Located in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the aquarium has a summer program that gives students a chance to learn about marine animals and environments, aquarium operations, and careers in marine science and related fields.
  • High School Student Opportunities - The NOAA Student opportunities database includes options for high school students.
  • Internships and Fellowships - This list published by Sea Grant provides a list of intern and fellowship opportunities for marine-related careers, including several in Massachusetts.
  • MATE Internship Listing - The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center works to help prepare America's future workforce for ocean-related occupations and maintains this list of national and international opportunities.

College Internships and Fellowships

If the college you attend doesn't offer coastal courses or ocean-related internship/fellowship opportunities, or you want to explore a different geographic area, see these sites.

General/National

  • Undergraduate Scholarship, Internship, and Fellowship Programs - NOAA's National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Sciences also maintains this list of undergraduate opportunities.
  • Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program - This NOAA program page lists various paid, two-year fellowship opportunities across the nation (including U.S. territories) for early-career professionals to gain experience through projects that help build climate resilience and focus on serving marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented communities. Applications are due each February for a June start date.
  • Marine-Related Internship Information - OceanCareers.com lists information on internships, fellowships, and volunteer opportunities from a variety of organizations.
  • MATE At-Sea Opportunities for College Students - The Marine Advanced Technology Education Center also has this listing of internship opportunities for college students.
  • EnvironmentalScience.org - This comprehensive website provides information on environmental science internships, scholarships, degree programs, and career options.
  • Urban Planning Internship Guide - From UrbanPlanningDegree.com, the guide provides an overview of urban planning internships and the benefits they provide, and gives specific resources on how to find these internships and make the most of them.

International

  • Marine Science Internships Abroad - GoAbroad.com compiles this extensive list of volunteer and paid marine-related internships from Australia to Thailand, and many points in between.

Northeast

  • UMass Dartmouth SMAST Coastal Ecosystems Internship Program (South Coastal Region, MA) - These four to eight week, two-credit spring and summer research internships are open to undergraduate science and engineering majors. Interns with the Coastal System Program experience a wide range of field and laboratory work, including nearshore and offshore sampling, citizen-based environmental monitoring, experiments in wetlands, and a wide variety of laboratory research.
  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Guest Student Program (Woods Hole, MA) - Through this informal internship program, a limited number of undergraduates become Guest Students in WHOI laboratories on a year-round basis. Advanced high school students from Upper Cape Cod and the Islands may also be eligible.
  • Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (Woods Hole, MA) - This summer internship program is designed for undergraduate students in underrepresented groups who desire to gain practical experience in marine and environmental sciences. The internship consists of a four-week course in global climate change and a 10-week research project. Applications are due by February of each year.
  • Marine Wildlife Internships (Southeastern Massachusetts) - The New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance offers internships for college students (as well as high school students and professionals) in southeastern Massachusetts.
  • Cape Cod National Seashore Internships (Cape Cod, MA) - A variety of flexible internship opportunities are available for students to learn about research, monitoring, and stewardship activities at the Cape Cod National Seashore.
  • Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Education Department Internships (various locations in the Northeast) - This listing of internships includes many with an environmental and cultural focus, such as New England Black and Indigenous Maritime Histories Summer Internships at the Mystic Seaport Museum, Tribal Youth Science and Communication opportunities at Cape Cod National Seashore, and Native American Conservationist Fellowships through the Native Land Conservancy and Mass Audubon in Mashpee.
  • Five College Coastal & Marine Sciences Program Internships (Amherst area, MA) - Students from the "Five Colleges" (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and UMass Amherst) can apply for these paid internships. The site also includes links to other internship options.
  • Shoals Marine Laboratory Undergraduate Internships (Appledore Island, ME) - Located on 95-acre Appledore Island, the lab offers a variety of internship opportunities for undergraduates.

Southeast

Midwest

  • Shedd Aquarium Internship (Chicago, IL) - Internships opportunities in various topics, including fishes, marine mammals, conservation, public relations, and veterinary fields.

West

Graduate Fellowships and Early Career Opportunities

The links below focus on graduate-level opportunities.

  • Coastal Management Fellowships - The NOAA Office for Coastal Management posts this list of graduate coastal and marine fellowship opportunities.
  • Graduate Scholarship, Internship, Fellowship, and Research Programs - NOAA's National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Sciences also maintains this list of graduate-level opportunities.
  • Environmental Fellowship Opportunities - This Columbia University web page includes links to dozens of fellowship opportunities.
  • Mass Audubon Environmental Fellowship Program - This 14-month fellowship expands early career opportunities for young professionals who have been historically underrepresented in the environmental and conservation fields. Fellows will gain hands-on experience in areas like climate education, bird conservation, and ecological restoration, while building professional connections and helping to bring diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility to the environmental field.
  • Smithsonian Fellowships - This web page provides a listing of all the graduate and post-graduate fellowship opportunities available through the Smithsonian.
  • NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship Program - Ph.D. candidates are eligible for this program in population dynamics and marine resource economics.
  • Black Girl Environmentalist Fellowship Program - In honor of the mother of the environmental justice movement, Hazel M. Johnson, Black Girl Environmentalist began this fellowship program in the Summer of 2024 for early career Black women and gender-expansive persons in the United States. Fellows are placed with a partner organization for a 10-week summer internship and cohort experience, gaining the skills, resources, and connections necessary to enter and stay in the environmental and climate sector.

Job Postings

For those who have completed their education (at least for now), these job-search resources are an excellent way to find coastal and marine careers.

Related

Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

Please do not include personal or contact information.
Feedback