Marine Research Assistant
The Marine Research Assistant internship is a 4-week deep dive into tropical marine science. You’ll earn seven certifications while conducting advanced reef surveys, coral disease assessments, restoration dives, and conservation outreach. Ideal for students, early-career scientists, or divers serious about making an impact.
Duration: 4 Weeks
Dives: 32 Dives
Age: 18+
Course Highlights
- Duration: 28-day advanced internship
- Dive Component: 32+ scientific dives plus unlimited fun dives
- Certifications: 7 Conservation Diver certifications including EMP, Coral Disease, Coral Predators, Coral Watch, Coral Restoration, Coral Taxonomy and Plastic Pollution: Monitoring and Assesment
- Professional Training: Scientific diving, data collection, analysis, and reef impact response
- Focus Area: Full-spectrum marine conservation fieldwork and leadership
Prerequisites
- Be a minimum of 18 years old
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent certification/Contact us if you are Open Water certified or equivalent.)
- Good general health (have a look at this medical form to see if you are fit to dive)
- Interest in marine science, ecology, or data collection
What You Learn
- Scientific Diving: Transect protocols, site mapping, multi-survey dive planning
- Advanced Coral Studies: Taxonomy, bleaching response, predator and disease impact
- Restoration & Resilience: Coral triage, reef restoration strategies, structure assessment
- Field Research: Coral predator/disease tracking, plastic pollution surveys, reef mapping
- Outreach & Communication: Workshop assistance, community engagement, and guest education
- Career Development: Data reporting, leadership skills, and optional project/thesis mentorship
What Your Day Looks Like
Lectures & Workshops
Your four-week Conservation Diver course begins with in-depth classroom sessions on the fundamentals of coral reef ecosystems. You'll learn how to identify key indicator species - corals, invertebrates, and fish - and understand their role in assessing reef health. We explore topics like coral anatomy, bleaching, reef degradation, and survey protocols developed for conservation science. Each day builds on the last, allowing you to gradually expand your knowledge and apply it underwater.
During your surface intervals, we review ID techniques and practice using field tools such as slates, transect tapes, and survey forms. You’ll work with reference guides to fine-tune your recognition of substrates, coral growth forms, reef fish families, and invertebrate species. Our team will simulate survey conditions on land to ensure your confidence before hitting the water.
Duration: 1-2 hours each
Dive
Each day includes at least one scientific dive where you conduct real underwater monitoring surveys. You’ll apply transect techniques, identify species in situ, and record data using international EMP standards. Your dives will rotate through fish, invertebrate, and substrate surveys, giving you comprehensive field training. These dives directly contribute to our ongoing reef health monitoring around Gili Air and help build your skills as a citizen scientist and conservation diver.
Duration: 32 dives, 2 hours each
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