Marine Biologist

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Marine Biologist

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About The Career

A marine biologist deals with plants and animals that live in salt water bodies and other ecosystems in the ocean. He/she researches the plants and animals and explores their living conditions. They carry out observations and assess the health of the environment in which the organisms live. They also carry out a number of tests and computations. This is especially useful to revive a marine habitat which may be dying. They also conduct research on habitat restoration and rehabilitation. They write and publish their research papers. The work of a marine biologist can be both on-field and / or in the lab.

A Marine biologist is a person who is fascinated with marine life and the study of them in their natural habitats. It is the study of all forms of marine organisms, their behaviours and their interactions with the environment. Starting from large ocean animals such as whales to microscopic organisms, a marine biologist can specialise in any field they choose. This field is largely research oriented as it requires collecting specimens on-field, conducting research and compiling the research data, finding real-life applications for the collected research data etc.

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Starting salary

25000

Career Details

What You Need To Know About This Career Option

What does a Marine Biologist do?

A marine biologist deals with plants and animals that live in salt water bodies and other ecosystems in the ocean. He/she researches the plants and animals and explores their living conditions.

They carry out observations and assess the health of the environment in which the organisms live.

They also carry out a number of tests and computations. This is especially useful to revive a marine habitat which may be dying.

They also conduct research on habitat restoration and rehabilitation.

They write and publish their research papers. The work of a marine biologist can be both on-field and / or in the lab.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a Marine Biologist?

Some Of The General Responsibilities Are

• Researching organisms, their life cycle, their behaviour and their interaction with the environment
• Collecting samples from the field for research in the laboratories
• Reviewing research and literature
• Using statistical methods to analyse data and record their findings
• Help build damaged ecosystems
• Analysing flora and fauna in the ocean environment
• Using computer modelling for predictive analysis
• Ensuring environmental compliance
• Providing support to coast guard units
  
  

A Senior Marine Biologist Will Be Involved In

• Drafting scientific papers
• Putting together proposals for getting grant and to fund research
• Leading a team of young scientists
• Developing research projects
• Calculating budget allotments for various projects
  
  

What are the career prospects for a Marine Biologist?

• Marine biologists are in great demand now as more and more exciting new species are being discovered from the deep and vast ocean beds. This is mainly due to the innovation in technology that allows man to go to the depths of the ocean that were impossible to access before. Hence the scope and demand for marine biologists are on the rise, especially as various national and international companies are looking for young and enthusiastic talent.
• A number of Government as well as privately owned conservation agencies recruit marine biologists. There are career opportunities in Environmental Laboratories, Water Industry Coastal Authorities, Fishery Industry, Oceanographic Laboratories to name a few.
• One can also go the teaching way and become a professor in colleges and universities.
• Marine Biologists are also called in for their expertise and advice in theme parks, museums, wildlife conservation agencies etc.
• For a well qualified and experienced biologist, the opportunities are plenty as the fields are vast such as Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Conservation Biologist, Fisheries Biologist, Zoologist, Biologist Technician etc.
  
  

What is the syllabus of a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology?

Some Of The Subjects Covered Are

Fundamentals of Marine Ecology, Chemical Oceanography, Statistics and its applications, Fundamentals of Environmental Science, Marine Botany, Physical Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, Marine Pollution,Marine Pharmacology, Aquaculture, Coastal Zone Development etc.

What are the advanced courses one can pursue after a Bachelor’s degree?

• M.Sc. Marine Sciences
• M.Phil. Marine Sciences
• Ph.D. Marine Sciences
  
  

What is the eligibility criteria required to become a Marine Biologist?

A student must have completed his high school in the 10+2 pattern from a recognized board with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as the core subjects.

In order to procure admission in a good college, the student should ensure a high percentage in grade 12. The student must be at least 17 years of age.

What is the admission process to get into Marine Biologist colleges?

Step 1 - The student must appear for various entrance exams conducted across different colleges in the country to get admission for a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology.

Step 2 - After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree, a student can choose to pursue his master’s degree in the same field or related fields like Ecologym, Physiology, Biochemistry, Ocean Farming, Pollution Biology etc.

What are the skills / aptitude required to become a Marine Biologist?

• Passion for marine life, eager to know and study the sea life
• Care for the environment and protection of the species both plants and animals
• Must be research oriented
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to work in or lead a team
  
  

What are the main personality traits of a Marine Biologist?

• Passion to learn about all marine forms both flora and fauna
• Intellectual curiosity spurred by the need to understand the “why?” of life such as the reason for evolution
• A powerful imagination and creative thinking that could lead to potential breakthroughs and insights
• Expertise in researching, collecting data, and analysing them using statistical methods
• Technical writing and public speaking skills, if and when the need for a presentation at conferences arises
• Perseverance is a necessary trait, for instance it can take years / decades to conduct research on the life cycle of a rare species.
  
  

Which colleges provide a degree in Marine Biology?

Some of the reputed colleges that provide a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology are:

• Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, Kerala
• Veer Narmada South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat
• Department of Coastal Disaster Management, Pondicherry University
• Pondicherry University, Pondicherry
• Department of Physical Oceanography, Cochin, Kerala
  
  

What are the various employment opportunities for a Marine Biologist?

A Marine Biologist can be employed by

• Colleges and Universities
• FMCG Industries
• Biotechnology Companies
• Environmental Law Firms
• Water Conservation Boards
• Research Institutes
• Pharmaceutical Companies
  
  

What is the job profile of a Marine Biologist?

• Acquiring information from the sea bed about the aquatic life prevailing there
• Study in depth of the various life forms, even microscopic forms, their life cycle, and conditions that are conducive for their growth
• Studying animal behaviour, diseases they are infected with, their effect on the ecosystem etc.
• Study the effect of human activities on the aquatic life
• Studying the different kinds of breeds of sea plants and animals
• May also be instrumental in finding new life forms and publishing the findings in journals and other research publications
• Is also responsible for collecting samples from the seabeds and conducting research on them
  
  

What are the various job profiles for a Marine Biologist?

• Trainee Marine
• Associate Director
• Lecturer/Professor
• Project Manager
• Research Associate
• Marine Lines Accountant
  
  

What are the various fields a Marine Biologist can branch into?

• Marine Biotechnologist - It includes aquaculture where aquatic organisms are grown for food, fuel, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals etc. These products are developed from marine plants and animals. The applications are huge ranging from enabling cancer treatments to seaweed farming.
• Oceanographer - It can be divided into four distinct areas: biological, physical, chemical and geological. Biological oceanographers examine microbes, plants and animals whereas physical oceanographers understand the ocean, its currents, circulation patterns etc. Chemical Oceanographers study the chemical composition of the ocean, the chemical profile and the ocean’s acidity. Geological oceanographers study the ocean beds and the rock movements on the ocean floor.
• Aquarist - They look after marine life in aquariums by maintaining their living environments.
• Hydrologist - They help environment scientists to study, preserve and clean the environment. They study the physical properties of water both on the surface and underground.
• Ichthyologist - An ichthyologist studies all fish species and their behaviour, reproductive habits etc. It entails educating the public about fish species and their conservation.
• Marine Mammalogist - He/she studies behaviour of marine mammals such as dolphins, porpoises, and other aquatic mammals such as polar bears, sea otters etc.
• Fishery Biologist - He / she studies fish species to increase the number of endangered species, help conserve natural habitats, effect the environment on life cycles of fish etc.
• Professor / Teacher - Marine biologists work in collaboration with universities and other educational institutions. In fact, many marine biologists opt to teach when the work is limited on-field especially in cold weather conditions.
  
  

How much are Marine Biologists paid?

A well qualified marine biologist graduating with top honours can command a good salary. Even as a fresher, a marine biologist can earn around Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per month in an Indian organisation and as much as Rs 75,000 to Rs 1,00,00/- in a foreign organisation.

What are the pros of becoming a Marine Biologist?

Pros

• Due to the rapid advancement in the field, there are a number of research opportunities both in India and abroad
• The work is exciting and adventurous as it involves extensive research and can lead to major breakthroughs
• Lot of scope for creativity and imaginative thinking
• It is a rewarding career as it can give total job satisfaction knowing that your work has legitimately made the world a better place
• You get to travel extensively to many different places across the world
• You may get to work with renowned scientists in the field and benefit from their guidance and knowledge
  
  

What are the cons of becoming a Marine Biologist?

Cons

• It is a competitive field that requires extensive knowledge, skill and training.
• The career progression can be slow as it can take years of research to complete a project
• It can be frustrating at times and it requires tremendous amount of patience to await the results of one’s research
• It requires entering marine bodies which can be intimidating and at times dangerous
• The pay may not be at par with the amount of work put in
• Creating a name for oneself and getting recognition can take decades
• Physically demanding conditions such as extreme heat or cold
• It might require you to stay away from family for long periods for the purpose of research
  
  

What does the work place of a marine biologist look like?

On-field workplaces can include research vessels, laboratories, oceanography centres, aquariums etc.

Some other unusual workplaces could also be swamps, mangroves, coral reefs, tide pools etc.

Laboratory work could entail interacting with Environmental Protection Agencies, non-profit organisations, drug / pharma companies etc.

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Eduberance is an Online Career Guidance Platform for School students. We have verified Career information with related course and institute details. We provide relevant approaches to career selection with our process of Explore, Reliase and Achieve.