As part of our review of different careers, we take a look at how to become a marine biologist. We also take a look at what it is that a marine biologist does and what skills and attributes are required to become a marine biologist.
What Does a Marine Biologist Do?
Marine biology is the study of marine organisms. It's learning how they behave and how they interact with the environment around them. There are also many different career paths you can take within marine biology, such as microbiology, a behavioural ecologist, system analyst, aquarist or geneticist. You can even go down the route of doing a combination of these things. Either way, life as a marine biologist provides plenty of options.
The research that marine biologists do helps us to understand the sea's entire eco-system and allows us to help conserve the oceans and put relevant laws into place.
As a marine biologist, you could work for the government, private companies or specialist marine biologist organisations and your work could take place either out at sea, or in an office or a laboratory. It is also possible to work in zoos and aquariums studying the life forms that come from the sea, and their behaviour.
The day to day tasks of a marine biologist might include managing budgets and planning future research, collecting marine samples, analysing findings, testing new theories and conducting research and publishing papers and creating presentations to share your findings.
Both the location of your job and the hours that you work will vary entirely depending on what it is you are doing and who you are working for.
Is Becoming a Marine Biologist Right For Me?
To become a marine biologist you will need the following skills and attributes:
- A logical and mathematical mind
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Inquisitive with an ability to observe details
- Methodical
How Much Can a Marine Biologist Earn?
The salary for a marine biologist can vary greatly depending on who you're working for and what you're working on. A typical starting salary is around £22,000 a year with salaries rising up to £45,000 a year.
What Qualifications Do I Need To Become a Marine Biologist?
To become a marine biologist you need a degree in marine biology. To get on to this degree course you will need five GCSE's grade A-C and a minimum of three A-Levels in a relevant subject.
