Careers & More: Citizen Science And Volunteering | NOAA Fisheries

Careers & More: Citizen Science And Volunteering | NOAA Fisheries Careers & More Careers & More Join a team of more than 4,000 employees who support the stewardship of the nation's ocean resources and habitat. Find open positions in a wide range of fields. From marine biologists to engineers and policymakers to educators, NOAA Fisheries employs people in a wide range of fields. Our 4,200 employees support stewardship of the nation’s ocean resources and habitat. More Information Federal Employment Opportunities at NOAA Fisheries Application Information for NOAA Fisheries Jobs USA Jobs Application Tool NOAA Careers Veteran & Conservation Corps Opportunities Looking for a Career in Marine Life? Look at NOAA From marine biologists to engineers and policymakers to educators, NOAA Fisheries employs people in a wide range of fields. Career Paths NOAA Fisheries provides diverse career opportunities for anyone interested in supporting our mission. Careers at NOAA Fisheries support productive and sustainable fisheries, safe sources of seafood, recovery and conservation of protected resources, and healthy ecosystems. Careers with NOAA Fisheries fall into three categories: science, resource management, and mission support. These careers benefit from a wide variety of educational backgrounds and experience. Often, a background in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) is useful for science and resource management careers. Read below to learn more about the different types of careers at NOAA Fisheries and the people who work hard to support our mission. Science Careers Our scientists conduct research and gather data on marine life to help inform the agency’s conservation and management. Sometimes they are in the field or lab using advanced technology to collect data and observe marine mammals. Sometimes they work in an office using database tools and software, building models and showing results. They often have advanced degrees in biology, chemistry, oceanography, economics, and the social sciences. They excel at tasks such as: Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data Research design and engineering data collection solutions Statistics and statistical programs Technical science writing Learn more about some common science careers with NOAA Fisheries below and meet Fisheries employees who work in these roles! Data Scientist Economist Fisheries Biologist Mechanical Engineer Microbiologist Research Veterinary Medical Officer Research Zoologist Social Scientist Learn more about these careers and meet our scientists Watch how one of our fisheries biologists got started with his career: Resource Management Careers Resource management positions support and execute the agency’s regulatory mission and domestic and international policy priorities. This includes establishing policy and regulations and operating management-based programs. Many of these careers require advanced degrees and analytical skills to interpret the science and apply it to marine resource management actions. These positions benefit from degrees in the fields of policy, law, economics, biology, ecology, fisheries, natural resource management, or related disciplines. Professionals working in this field often excel at: Collaborating with diverse groups of people and organizations Practicing, interpreting, and/or implementing natural resource law and policy Writing, reviewing, and editing legal documents and policies Engaging external stakeholders in natural resource management efforts Some examples of resource management careers include: Program Analyst Grants Program Manager Habitat Restoration Specialist Marine Mammal Response Program Coordinator Natural Resource Lawyer Natural Resource Policy Specialist Foreign Affairs Specialist Permits Specialist Learn more about these careers and meet our resource managers Mission Support Careers Mission support careers serve in roles throughout our headquarters program offices, regional offices, and science centers. They are essential to ensuring we are successful at achieving our mission. People working in mission support come from diverse educational backgrounds, including finance, human resources, biology, communications, education, computer science, and software engineering. They may excel at tasks such as: Coordinating external outreach and promotion for science-based programs Using science communication skills to inform the general public about scientific projects, research, and priorities Preparing budget estimates Developing web development content Coordinating diverse groups of people to promote a central mission or achieve a goal Some examples of mission support careers include: Acquisition Management Specialist Administrative Assistant Application Developer Communications Specialist Education and Outreach Coordinator Human Resources Manager Information Technology Specialist Tribal Research Coordinator Learn more about these careers and meet our mission support professionals Diverse Career Paths at NOAA Fisheries Learn about the diverse career paths at NOAA Fisheries. More Information Science Careers Resource Management Careers Mission Support Careers Resources for Job Seekers and Students Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS) Pay Administration and Tables Frequent Questions: Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS) Internships and More Do you want to work alongside world-class scientists and engineers? Do you want to gain hands-on experience with the latest oceanographic technology? NOAA offers many educational opportunities to students, especially those studying science and the environment. Our internships, fellowships, and scholarships provide students with opportunities to learn about careers important to the management and conservation of marine species. NOAA Student Opportunities Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program More than 100 undergraduate students receive tuition support and paid summer internships with NOAA across the country each year. Learn more about Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program Learn more about past Hollings Scholar projects at NOAA Fisheries Educational Partnership Program The NOAA Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions is a federal STEM education and future workforce program for NOAA and NOAA mission-related enterprises. Learn more about Educational Partnership Program NOAA College-Supported Internship Program NOAA partners with colleges to provide undergraduate students college-funded summer internship opportunities. NOAA provides students experience in science, policy, and science communications. Learn more about NOAA College-Supported Internship Program NOAA Fisheries Student Opportunities K–12 Career Interest Programs NOAA Fisheries partners with organizations to offer many programs to give the public a better understanding of our oceans, to inspire youth to pursue careers in science and stewardship, and to reach communities traditionally underrepresented in science. Find student programs and opportunities Higher Education—Undergraduate Students NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center This Center in Maryland trains marine science students from underrepresented communities for careers in research, management, and public policy that support the sustainable harvest and conservation of our nation's living marine resources. Learn more NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center Regional NOAA Fisheries Undergraduate Internship Opportunities We place interns in the following regions, but the opportunities are open to anyone anywhere around the country. For more educational opportunities, connect with your local NOAA Fisheries education and outreach specialist Alaska and West Coast Alaska Fisheries Science Center (Alaska—Juneau, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, Anchorage; Oregon—Newport; Washington—Seattle) partners with the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies to provide internships. Northwest Fisheries Science Center Internships (Washington—Seattle, Mukilteo, Manchester, Pasco; Oregon—Pt. Adams, Newport) provide excellent career training opportunities at the Center's headquarters in Seattle, WA and at five research stations throughout Washington and Oregon. Northeast Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (Woods Hole, Massachusetts) provides a path for underrepresented minorities into marine and environmental sciences. Rising juniors and seniors conduct 10-week research projects with scientists at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center and at other partner institutions in Woods Hole. Atlantic Salmon Ecosystems Research Team Internships (Orono, Maine) offer paid work study opportunities through an agreement with the University of Maine's College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture and School of Marine Science. Southeast Southeast Fisheries Science Center Internships include opportunities for current undergraduates and recent university graduates. Higher Education—Graduate Students Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program This scholarship recognizes outstanding scholarship and encourages independent graduate-level research—particularly by female and minority students—in NOAA mission-related sciences. Learn more about Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program Legal Internships and Externships with NOAA General Counsel Current law students pursuing a J.D. or LLM develop legal skills under the supervision of experienced attorneys, such as conducting legal research, drafting memoranda, developing written and oral communication skills in settings with attorneys and staff within the agency, and counseling and advising agency clients. Learn more about legal internships and externships with NOAA General Counsel National Science Foundation Graduate Research Internship Program This program provides internship opportunities at NOAA to National Science Foundation graduate fellows and students. Learn more about the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Internship Program NOAA Graduate Research and Training Scholarship Program This program helps establish a pipeline of well-trained and educated individuals who attend minority-serving institutions and earn degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines that support NOAA’s mission. Learn more about NOAA Graduate Research and Training Scholarship Program NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship The NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship provides 2 to 3 years of support for PhD students pursuing doctoral degrees directly in or related to marine resource economics, population dynamics, and ecosystem dynamics. Learn more about the NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship NOAA Fisheries Quantitative Ecology and Socioeconomics Training Program The QUEST program supports educating and training the next generation of ecosystem scientists, stock assessment scientists, and economists. QUEST connects faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates with NOAA Fisheries scientists and provides educational training in the fields of quantitative ecology and socioeconomics. Learn more about NOAA Fisheries Quantitative Ecology and Socioeconomics Training Program Scott B. Gudes Public Service Graduate Scholarship in Marine Resource Conservation This scholarship is awarded to masters or doctoral students pursuing a degree in a NOAA Fisheries-related discipline whose research has a strong potential to contribute to the advancement of marine resource conservation and who have played exemplary roles in public service. Learn more about Scott B. Gudes Public Service Graduate Scholarship in Marine Resource Conservation Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a 1-year paid fellowship in Washington, District of Columbia, to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. Learn more about the Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Federal Job Postings for Students and Recent Graduates The Pathways Programs offer clear paths to federal internships, including any available internships in NOAA Fisheries, for students from high school through post-graduate school and to careers for recent graduates. Learn more about Federal Job Postings for Students and Recent Graduates Other Programs Connected to NOAA Fisheries High School The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program This program is a paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing the disciplines of fisheries science, marine biology, and STEM-related fields. Learn more about The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program Student Opportunities at NOAA for K-12 and Higher Education Find NOAA internship, fellowship, scholarship, and training opportunities for K-12 and higher education students. More Information More NOAA Student Opportunities Dept. of Commerce Student Opportunities Sea Grant Guide to Marine Careers Citizen Science and Volunteering Participate in Citizen Science From tagging fish to reporting sightings of sea turtles, there are many ways the public can participate in citizen science to support NOAA Fisheries’ mission. Citizen science is a type of volunteering in which individuals or organizations participate in one or more aspects of the scientific process. This work can also be known as community science, volunteer monitoring, and public participation in scientific research, among other names. In some cases you can participate remotely by using your computer or smartphone to analyze images of fish. In other cases you can participate in-person by reporting sightings of sea turtles. Volunteer observations have helped inform marine resource management efforts for several decades and continue to play a vital role in NOAA Fisheries’ research and monitoring. NOAA has more than 60 projects listed in the Federal Citizen Science Catalog Image A volunteer participates in the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program. Credit: Verena Gill/NOAA Fisheries Citizen Science Opportunities Nationwide Be a marine scientist from anywhere—even your couch! These opportunities are available nationwide and remotely or virtually. OceanEYEs Species of Focus: Hawaiʻi’s “Deep 7” Bottomfish Location: Virtual/Remote The OceanEYEs project is a partnership between the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center and Zooniverse.org. Through this program, citizen scientists collect data to help enhance the management of Hawaiʻi’s “Deep 7” bottomfish complex. Get involved with OceanEYEs FISHstory Species of Focus: Recreationally and commercially significant South Atlantic fish species Location: The pilot project focused on photos from Daytona Beach, FL but the project is expanding to include photos from the South Atlantic U.S. waters–from North Carolina through the Florida Keys. Photos can be submitted by anyone. FISHstory collects historic dock photos taken in the South Atlantic from the 1940s–1970s. These photos help to fill important data gaps in for-hire South Atlantic fisheries before dedicated catch monitoring began in the 1970s. Photos contributed and analyzed by citizen scientists help to provide insight on changes in overall catches, seasonality of catches, and changes over time in the size of fish caught. FISHstory was developed through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Citizen Science Program Have historic fishing photos to contribute to FISHstory? Contact julia.byrd@safmc.net or join the project. Get Involved with FISHStory Citizen Science Opportunities by Region Alaska Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program Species of Focus: Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Location: Cook Inlet, Alaska The Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program is a NOAA Fisheries-led monitoring program that facilitates collaboration between organizations, communities, and individuals to collect standardized shore-based observational data on Cook Inlet beluga whales. Get involved with the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program Image Volunteer citizen scientists help monitor endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales in Alaska. Credit: Verena Gill/NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Honu Count Species of Focus: Green Sea Turtle Location: Hawaiʻi Honu, or Hawaiian green sea turtles, are one of the most culturally and ecologically important species living in the waters of the Hawaiian archipelago. Citizen scientists participating in the Honu Count help NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program to assess the health, migrations, population status, and critical foraging habitats of Hawaiian honu. Get involved with Honu Count Image Honu with shell etchings basking at Laniākea Beach on Oʻahu’s north shore. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Camryn Allen New England/Mid-Atlantic Region Image Tagging a sand tiger shark in the water. Credit: NOAA Fisheries Cooperative Shark Tagging Program Species of Focus: Atlantic sharks Location: New England/Mid-Atlantic region Initiated in 1962, the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program is one of the oldest citizen science programs in NOAA Fisheries. It is a collaborative effort between recreational anglers, the commercial fishing industry, and NOAA Fisheries to learn more about the life history of Atlantic sharks. Get Involved Volunteer information Call toll-free: (877) 826-2612 Found a shark tag? Southeast Region Cooperative Tagging Program Species of Focus: Billfish, tuna, and swordfish Location : Atlantic, Gulf of America, and Caribbean Initiated in 1954, the Cooperative Tagging Program is one of the longest running tag and release programs for highly migratory species in the world. To date, volunteers have deployed more than 270,000 tags on more than 70 species of fish. The data help to inform international stock assessments of tunas and billfishes. Get Involved Do you catch and release billfish, tuna, or swordfish in the Atlantic, Gulf of America, and Caribbean? You can be a volunteer for this program! To request a free tagging kit, email tagging@noaa.gov or call (800) 437-3936. South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Release Species of Focus: Grouper and Red Snapper Location: South Atlantic region (North Carolina through the Florida Keys) The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Release project partners with commercial, for-hire, and recreational fishers to collect data on released shallow water groupers and Red Snapper using the free mobile app SciFish. Through the project, anglers provide valuable information to help better understand the size and survival rates of released fish. It  was developed through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Citizen Science Program . The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council is the only Fisheries Management Council to operate a citizen science program. Get Involved with South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Release West Coast Region California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program Species of Focus: Rockfish and other Groundfish Location: California The California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program is a community-based science program involving six California universities, captains and crew from 36 sport fishing vessels, more than 2,000 volunteer anglers, and various conservation and resource management agencies. The goal of this project is to collect data to help evaluate the status of nearshore fish stocks, monitor California’s network of marine protected areas, understand how climate change is impacting marine resources in California, and more. Get involved with the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program Image Volunteer angler Ken Y. (right) and science crew member Rachel B. (left) of the California Cooperative Fisheries Research Program hold a lingcod. Ryan F. (far right) records data on the catch and individual fish. Credit: Moss Landing Marine Laboratories - Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab Volunteering Volunteer Opportunities Nationwide Share a story for the Voices Oral History Archives database to provide primary information for researchers interested in our local, human experience with the surrounding marine environment. Volunteer to protect national marine sanctuaries , helping to ensure that they remain America’s underwater treasures for future generations. Volunteer Opportunities by Region New England/Mid-Atlantic Region At-Sea Research Vessel Surveys in the Northeast Woods Hole Science Aquarium West Coast Region West Coast Volunteering Opportunities At-Sea Surveys on the West Coast Pacific Islands Pacific Islands Volunteer Opportunities PRA Statement : NOAA is working with the White House Office of Management and Budget to develop an agency-wide information collection request for its citizen science projects to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Citizen Science and Volunteer Opportunities at NOAA Find opportunities across the country to help protect critical habitats as a volunteer or collect valuable data as a citizen scientist. More Information Science and Technology Focus Areas