Marine biologist

Study ocean animals, plants and ecosystems to increase our knowledge and understanding of biology and the environment.

Also known as: microbiologist, marine mammalogist, marine ecologist, ichthyologist, fishery biologist, biological technician

About the job

Salary (before tax)

Weekly (average)

Monthly (average)

Yearly (average)

£800

£3,200

£41,600

Weekly (average)

£800

Monthly (average)

£3,200

Yearly (average)

£41,600

Salary figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland.

Source:

LMI for All

A day in the life – Marine biologist

What it's like

You'll study ocean animals, plants and ecosystems to increase our knowledge and understanding of the environment, genetics, and animal or plant biology.

It's a wide and varied area to work in. You could choose to study fish, mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates that rely on the ocean to survive. Or you could focus on the ocean’s plants, algae, fungi or coral. You'll develop strategies to protect marine biodiversity.

Sometimes, marine biologists work in renewable energy. For example, you might study the ocean nearby an offshore wind project to make sure it minimises its ecological risk.

Your tasks might include:

working on research projects to observe and better understand ocean animals, plants and ecosystems
protecting and conserving sealife
developing and managing marine resources
supporting the conservation and sustainable management of fish stocks or the marine environment
writing up and publishing the findings from your research
presenting your findings at conferences or teaching at a university

Green job

In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.