Employment Opportunities

Join our Team Join our Team

MarineQuest seeks enthusiastic and engaged environmental educators, professionals, students and marine scientists to join our team!

SCHOOL PROGRAM EMPLOYMENT

Summer Employment

School Program Employment

Application OPEN for 2024-25 School Year

We're looking for qualified assistants to help lead academic-based activities for individual and group participation during school field trips to the MarineQuest lab, local field sites, or at local schools.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Apply here

Summer Employment

Summer Staff Applications Opening December 13

Are you looking for a summer position in marine science education? MarineQuest will expand your science toolbox to include communicating science with youth and developing your technical skills (field and lab). For 45 years MarineQuest has provided serious science, fun-filled, academic week-long programs for ages 4-17 and multi-week programs for ages 15-17 in coastal North Carolina.

Explore the positions MarineQuest seeks to fill for the summer season.

Day Instructors & Specialty Staff
Overnight Instructors

Interested in the kind of work you'll be doing as a summer team member at MarineQuest? Check out our Summer Programs to learn more.

Keep scrolling to review position descriptions.

Summer Program Day Instructors and Specialty Staff

Become a part of a team of amazing informal educators with MarineQuest. Our instructors come from a variety of marine science and education backgrounds. Instructors implement a marine science curriculum developed by MarineQuest and collaborating experts.

Expectations of program instructors:

Learn and implement a program-specific curriculum for the student age group you are hired to lead.
Manage time to meet the program's scheduled agenda expectations.
Provide hands-on, experiential, science instruction for students.
Supervise students in the classroom, university lab spaces, field, and during transportation and meal times.
Work cooperatively with co-instructor, other MarineQuest instructors, and specialty staff.
Provide first aid to students.
Implement behavior management policies.
Some positions require instructors to drive passenger vans.

Qualifications:

Must be able to lead and participate in outdoor learning experiences (rain or shine, temperatures over 80 degrees).
Must have strong oral communication skills to communicate effectively with students, parents, co-workers, other university staff, and the general public.
Must demonstrate initiative and leadership qualities.
Must have previous experience and desire to work with youth.
Preference is given to candidates in (or have completed) a degree program related to marine sciences or environmental education.
Knowledge of local marine habitats is a plus.
CPR/First Aid is required.
Lifeguard Certification is preferred and in some cases required.

Expected work hours:

Half day: Monday - Friday 7:15am - 12:15pm
Full day: Monday - Thursday 7:15am - 4:30pm, & Friday 7:15am- 1:00pm.
Weekend: Friday 3:15pm - 9:30pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Terms of Employment:

Must be available June 2 - July 25 or August 8, 2025.
The pay rate ranges from $12 - $18 and depends on qualifications (UNCW-approved pay calculator).

Apply Here!

Program Day Instructors

Half Day Junior Program Instructor

Half-Day Program Instructor

The MarineQuest Half-Day Junior Program team works with our youngest students (Ages 4 - 7). For many students, this is their first introduction to the marine science world. Our tested junior program curriculums engage students in marine science topics from fish life cycles to invertebrate and vertebrate zoology. Instructors will learn and implement multiple titled programs throughout the summer.

Learn more about the half-day core programs by reviewing the program pages:

Small Fry (Ages 4 - 5)

Sea Squirts (Ages 5 - 6)

Sea Safari (Ages 6 - 7)

Siesta extended care (ages 5 - 7)

Full Day Junior Program Instructor

Full Day Program Instructor

MarineQuest Full Day Junior Program instructors keep our 7 - 8-year-old students busy! Instructors will lead students on a migratory journey along the North Carolina coast and an investigation into how climate change is impacting our treasured species as well as training students in aquaculture operations.

Learn the programs you would lead:

Coastal Cruisers

SEAkers

Coastal Protectors

Intermediate and Senior Program Day Instructor

Intermediate and Senior Day Program Instructors

Instructors leading our Intermediate and Senior programs provide students with opportunities to experience what being a scientist or engineer is like. Spend approximately half the day in the field and the other indoors teaching the MarineQuest curriculum. All curriculum is inquiry-based where students will ask questions, collect data, and make conclusions while conducting marine science research. Many of these programs involve trips on UNCW Research Vessels, visits to restricted UNCW science facilities, laboratory activities, and engagement with UNCW faculty. Instructors will learn and implement multiple titled programs throughout the summer.

Learn more about the core programming lines:

Mates (Ages 9 - 10)

TREK (Ages 10 - 12)

Ocean Lab (Ages 12 - 14)

Ocean Solutions (Ages 15 - 17)

Oceans 17 (Ages 17)

Dive Program Staff

Do you have a passion for marine science and research diving? The MarineQuest Dive Staff assists professional PADI Dive Instructors as they train students to earn their open water and specialty certifications. The dive staff is a part of the MarineQuest instructor team as they will lead various lessons out of the water including career, science, and skill-focused activities.

Learn more about the dive programs you would lead:

Dive Hawks (Ages 14 - 17)

MarineQuest Scientific Diver (Ages 15 - 17)

Weekend Instructor

The MarineQuest weekend instructors lead O.C.E.A.N.S. and Oceans 17 programs Friday night through Sunday night. Weekend activities include field excursions, service projects, kayaking, and other marine adventure-based activities. During the weekend MairneQuest aims to provide students with more recreational and bonding activities while maintaining a safe and academic environment.

Candidates must be at least 21, have a valid driver's license, and lifeguard certification.

Specialty Staff Positions

Marine Anatomy Lead

Lead Junior Program students in program-specific “lab investigations” ranging from simulated frog dissection to eel and fish dissections. Assist with intermediate program shark dissections and other marine anatomy content. This position will also lead marine debris impacts curriculum including notably Watson the Whale and Turtle Trash Collectors programming.

Boat Float and Fishing Staff

MarineQuest is looking for a team member who will lead our half-day junior program students on their salt marsh expedition aboard MQ's Boat Float (inflatable kayak) and municipal dock excursion. This position is responsible for transporting necessary materials to field sites and proper maintenance of inflatable kayaks. Additionally, this position will support the Marine Anatomy Lead with Watson the Whale (Fridays).

May be combined with other specialty roles.

Must be at least 21, have a valid driver's license, and lifeguard certification.

Equipment Manager

The equipment manager is responsible for the maintenance of all MarineQuest field tools. This includes seine nets, dip nets, life jackets, and fishing poles. They will ensure all equipment is cleaned and maintained throughout the summer and fix things as they break. They will assist with boat float, kayak, and fishing.

Overnight Instructors

Become a part of a team of an amazing overnight pre-college program with MarineQuest. Led by the Overnight Coordinator, the overnight instructor team supervises overnight students during free time, dinner, leads educational evening activities, and is present for any overnight emergencies. Overnight students supervised range from 9 to 17 years old. Evening programming includes marine science, career-focused, and leadership-themed activities.

Our overnight instructors come from a variety of educational backgrounds in STEM, psychology, and teaching. Instructors implement activities developed by MarineQuest and oversee students in residential hall settings. Overnight instructors are required to live in the residential hall for the duration of programming.

Expectations of overnight instructors:

Learn and implement program-specific curriculum.
Manage time to meet the program's scheduled agenda expectations.
Supervise students in the residential hall, university lab spaces, field, and during transportation and meal times.
Work cooperatively with other instructors and specialty staff.
Provide first aid to students.
Implement behavior management policies.
Some positions require instructors to drive passenger vans.

Qualifications:

Must be able to lead and participate in outdoor learning experiences (rain or shine, temperatures over 80 degrees).
Must have strong oral communication skills to communicate effectively with students, parents, co-workers, other university staff, and the general public.
Must demonstrate initiative and leadership qualities.
Must have previous experience and desire to work with youth.
Preference is given to candidates who have previous experience working in overnight camp or campus life positions such as an RA.
CPR/First Aid is required.
Lifeguard Certification is preferred and in some cases required.

Expected work hours:

Sunday 2:00pm - 10:30pm, Monday - Thursday 6:30am - 8:30am & 3:30pm - 10:30pm, Friday 6:30am - 9:00am.
Occasion Friday/Saturday overtime opportunities.

Terms of Employment:

Required to live in the residential hall for the duration of employment (June 1 - July 26, 2025).
Must be available June 2 - July 25, 2025.
The pay rate ranges from $12 - $15 and depends on qualifications (UNCW-approved pay calculator).

learn more about overnight programs

Apply here!

^“ As part of MarineQuest, I was able to share with Sea GEMS my research conducted in Antarctica. They were surprised to learn that I paid my way by working on a cruise ship. Developing Sea GEMS was a fantastic experience. ^”

Dr. Rebecka Brassp Sea GEMS Instructor