Science officer internship
Today this training is part of our scholarship programme for young Filipinos, with every course and expense paid by MCP.
We no longer take international applicants for this programme. See what's open to you
Recording data along a survey transect
Other ways to join our science work
If you're not one of our scholars, these routes are open to you.
Doing it as a career step?
Many people took the science officer internship with paid work in conservation in mind. The internship is no longer open, but the path still exists. It just runs differently now. Long internships as a dive professional put people in the water with our science team for months. Many of them gravitate towards the science side and start teaching our survey methods after a while. A good number of our own interns have gone on to join us as paid staff, and some now work for other conservation NGOs.
Divemaster internship
8 to 24 weeks
Reach Divemaster level and join our survey team. Boost your CV with technical diving skills, and learn to teach.
About divemaster trainingInstructor internship
10 weeks or more
For PADI instructors, or divers working towards it. Some start as divemaster interns and grow into the role.
About instructor internshipsResearch internship
16 weeks or more
Independent research under a supervisor, for students and postgraduates in marine science and related fields.
About research internshipsVolunteering
6 to 24 weeks
Learn our survey methods and collect real reef data. New volunteers start every other Monday.
About volunteeringWhy the internship became a scholarship
For years, this was a six-month internship for international applicants. Interns learned our reef survey methods, then learned to train and lead volunteers in them. Close personal bonds formed, and just as interns had grown into capable colleagues, their six months were up. We felt the loss every time.
So we changed course: we hired additional full-time staff and no longer depend on interns. That lets us hold everyone to a professional standard, and gives good people a reason to stay for years.
The training itself lives on in our scholarship programme. It is much the same training, plus the full PADI pathway to Divemaster, and it goes to young Filipinos for whom dive training would otherwise be out of reach.
The scholarship at a glance
- Who takes part
- Filipino students on an MCP scholarship. It is not open to anyone else.
- Cost to scholars
- Nothing. MCP pays all fees and expenses.
- Length
- Seven months, full time
- Dive training
- PADI Open Water Diver through to Divemaster
- Science training
- Our fish, substrate, invertebrate and predation surveys, and how to lead volunteers in them
- How to apply
- Only when we open a new scholarship intake. There is no application form on this page.
From first dive to Divemaster
Every scholar works through the full PADI pathway with our own staff instructors, and MCP pays for each course and certification.
Open Water Diver
Breathing, buoyancy and safety, the foundations of every dive.
Advanced Open Water Diver
Deep and navigation dives, building the confidence survey work needs.
Emergency First Response
First aid and CPR, for the dive site and beyond.
Rescue Diver
Spotting problems early, and handling them when they happen.
Divemaster
PADI's first professional level: supervising dives and assisting instructors.
Alongside the courses: the science officer's job
The science training runs in parallel. It starts one-on-one with our science staff, and ends with scholars training and leading volunteers themselves.
In the water
- Our survey methods for fish, substrate, invertebrates and predation
- Safe conservation diving, to our own standards
- Leading volunteers on survey dives
On land
- Entering and checking survey data, and learning what it shows
- Presentations for volunteers on survey methods and marine life
- Afternoon activities and community events
- Weekly feedback meetings with a mentor
Meet Elyssa and Fatim
Elyssa and Fatim were chosen from more than a hundred applicants. Elyssa had just graduated in marine biology from Silliman University. Fatim, the daughter of a local fisherman, was already active in community work. Both qualified as PADI Divemasters and went on to teach and guide volunteers in our science programme.
“Spending my days now diving and teaching has brought me so much joy and fulfilment.”
Read their story“I learned how to guide scuba divers, how to remain calm in unpredictable situations, a ton about marine biology, and how to become a steward for the ocean.”
