Career Pathways

The Master of Oceanography has core units that seek to ensure students have strong interdisciplinary knowledge and technical skills to take advantage of diverse career opportunities in government, industry, consultancies and research institutions. The need for marine and coastal management, marine renewable energy, safe use of the ocean and aquaculture will require graduates with interdisciplinary knowledge of oceanography.

Job opportunities could include:

Oceanographer

Oceanographers broadly understand and inter-relate all aspects of the ocean. Examples include the processes that drive ocean currents, how the oceans regulate our climate, and the links between ocean chemistry and biological processes. Oceanographers are employed in many areas including companies who operate in the oceans, consulting companies who advise industry or government, and government agencies. Specific tasks oceanographers undertake may include:

• Understanding the physical, chemical and/or biological processes in the ocean
• Predicting oceanographic processes like waves and currents for a range of applications (e.g. industry-access and public-access forecasting)
• Studying the links and predicting the impacts of climate change on the ocean environment and biology
• Collecting and analysing oceanographic datasets
• Predicting how ocean processes impact a range of activities such as shipping, aquaculture, and marine renewables
• Assisting in the design of marine infrastructure
• Providing input to marine managers, governments, and the general public on how ocean processes impact a range of societal issues (e.g. marine parks)

Coastal Manager/Officer

Government agencies that have oversight or an interest in the coast typically employ coastal managers or officers. Coastal managers/officers are key to developing and enacting coastal planning measures and ensuring safe and continued access to the coast for the general public. As a coastal manager/officer your tasks may include:

• Developing short- and long-term plans to address coastal erosion and flooding associated with climate change
• Developing coastal erosion and inundation mitigation strategies
• Overseeing coastal mitigation works
• Assisting in the design of coastal protection structures, coastal access facilities, and marine facilitates (e.g. ports)
• Communicating coastal hazards to the general public and industries situated on the coast
• Rehabilitating and enhancing coastal and marine environments and habitats

Coastal and Oceanographic Consultant

Given the complexity of coastal and oceanographic processes many government agencies and industries hire specialised consultants to conduct studies and advise them on a range of activities. As a coastal or oceanographic consultant your tasks may include:

• Assessing and mitigating coastal erosion and inundation hazards
• Collecting and analysing marine and coastal data sets
• Advising government and industry on coastal and marine infrastructure design
• Deploying and delivering real-time data streams to inform marine operations
• Designing and enacting marine monitoring programs
• Developing and delivering marine forecasts
• Assessing marine impacts from proposed coastal and marine developments
• Designing and enacting mitigation strategies for industrial impacts to the marine environment
• Rehabilitating and enhancing coastal and marine environments and habitats

Other job opportunities may include:

• Coastal Geologist
• Meteorologist 
• Fisheries Scientist
• Marine Conservation Specialist
• Marine Geochemist
• Applied Ocean Scientist
• Climate Scientist
• Ocean Data Scientist