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Research Assistant
WiseOceans Ltd
Multiple locations
Posted on Mar 9, 2026
Research Assistant
Programme overview
Operation Wallacea (Opwall)’s Marine Research Assistant programmes let volunteers spend a few weeks anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks working on real-world marine-conservation research at various sites around the world. Opwall has positions available in Indonesia (the Coral Triangle), Madagascar (Nosy Be), Honduras (Utila), Mexico (Akumal Bay), Croatia (Silba Island) and South Africa (Sodwana Bay).
Participants receive training (for example in reef-ecology, snorkelling or diving) and learn survey techniques such as fish and benthic community assessments, stereo-video reef surveys, reef 3D-modelling, and data collection/analysis that feed into long-term biodiversity monitoring and published scientific research. Research assistants work alongside experienced field biologists and academics, contributing to data that may inform conservation management and scientific publications, while gaining practical field experience.
About the organisation
Operation Wallacea (Opwall) is an international biodiversity-research organisation that partners with universities, scientists, and local communities to run large, long-term conservation projects around the world. The expeditions combine real scientific research with volunteer involvement, allowing students and other participants to help collect ecological data on coral reefs and other ecosystems. This research supports wildlife monitoring, conservation planning, and publications that aim to protect threatened habitats while also providing hands-on training and experience for anyone interested in science and conservation.
About the programme
If you are already a qualified diver and join our projects as a research assistant, you would spend your first week on site taking part in an ecology course designed to give you the skills you need to collect data underwater before joining our research teams.
If you have no diving experience, then no problem! You can choose to do your PADI Open Water Course with us on site during your first week, before improving your scientific diving skills and helping with our research.
Research assistants are involved with a wide variety of surveys, and will complete two dives per day, as well as being involved with data input and a series of scientific lectures.
Location
Research positions are available in Honduras, Mexico, Indonesia, Croatia, Madagascar and South Africa.
Duration
Our programmes run during the months of June, July and August. Participants can join for a duration of 2-6 weeks.
Costs and pre-requisites
2 weeks £1785 $2320
3 weeks £2676 $3480
4 weeks £3260 $4240
5 weeks £4075 $5300
6 weeks £4455 $5796
What’s included
Expedition fees cover food and accommodation on site, and any training, research and diving activities. The fees also go towards paying science equipment for the surveys you are carrying out. It does not cover your international flights or internal travel from the airport to the site, although our in house team of experts can help you book these.
How to apply
There are no prerequisites to joining an expedition. Just that you have a passion for marine life and conservation! You can make a booking by following this link: https://www.opwall.com/make-a-booking/
For any questions please contact expeditions@opwall.com