Becoming an Intern

My Marine Technician Career Path 

by KAITLYN BEARDSHEAR

MATE Intern in 2020

 

 

My Marine Technician Career Path 

by Emily Shimada

MATE Long-term Intern in 2018

Hear from other marine technicians and a MATE intern why they chose marine technology as a career and what their life is like at work:

Tour the research vessel the Hugh R. Sharp and see where marine technicians and interns eat, sleep, and work:  [Please note that Tami is no longer the internship coordinator, please do not contact her - but the rest of the videos have good information]

Link to the embedded video.

You can also see what life is like on a research vessel by watching two videos created using clips from past MATE interns:

Link to the embedded video  

Link to the embedded video                    

To receive internship announcements, please fill out the internship contact form.

To see a list of the Knowledge and Skills Interns typically learn click here.

 

UNOLS-MATE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM - SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Always be well prepared by practicing answering sample interview questions!

  1. Tell us about yourself – goals, program of study, coursework, work experiences, hobbies, skills – that you feel make you a good fit for the MATE Internship Program.
  2. What types of training and/or transferable skills do you possess that can help support oceanographic research operations?
  3. How will this internship fit into your future career plan(s)?
  4. What can you tell us about your shipboard experiences - what kind of, size ships you've been on or worked on, cruises you've taken, how long, what type of crew?
  5. What is your approach to contributing to safety while working on deck? How do you define situational awareness?
  6. How do you deal with extensive periods being away from home/at-sea?
  7. Have you experienced seasickness in the past and how did you manage it?
  8. Describe in detail any experience you have working with oceanographic gear/instrumentation, or other tools and equipment (including working with ROVs, sensors, other data collection instrumentation, engines, pumps, or other similar systems)?
  9. Describe a detailed description of a technical, electrical, and/or engineering project you have been involved with from start to finish.
  10. Tell us about one of your most rewarding experiences in the field of marine engineering or technology, or in another related field?
  11. Tell us about a time when you had to troubleshoot a problem and how you handled it, working alone or with others.
  12. Tell us about a time when you had to deal with a challenge in school/work and how you overcame or dealt with it; what you learned from that experience.
  13. What is your approach to dealing with a difficult workplace situation like a disagreement between coworkers or breakdown in communication?
  14. What is your approach to taking direction and dealing with constructive criticism?
  15. How do you effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds that don't share your perspectives or experiences, and have different styles of communication?
  16. Do you have any questions for us?

 

Three MATE Internship Alumni (Gregg Diffendale 2008, current Hercules ROV Pilot, Alex Kavanaugh, 2011, current Argus ROV Pilot, Rachel Gaines, 2011, current Argus ROV Pilot) and 2012 intern Tara Willis on the E/V Nautilus
For more information on life on a research vessel, check out these videos, blogs, and photos!

Funding for this REU site is provide by the National Science Foundation’s Division of Ocean Science's located in Arlington, VA.