Lizard Island Scientific Diving Assistant

Exciting scientific diving opportunity

Note: applications due 30 November 2021

Looking for a research assistant volunteer to help with my PhD research project at Lizard Island to start mid/late January 2022 until mid/late March 2022! It is in the northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. You will ideally be living in Queensland because of the current covid-19 travel situation. Also note: obviously if things change, we may need to cancel the trip.

Do you want to learn research skills while helping a PhD student with cool research? My assistant would be my dive buddy and would help me with every part of my project. Then we would spend evenings having a sunset beer, playing cards, eating dinner, and enjoying the beautiful scenery on a remote island. If you aren’t hooked yet, I’ll add this, I study adorable little fish and dive 1-3 times a day almost every day! Do you want to “live” underwater? I think this is closest you can get.

My Lizard Island fellowship covers flights from Australia and accommodation for assistant. You will be responsible for food money, but we shop together and split the bill, so it will be cheap. Want to put on some dive assistant gloves and be my buddy?

Now living on a remote island is a lot of fun, but there are a few things for you to realize. To get to the island it takes a chartered plane (40km from coast and 300km from Cairns), and food gets shipped in by boat. We will each switch off cooking (so you need to know how to cook basic meals). There is no opportunity to go to the mainland during the entirety of the trip. It will be middle of summer in Australia so it will be hot, but you will be underwater and will enjoy the warmth. Plus the facilities are amazing! Check out the research station at: https://australianmuseum.net.au/get-involved/amri/lirs/

To qualify, you will need to have your own gear but we might be able to borrow some from my University of Wollongong. The work will involve long dives two to three times a day for the whole time, so you will need to handle long days and still have fun. Of course it is shallow diving, and I love it! I am seeking an individual with a positive attitude who is always happy to help, reliable, hard working, and patient.

You will need the minimum following certifications:

• Minimum rescue diver certificate, preferably with a Statement of Attainment (the statement of attainment is required if you are not australian resident)

• Current AS2299 dive medical or equivalent (it is usually a chest xray and 2hr doctor visit. quite simple)

• Logbook showing a minimum of 30 hours of logged dives, including either (1) four within the past 12 months OR (2) six within past 18 months and one within past 6 months (If not australian resident then you need 60hrs logged dives, not 30hrs)

• Current first aid qualification, including CPR

• Current medical oxygen provider qualification

Please email me at cymf988(at)uowmail.edu.au with your CV/resume, diving experience, answers to the questions above, and three references (one reference should be dive buddy, make sure to add each of their email addresses please).

How much scientific diving experience do you have in total?

How many dives have you completed in the last 6 months (# dives, dive hrs, depths)? What about in the last 12 months?

When was your last dive?

How many total hours of diving do you have?

When did you get your highest dive qualifications?

Where have you been diving before?

What is one of your most memorable diving experiences?

Where are you currently based out of?

Do you have any health conditions that I need to be aware of?