UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

We have a unique opportunity for recent graduates!

The Socioecology Research and Engagement Fellowship is a one-year, entry-level bridge experience for recent bachelor's graduates (earned within the last two years) looking to gain hands-on experience before entering a professional career or graduate school.

Based on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia, the fellow will contribute to research on environmental literacy and community resilience while leading PreK-12 marine education programs and public outreach. Key responsibilities combine social science research, community science, GIS analysis, and environmental teaching. On-site housing is provided.

Learn more and apply at https://gacoast.uga.edu/careers/

What if one of Georgia’s most abundant marine species could help solve problems far beyond the ocean? 🪼

Two of our research trainees — recent graduate Gina Fimiano and doctoral student Joinul Islam with UGA Food Science & Technology — are investigating how jellyfish byproducts can be converted into sustainable materials with commercial potential.

Learn more at the link below!

The future is jelly - UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant How UGA researchers are finding new uses for cannonball jellyfish, creating opportunities for sustainability and economic growth along Georgia’s coast.

Our team at the Coastal Ecology Lab is hiring for two positions!

• Coastal Ecology Research Staff
This is a permanent, full-time position requiring a minimum one-year commitment starting in August/September. Beyond leading field crews on winter gopher tortoise and indigo snake surveys, this role includes long-term duties like data analysis, GIS mapping, and contributing to published research.

• Gopher Tortoise Survey – Seasonal Technician
This is a temporary position running from August/September through March/April. The role focuses primarily on hands-on winter field surveys (walking transects, using burrow cameras, and traveling overnight) alongside basic data management and GIS mapping support.

Learn more and apply at https://gacoast.uga.edu/careers/

Join our leadership team!

We are seeking an Associate Director of Education to be based out of the Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island. This non-tenured public service faculty position provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the center, including supervision of personnel, facilities, vessels, and vehicles. The role leads the design, delivery, and evaluation of marine education programs aligned with institutional priorities and National Sea Grant initiatives, while fostering partnerships across university units, government agencies, and community stakeholders.

Qualified candidates should demonstrate expertise in informal education leadership, team management, and coastal issues relevant to Georgia.

Applicants should submit their materials by Sept. 1, 2026, for full consideration. Learn more and apply at gacoast.uga.edu/careers/

Reminder that applications are open for the Oyster Outreach Fellowship! This is a unique opportunity for grad students to lead coastal conservation, education, and community engagement along the Georgia coast. Led by ECO Georgia in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and our UGA Shellfish Research Lab and Oyster Hatchery, this fellow will play a key role in advancing the Georgia Oyster Resiliency Initiative.

Learn more and submit your application at https://bit.ly/4ynreVP

Grad students: we have a new state fellowship opportunity! 🦪

Applications are now open for the Oyster Outreach Fellowship, a unique opportunity to lead coastal conservation, education, and community engagement along the Georgia coast. Led by ECO in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and our UGA Shellfish Research Lab and Oyster Hatchery, this fellow will play a key role in advancing the Georgia Oyster Resiliency Initiative.

The primary focus of this role is education and outreach, connecting with K through 12 students to highlight the many job opportunities on our working waterfronts through hands-on exposure to oyster fisheries and restoration work. Beyond the classroom, this fellow will drive community engagement throughout the coastal Georgia region by working closely with potential growers, consumers, and the seafood industry, including local restaurants, to ensure that scientific knowledge translates into sustainable growth and healthy coastal ecosystems.

If you are passionate about marine science, environmental education, and community-driven impact, we invite you to apply for this position by August 16, 2026. You can learn more about the Oyster Outreach Fellowship and submit your application at https://bit.ly/4ynreVP

A huge reason to celebrate! Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is officially the 27th World Heritage Site in the United States, and the first ever in the state of Georgia. Our friends at the Okefenokee Swamp have been working towards this designation for years and it's incredible to see it become a reality.

Since 2017, our UGA Coastal Ecology Lab team has conducted fieldwork at Okefenokee Swamp to better understand what American Alligators need to thrive, and how to protect them from future threats.

After 44 years, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has been inscribed as the 27th World Heritage Site in the United States! 💫

✅ the very first ever managed by the National Wildlife Refuge System
✅ the first in the state of Georgia
✅ the second in Florida

It is the first natural site added to the U.S. list in more than 30 years.

This is an incredible moment, only made possible because of you believing it was possible. To our partners, our investors, our community, and the incredible staff who steward this refuge every day, thank you for walking this 44-year journey with us.

The Okefenokee is home to 1200+ unique species of plants and animals, and the largest remaining undisturbed peat deposit on the North American Coastal Plain. It is truly a place unlike anywhere else on Earth, and is now recognized as one of the world's most treasured landscapes.

We cannot wait to welcome you here. Come experience the wonder of the Okefenokee for yourself. 🌿🐊🛶