Reef Conservation Internship
Programme overview
Our internship program is designed for anyone interested in pursuing a career in the marine biology or conservation field and wants to get hands-on experience. Through the internship, you will not only receive training and plenty of practice in diving and conservation techniques, but you will also help to lead and engage new students in our activities.
About the organisation
The New Heaven Reef Conservation Program (NHRCP) was founded in 2007 by Conservation Diver founder Chad Scott, New Heaven Dive School manager Devrim Zahir and owner p’Kaen Zahir, to teach divers about coral reef ecology, research, and restoration. We believe that the people most closely connected to the reef should be the ones that care for it, and so are trying to get more and more divers involved in marine education and conservation. As a for profit business, our focus is on protecting and enriching the coral reefs while providing education and training for those wishing to develop, contribute to, or pursue a career in fields related to marine coastal management and protection. Our program directly contributes to the conservation of Thailand’s coral reefs through research and monitoring, reporting, mitigation, as well as active and passive restoration around the island of Koh Tao.
Our education and certification program is designed to give participants a hands-on approach to learning about the coral reef environment and a wide range of research and restoration techniques used by professionals around the world. Participants in our program range from gap year students wanting to learn something new and give back on their holiday, to seasoned dive instructors wanting to learn.
The New Heaven Reef Conservation Program is responsible for much of the marine protection or related activities and on-going maintenance around the island of Koh Tao, working closely with the local community and government groups such as the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Department of Fisheries. Students in our program assist on a wide range of our ongoing projects, allowing them to immediately apply and practice the skills learned.
About the programme
During your first month, you will take part in our Reef Conservation Course, designed to give you a strong foundation in marine science and ecology. Mornings are spent in lectures covering topics such as coral taxonomy, shark ecology, and our ecological monitoring program. After a short lunch break, we head out to dive, followed by a debrief to discuss the dive and record any data. The program runs Monday to Friday, with five dives per week, leaving weekends free to explore the island.
After completing the course, you will transition into a more hands-on role. Interns can support ongoing research projects or develop an independent project aligned with their interests. Example intern projects include studying sea turtle growth rates in local bays and comparing fish communities on artificial reefs versus natural reef systems. We also offer opportunities to contribute to education, outreach, and community engagement initiatives.
Some of our current project include:
- Whale shark identification project
- Coral growth monitoring on artificial reef structures
- Blacktip reef shark population studies
- Drupella sea snail population assessments
- Mapping coral disease abundance
Interns are an integral part of our conservation work. Over the years, we have welcomed hundreds of students and interns. We believe that each person brings something valuable to our team. Every student in our program also helps to further our research and restoration activities, but it is the interns who have historically done the most to make the projects underwater happen, and also helped to evolve our program to where it is today.
Location
Koh Tao lies in The Gulf of Thailand, on the eastern coast of the country. Approx. 600km from Bangkok, Koh Tao is easily accessible from all parts of the country. Thailand is well known for its ease of travel. Depending on your start point we can give you some of the best options to reach the island.
Duration
The internship consists of the 4 Week Conservation Course, plus 4-8 weeks of working as an intern and assisting the program, for a total of 8-12 weeks.
Costs and pre-requisites
Price: THB 75,000 (8-12 weeks)
To extend the internship beyond 12 weeks, the price is THB 20,000 per each additional 4 week period (must have prior approval).
To begin the NHRCP courses you must be certified by SSI, PADI or equivalent as an Advanced Level Diver minimum. This means that non-divers coming to do the program must first complete the Open Water course (3 Days, 12,500 THB) and the Advanced Course (2 Days, 11,500 THB). Both of which can be done with the New Heaven Dive School on site.
Also note that participants must be able to carry a gear bag on and off the boat, ascend stairs, and work outside and should be in good physical condition to do so.
What’s included
All scuba rental equipment (excluding dive computer), all boat transportation costs and dive tanks, 7 Conservation Diver certifications and online E-learning access, and dive insurance.
Drinking water available for refill at dive school and boat. The dive boat also has coffee, tea, cookies and light fruit.
Excludes: Food, accommodation, travel to, from and on Koh Tao.
Recommendations
We recommend all participants purchase travel insurance that includes scuba diving up to 30m.
If you have them, we recommend bringing your own fins and mask, as fit can vary from person to person. We also recommend bringing a dive computer and rashguard.
How to apply
Please email us your CV, cover letter, age and diving information conservation-team@newheavendiveschool.com.
