California Sea Grant offers fellowship opportunities in research, natural resource management, and marine policy that allow graduate students to explore their interests and broaden their experience. Former Fellows have advanced to careers in academia, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal government agencies.


Coastal Management and Digital Coast Fellowship

Coastal Management Fellows work for two years with state coastal resource agencies on projects proposed by the hosts and selected by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. In a mutually beneficial arrangement, six Fellows will be placed with a state coastal program. Information about 2019 State Projects can be found here.

This two-year opportunity offers a competitive salary, medical benefits, and travel and relocation expense reimbursement. The current salary is $42,000 per year. In the second year, a locality pay factor may be added to the salary, depending on the location of the fellowship.

Eligibility: For the 2020 fellowship, applicants must complete a master’s or other advanced degree from an accredited California university between January 1, 2019, and July 31, 2020, to be eligible.

Applications are due January 17, 2020, PST at 11:59 pm. For information and application, View Coastal Management and Digital Coast Fellowship details


NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics 

The Fellowship Program expects to award at least three new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2019 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. These fellowships can provide support for up to three years. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Fellows will work on thesis problems of public interest and relevance to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the guidance of NMFS mentors at participating NMFS Science Centers or Offices.

The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics meets NOAA’s Healthy Oceans goal of “Marine fisheries, habitats, biodiversity sustained with healthy and productive ecosystems.” The expected annual award per Fellow will be $48,000 (Federal plus matching funds), jointly funded by NOAA Fisheries and Sea Grant.

Applications are due January 30, 2019, PST at 5 pm. For information and application, View NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics  details


NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Marine Resource Economics 

The Fellowship Program expects to award one new Ph.D. Fellowship each year to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.

Fellows will work on thesis problems of public interest and relevance to NMFS under the guidance of NMFS mentors at participating NMFS Science Centers or Offices. The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Marine Resource Economics meets NOAA’s Healthy Oceans goal of “Marine fisheries, habitats, biodiversity sustained with healthy and productive ecosystems.”

The expected annual award per Fellow will be $48,000 (federal plus matching funds), which is funded jointly by NOAA Fisheries and Sea Grant.

Applications are due January 30, 2020, PST at 5 pm. For information and application, View NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Marine Resource Economics  details