Internship – Ocean Research

The mission of The Ocean Cleanup is to develop advanced technology to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. Within the context of this mission, we rely on a thorough understanding of the ocean plastic pollution problem. The research team at The Ocean Cleanup aims to refine our understanding of the sources, transport, and fate of ocean plastics.

Internship opportunity: Ocean Research

MISSION TO METRICS

Recent analyses indicate that a significant proportion of plastics found at sea and along coastlines show evidence of wildlife interaction, often in the form of bite marks. Investigating the frequency and extent of plastics fragmented by wildlife, as well as identifying the species involved, is essential to understanding both the environmental impacts of plastic pollution and the role of biotic factors in the degradation and fragmentation of plastics.

As an ocean research intern, you will work with our extensive library of plastic samples and our existing databases to answer questions related to biological fragmentation of ocean plastics. Your goal is to develop a library of common bite marks found on plastics and determine which animals have the capacity to fragment plastics. Your work will feed into a broader objective that seeks to determine a correction factor for plastic fragmentation models to account for biological fragmentation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct a comprehensive review of scholarly and grey literature to build a reference library and establish standardized classifications of bite marks.
• Develop and train machine learning models to identify and classify bite marks from images, quantifying the proportion of debris showing evidence of fauna interaction.
• Perform comparative brittleness testing (e.g., tensile strength analysis) on plastics with and without bite marks.
• Perform FTIR spectroscopy to determine polymer types and assess plastic oxidization.
• Analyze data and present findings to the research team through presentations and a final internship report.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Currently pursuing or have completed a bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific field.
• Familiarity with laboratory protocols, procedures, and safety practices.
• Experience in plastic pollution research is desirable.
• Experience with machine learning models is desirable.
• Background working in chemical or biological laboratory research is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability in science communication, with experience addressing both academic and general audiences.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Comfortable with the demands of laboratory work.
• Curious, creative, and motivated to deliver meaningful results.
• Ability to work independently (particularly when in a lab environment).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Start Date: early – mid March
• Duration: 6 months
• Location: Rotterdam, with scheduled visits to Rotterdam Zoo and Naturalis Leiden for laboratory work
• Academic Alignment: This project is well suited for a bachelor’s or master’s thesis
• Compensation: Interns receive a stipend of €600 per month
• Work Permit: A valid Dutch/EU work permit is required.