Ocean Park accepts local and international students to join its research internship and volunteer programme. The research team of Ocean Park aims to build a strong bridge between scientific advancement, animal welfare, conservation and education. Our current projects are all designed with special attention to these four pillars of ex-situ research efforts focusing on various aspects of animal behaviour, cognition and perceptions that may be keys to the survival of the species. As a member of AZA, Ocean Park continuously thrives to provide the best possible environment and care, using a scientific approach for behavioural monitoring and analysis for both marine and terrestrial species. Our cognitive experiments investigate the ability of problem-solving, shape recognition, associative learning as well as mutualistic and altruistic cooperation. We carry out behavioural observations to find out how our animals utilise novel environmental enrichment devices, to evaluate the impact of medical treatments and to establish baseline data on social and individual behavioural patterns.

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How to get involved?

Applications are not restricted from the above-mentioned fields. The selection is based on both academic results and extracurricular merits, but most importantly on the candidates’ dedication and self-motivation.


We have full-time (5 weekdays/week) and part-time (min. 1.5 weekdays/week) On-site volunteer positions and Off-site positions. All positions are unpaid with a minimum commitment of 4 months. Successful candidates receive specific training according to the assigned positions.

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What will You learn?

• Learn what it takes to work in the field of research

• Hands-on experience with experimental setup and data analysis

• Understanding of animals’ physiology and behaviour

• Teamwork, coordination and independent responsibilities

• Research planning and execution

• Research communication

• A basic foundation for your future career