Ocean Opportunities
About Ocean Opportunities
Ocean Opportunities is a global hub connecting people with ocean careers, training, events, and organisations. The ocean sector is fragmented, with opportunities scattered across dozens of channels, making it hard to see what's possible or find trusted information.
Ocean Opportunities brings together career pathways, citizen science projects, NGOs, associations, personal stories, and development opportunities in one accessible place.
The challenge
Ocean Opportunities began as a simple list of marine-related jobs on a PhD student's blog*. Over the years, it grew into a hand-curated resource of 600+ opportunities used by people at all stages of their ocean careers.
Conversations with users revealed they weren't just looking for opportunities to apply for. They wanted connection, community, and space to share their experiences. The existing format couldn't support this broader need.
Ocean Oculus set out to reimagine the platform, building a prototype that could serve the community immediately while laying foundations for future expansion. The platform needed to be manageable by a minimal team until funding becomes available.
*The blog belonged to Ocean Oculus’s founder, Dr Samantha Andrews, when she was looking for her own opportunities.
What we delivered
We treated Ocean Opportunities as a working prototype - useful today while signalling future potential to sponsors and collaborators. We created:
An information architecture for a multi-section hub based on user needs
Clean, accessible site structure and navigation
Content areas reflecting the breadth of the ocean community
Foundational copy for each section
"Ocean Voices" - a dedicated space for lived experience and reflection
Design prepared for expansion into multiple languages and partnerships
A platform demonstrating value for future sponsors and collaborators
New branding to bring a coherent voice
Development of social channels
Refinement of a dedicated Ocean Opportunities newsletter
Outcomes
The work created:
A more organised, accessible, and navigable platform for the ocean community
A clearer pathway for users seeking both opportunities and connection
A prototype demonstrating value to potential partners and sponsors
A scalable foundation for expanding regions, improving tools, and building a global network of contributors
