Turtle Field Assistant - Costa Rica

Work in Sea Turtle Conservation on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast

Location: Cahuita & Kekoldi, Costa Rica | Start Date: 1 March 2026 | Duration: March – August 2026 (with the possibility of extension)

🌊 TURN YOUR PASSION FOR MARINE LIFE INTO FIELD EXPERIENCE

You’re passionate about marine and wildlife, thrive in outdoor environments, and want to take your first steps into hands-on conservation work. You’re eager to learn, love teamwork, and feel at home surrounded by nature.

At GVI Costa Rica, we’re looking for a dedicated Turtle Field Assistant to support our sea turtle conservation program in Cahuita. You’ll work alongside our Turtle Program Coordinator to carry out field research, assist participants, and help ensure our daily conservation activities run smoothly and safely.

This role is ideal for someone looking to gain valuable field experience, contribute to meaningful conservation work, and grow into future leadership opportunities within GVI.

✨ WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

The Turtle Program is one of GVI Costa Rica’s most impactful conservation initiatives, dedicated to protecting endangered sea turtles and coastal ecosystems.

As the Turtle Field Assistant, you’ll play a key role in supporting the success of this project - assisting with sea turtle patrols, training participants, collecting data, maintaining equipment, and helping keep operations organised and efficient.

Your commitment, enthusiasm, and attention to detail will help ensure high-quality fieldwork and an outstanding participant experience.

🎯 WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• Assisting the Turtle Program Coordinator with daily sea turtle patrols and monitoring.
• Supporting volunteers and interns in fieldwork activities and safety protocols.
• Helping to deliver training sessions and guiding participants during surveys.
• Maintaining research equipment, accommodation spaces, and field supplies.
• Supporting logistics, meal preparation, and cleaning duties with the team.
• Recording and managing turtle data accurately.
• Helping create content for GVI’s social media and reports (photos, updates, stories).
• Assisting with biodiversity surveys in Kekoldi outside the turtle nesting season (birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals).

🚀 WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

• Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology, Environmental Science, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• Minimum 1 year of experience working with sea turtles or other wildlife.
• Demonstrated teamwork, reliability, and initiative in outdoor settings.
• Strong communication skills and an interest in mentoring or supporting others.
• Physical fitness and resilience to work long hours outdoors in tropical conditions.
• A passion for conservation, learning, and personal growth.

Bonus if you also have:

• Emergency First Response or First Aid certification
• Previous GVI experience
• Conversational Spanish

🌴 LIVING & WORKING CONDITIONS

You’ll be primarily based in Cahuita, near the beach, about a 50-minute walk from town, living alongside your turtle team and participants. You’ll also collaborate with the Kekoldi base, located in the rainforest, for additional training and biodiversity work.

🏠 Accommodation & Meals

• Shared housing near the beach (private or shared room depending on availability)
• Wi-Fi available (signal strength varies)
• Meals prepared with participants (shared cooking rotation)

🎉 WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

• Accommodation and meals provided
• Visa renewal and emergency medical insurance covered
• Training, mentorship, and career development opportunities
• Access to in-house wellbeing and counselling support
• Growth opportunities across GVI’s 17 global locations

🌱 WORKING AT GVI

At GVI, we’re driven by the desire to make a positive impact on our planet and its people. We operate award-winning conservation and community programs across 13 countries - all aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Working at GVI means joining a community that values passion, authenticity, and innovation, where every role contributes to a sustainable future for all.

Click here to see what the team is up to!

🎥 Watch what life at GVI looks like
👥 Meet our team
🌍 Explore GVI

✅ YOUR NEXT STEP

If you’re ready to lead meaningful fieldwork, grow your conservation career, and make a tangible impact for sea turtles and coastal ecosystems, we would love to hear from you.

Please send your CV and Cover Letter outlining why this role is the perfect fit for you.

Kindly note: While we do our best to respond to all applicants, if you haven’t heard from us within 3–4 weeks, it likely means we’ve moved forward with other candidates this time. We’d still love for you to stay connected and consider applying again in the future!

SDG Impact