About Bantry Marine Research Station (BMRS)

Bantry Marine Research Station Ltd. (BMRS) is a privately owned marine biotechnology company located on the shores of Bantry Bay, Co. Cork. With over two decades of experience, BMRS has established itself as a leader in marine research and aquaculture innovation.

BMRS operates state-of-the-art facilities for the cultivation of macroalgae, including licensed land-based and at-sea systems. The station is actively involved in the production of seaweed species such as Alaria esculenta and Saccharina latissima, supplying seeded string to Irish seaweed farmers and biomass to downstream partners. More recently, BMRS has been expanding its cultivation portfolio to include red seaweed species such as Asparagopsis armata and Porphyra spp.

BMRS collaborates on numerous EU and national projects, contributing to the advancement of marine resource management and sustainable aquaculture practices. Its research spans seaweed farming, processing, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) and a wide range of seaweed biomass applications.

We are currently seeking a highly skilled and dedicated Senior Seaweed Nursery Technician.

Location: Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Position Type: Full-time
Reports To: R&D Director/Seaweed Hatchery Manager

Salary

Commensurate with experience but based on a scale starting at €XX per annum.

Remuneration conditions:
Salary and other remuneration will be commensurate with experience and aligned with Irish Business Standards.

-------

Key Responsibilities

• Plan daily operations of the seaweed nursery, including biobanking, propagation, out planting preparation.
• Implement and optimize nursery protocols for vegetative and sexual propagation of multiple seaweed species.
• Ensure compliance with health & safety, biosecurity, and environmental standards by optimizing current SOPs when needed.
• Supervise and train junior nursery staff.
• Collaborate with research teams on experimental trials and data collection.
• Maintain accurate records of nursery operations, production, and research activities.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in Marine Biology, Aquaculture, Environmental Science, or a related field.

Professional Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience in seaweed cultivation, particularly in nursery operations involving red seaweed.
• Proven track record in team management and staff supervision.
• Background in collaborative research and data collection.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of seaweed biology and physiology.
• Proficiency in vegetative and sexual propagation techniques.
• Operation of aquaculture support systems (air and water) and equipment (environmental monitoring, culture cabinets tanks, photobioreactors)  
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office tools.
• Experience with production and data management software (desirable).

Soft Skills

• Excellent organizational and leadership abilities, managing projects and guiding junior team members.
• Strong communication skills for clear updates and technical reporting to nursery manager.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Problem-solving mindset and adaptability to changing conditions.

Desirable Attributes

• Passion for seaweed and sustainable aquaculture.
• Diver and boat operator with relevant permits and experience.
• Willingness to live and work in a rural, remote area.
• Experience supervising students and/or interns.
• Participation in collaborative, industry-focused research projects.
• Availability for travel and occasional weekend work.

• Driver’s license and clean driving record

Team Environment

The successful applicant will be expected to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary and international team of technical and research staff within an industry-focused environment.

How to Apply

Please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and motivation to Julie Maguire, . Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Krupandan, A., Falconer L., Maguire J., Telfer T. (2026) An integrated modelling approach for the stocking optimisation of a commercial-scale salmon-kelp IMTA system. Aquaculture, Volume 613, Part 1. ISSN 0044-8486.
Read the article.

Juhasz-Dora, T., C. Hannon, L. Harman, J. Maguire,  T. K. Doyle,  L. Buijse,  S. K. Lindberget  (2025). Bioaccumulation and Depuration of Emamectin Benzoate and Oxytetracycline in the European Black Sea Cucumber (Holothuria forskali): Implications for Aquaculture Integration. Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries 5, no. 6: e70132.
Read the article.

Pontinha, V.A., J. Maguire, C. Simioni, F. do Nascimento Vieira, L. Hayashi (2024) Seaweed inclusion in artificial diet of purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus: effects on somatic and gonadal development Boletim do Instituto de Pesca 50, DOI: 10.20950/1678-2305/bip.2024.50.e877
Read the article.

Role: Research Assistant

Timothy Bohan holds a Master of Science in Applied Coastal and Marine Management from and a Bachelor’s degree in Geographical and Archaeological Sciences from University College Cork. His expertise lies in seaweed cultivation, Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), and marine ecology.

Tim has worked extensively with the anti-methanogenic seaweed Asparagopsis spp., conducting his MSc. thesis on an IMTA system utilizing Asparagopsis armata and salmon effluents at the Bantry Marine Research Station (BMRS). He later expanded his work in South Australia, where he cultivated A. armata and A. taxiformis at a commercial scale. There, he played a key role in enhancing quality control and optimizing production processes through his applied knowledge of seaweed cultivation.

Currently, Tim is focused on the distribution and potential valorisation of invasive marine species in the Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean. He is a collaborator on the VALIAS Project, funded by the MSCA Horizon Europe programme.

Role: Junior Research Scientist

Lorena specialises in seaweed cultivation, disease and marine ecology. She holds a Master's in marine science and Bachelor's in Environmental Science with a focus on marine ecosystems.

With extensive hands-on experience, Lorena has worked with various seaweed species, including Alaria esculenta, Saccharina latissima, Gracilaria caudata, Kappaphycus alvarezii, and Kappaphycus striatus. Her research spans Brazil, Norway, and Indonesia, where she has contributed to kelp processing and quality control, as well as researched fermentation and acid preservation techniques.

Taking a socio-ecological approach, she focuses on disease management in seaweed farming, particularly in addressing Ice-Ice Disease. Additionally, Lorena has experience working with intertidal species such as mussels, oysters, and crabs.

In her current role, Lorena supports the Hatchery Manager in cultivating Irish kelps (Alaria and Saccharina) and Nori (Porphyra) contributing to both research projects and production efforts.

McGurrin, A.; Suchintita Das, R.; Soro, A.B.; Maguire, J.; Flórez Fernández, N.; Dominguez, H.; Torres, M.D.; Tiwari, B.K.; Garcia-Vaquero, M. Antimicrobial Activities of Polysaccharide-Rich Extracts from the Irish Seaweed Alaria esculenta, Generated Using Green and Conventional Extraction Technologies, Against Foodborne Pathogens Marine Drugs. 2025 23(1):46 https://doi.org/10.3390/md23010046.
Read the article.

The mission of NORI is to develop an Irish production process of the edible seaweed nori, which is well known for its use in sushi rolls. This will be successful when the following three objectives have been achieved:

1. Successfully domesticate Irish Porphyra umbilicalis (nori)

• Obtain fertile blades at ideal conditions for sexual reproduction of nori.
• Obtain blades that contain archeospores for the asexual reproduction of nori.
• Isolate several strains and select the best performing strain for aquaculture.

2. Achieve desirable quality traits in the product

• Determine optimal growth conditions for high yield.
• Determine pre-harvest culture conditions for optimal biochemical composition of biomass.

3. Upscale to pre-commercial scale

• Achieve free-floating cultivation at lab scale.
• Achieve free-floating cultivation in 600 to 1000 L tanks.
• Achieve free-floating cultivation in 10000 L tanks.

BMRS leads this project and will apply its expertise in seaweed cultivation to successfully develop a nori cultivation process. The group of Prof Stengel from the university of Galway will apply their expertise to characterise the biomass produced and optimise the cultivation conditions.

Nori blade release spores that will grow into new blades

A juvenile Nori blade magnified with a microscope

Nori (Porphyra umbilicalis) blade

BMRS’ seaweed hatchery supplies high quality seaweed starting material for seaweed farms which help them to achieve good yields. BMRS has over 20 years of experience in breeding and propagating of several Irish seaweeds including Alaria esculenta and Saccharina lattisima.

At the BMRS seaweed hatchery we currently produce seeded strings or gametophytes for the kelps Alaria esculenta and Saccharina lattisima. If you are interested in our services, please contact us at or call us on +353 27 29181.

Stages of the Seaweed Hatchery

López-Mayán JJ, Álvarez-Fernández B, Peña-Vázquez E, Barciela-Alonso MC, Moreda-Piñeiro A, Maguire J, Mackey M, Bermejo-Barrera P. 2024. Study of silver nanoparticles bioaccumulation in cultured red and green seaweed. Chemosphere 369 doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143872.
Read the article.