Meet Ocean Explorer Amber Josfin Pineda!

OET proudly welcomes Amber Josfin Pineda to the Corps of Exploration as part of the Science & Engineering Internship Program. This internship program supports community college, undergraduate, and graduate students in building professional workforce experience and exploring STEAM-related careers that connect to research themes like robotics, ocean science, education, and exploration. Amber is joining E/V Nautilus for our NA172 expedition as an ROV engineering intern.

We sat with Amber to learn more about her experience at sea and the path that led her to Nautilus.

Describe your role with OET.

I work as an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Engineering Intern with OET on the NA172 Expedition! While I wasn't able to experience the complete scope of my internship, I learned a lot from my time onboard, and my role involved a mix of ROV maintenance in a shipboard setting, which includes things like caring for electrical connectors, maintaining hydraulic systems, running HPU tests, and doing inspections before dives. I’ve also been building skills in sensor integration, sampling techniques, and troubleshooting different system components. On top of that, I’ve had the chance to get familiar with the ROV’s user interfaces and technical documentation. It’s been an incredible learning experience all around, especially getting to work with such a skilled and supportive ROV team.

Can you tell us a little about your background? What influenced you as a child?

I grew up in an environment where a lot of my fun came from my imagination and curiosity. Living on an island definitely influenced me too since being surrounded by the ocean made it easy to start wondering about what was out there. A big part of what shaped my interests was the media I consumed as a kid. I was super into shows like Octonauts, Project MC², and The Magic School Bus—basically anything that involved science and exploration. I also loved watching playthroughs of games like Subnautica and SOMA, which added a more immersive angle to my curiosity about the ocean and science in general. All of that combined really built this lasting sense of wonder in me, and it’s something I try to carry with me in both my career and my personal life.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a kid, I actually wanted to be an explorer, but in a very big, imaginative way. I had a dream that I’d build an airplane and travel the world with my friends; one would be the pilot, another the photographer, and I’d be the one doing all the building and tinkering. Looking back, I think I was always drawn to being the “techy” character I saw on TV, who was always inventing or fixing things. That’s why being an ROV Engineering Intern feels so full-circle for me. I think childhood me would be pretty proud that I get to be part of real-world exploration now.

What would you consider to be your greatest challenge entering this field?

I think a major challenge I face entering this field is just figuring out how the industry works, like knowing the pathways and understanding all the ins and outs. Ocean engineering is such a complex field that there have definitely been times where I’ve felt a little in over my head. But, I try to remind myself that it’s okay to take things one lesson at a time. Luckily, the ROV Team I’ve been working with has been super supportive and patient, which has made a huge difference.

Another challenge that I think is worth mentioning is not always seeing people in this space who share my background. As a brown girl coming from a small island, it can sometimes feel like I’m stepping into a space that wasn’t necessarily built with someone like me in mind. However, that just makes me more motivated to carve out my own place here and hopefully be someone others can see themselves in, too.

Do you have any advice for someone looking to follow a similar path?

I’m not totally sure I’m at a point where I feel qualified to give advice, but if there’s one thing that’s helped me get to where I am now working with ROVs, it’s saying yes to any relevant opportunity I could get my hands on. Where I’m from, there aren’t many programs for the kind of engineering I want to pursue, but that never stopped me from finding ways to build my skills. That meant taking online courses just for the sake of learning, applying to anything and everything, and just staying open to growth.

If I had to boil it all down, I’d say: bloom where you’re planted. Work with what you’ve got, make the most of it, and that effort will absolutely come through when it matters.

What's next for your ocean studies and career?  

Honestly, I’m not so sure what’s next, but I do know I want to keep getting hands-on with ocean tech and working on projects that help us better explore and understand our world. To be fair, if you asked me a year ago where I thought I’d be, I never would’ve guessed I’d be out on a ship helping to explore the ocean! Regardless, I think I'm leaving this experience with a stronger sense of confidence and identity both personally and professionally. Whatever comes next, I’m excited to carry these lessons forward into the rest of my journey.