Conversation so far:
What did Stephen Hillenburg start his career in?
Teaching
What subject did Stephen Hillenburg teach when he became a teacher?
Marine science and maritime history.
Did Stephen Hillenburg teach any other subjects in his early career besides marine science and maritime history?
He taught tide-pool ecology, nautical history, diversity and adaptation.
In his early career, did Stephen Hillenburg come up with Sponge Bob
Some evidence shows that the idea for SpongeBob SquarePants dates back to 1986
What year did Stephen Hillenburg start teaching?
1984
What was the name of the school Stephen Hillenburg was teaching at?
Orange County Marine Institute
What other jobs did Stephen Hillenburg hold in his early career life besides teaching?
A park service attendant in Utah
Does the Stephen Hillenburg article state what his comics were about in his early career?
He created a comic called The Intertidal Zone, which he used to teach his students. It featured anthropomorphic forms of sea life,
How did Stephen Hillenburg come up with the idea of sponge bob?
He indicated that children's television series such as The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse (1987–1988) and Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986–1991) sparked something in [him]
Did Stephen Hillenburg come up with the ideas of how Spongebob was going to look?
The Intertidal Zone would evolve into SpongeBob SquarePants characters including Bob the Sponge“

Question: Any other inspiration to the characters?
Self-contained rewrite: Any other inspiration to the spongebob squarepants characters besides television series and the intertidal zone?