PICES Intern Program
(approved October 16, 1999)
(revised November 2014)
(revised December 2023)

Introduction

A PICES Intern Program will allow early career individuals from PICES member countries to gain experience in operations of intergovernmental scientific organizations and coordination of multidisciplinary international ecosystem research programs by working in the PICES Secretariat for periods of up to one year. The PICES Secretariat would supervise up to one intern at any point in time. PICES would benefit from the intern program directly through the presence of an additional professional in the secretariat and indirectly, over a period of years, by strengthening the capacity of member states to coordinate their involvement in PICES programs.

Objectives

The PICES Intern Program has two goals:
  • Professional development of marine scientists and managers from PICES member countries (Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, USA);
  • Increasing the capacity of the PICES secretariat to support the work of PICES.

Nature of the Internship

Under the supervision of PICES Secretariat, interns will work on projects of the Secretariat relevant to their professional interests and development needs, including ESL (English as a Second Language) training if required. Interns may be given a wide variety of tasks as to assist in:
  • preparing information for and providing secretarial support to PICES Working Groups and Scientific and Technical Committees;
  • organizing scientific meetings;
  • organizing and editing various PICES publications;
  • coordinating international cooperative program in marine science; and
  • coordinating PICES activities with efforts to other relevant organizations.
Internships will normally begin on or about February 1 and extend for a period up to a maximum of 12 months.

Qualifications of candidates

Applicants must be staff of the academic or government sector of PICES member-countries (Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, USA), have a university degree (M.Sc. or Ph.D. will be an asset), the ability to read, write and speak English (taking into consideration whether English is the candidate's native language), the ability to use computers and the internet, and demonstrated personal initiative.

Guidelines for application and selection procedure

In the selection process, it is important to ensure balanced distribution of internships among member countries (Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, USA). There will be an annual competition for PICES interns. A member country that has had an intern in any year is eligible to have an intern in the following two years only if there are no applicants from other member countries.
  • The PICES Intern Program will be advertised on the PICES website. National delegates are encouraged to take additional measures to advertise the PICES Intern Program within their countries.
  • Applicants will apply to their national delegates for PICES, describing their interests and qualifications, providing a resume delineating their academic and work experience and three professional references. Applicants will send a copy of their application to the PICES Secretariat.
  • The national PICES delegate will review applications from his/her country and transmit his/her nominee(s) to the PICES Secretariat for final selection. Applications must be received by the PICES Executive Secretary by the date of the first Governing Council meeting at the PICES Annual Meeting.
  • The Chair of PICES will select the successful candidate in consultation with the Executive Secretary and the Chair of Science Board.
  • The Executive Secretary will inform all Governing Council members of the result of the competition.

Financial Support

Amended Oct.18-29, 2023 [GC Decision 2023/A/8] Voluntary Contributions for the Intern Program and Capacity Development.
Council approved an increase to the Intern Stipend to $3,750 per month effective immediately, with an annual increase for inflation in Canada on Jan 1 each year, beginning in 2025.

PICES interns will be provided a stipend of CDN $3,750 per month by the Secretariat. Travel costs for the intern to and from the place of residence and the location of the Secretariat will be normally borne by the individual’s home country. Travel expenses associated with the intern’s work in the Secretariat will be covered by PICES. Since the intern will continue to be an employee with his home institution while at the Secretariat, his/her medical insurance and all other benefits will remain the responsibility of the intern’s home country.

Interns 2016-2025

  • Yoho Saito
    (Sept 2025 - Present, Japan)
    My name is Yoho Saito, and I joined PICES from Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), Kanagawa. I have been working for FRA as coordinator for collaborative research, focused on international relationships. Therefore, I got the opportunity to join the MSEAS-2024 Symposium as a Local Organizer, and I was interested in this intern program at that time. My background is not as a scientist, but I’d like to understand the international process through science communication between member countries.
  • Mary Kevin
    (Aug-Dec 2024, DFO Canada)
    My name is Mary Kevin and I am originally from Chicago and moved up to Vancouver Island to pursue my career in biology. I have been working for DFO for about a year in the Salmon Marine Interactions group at the Pacific Biological Station. I have greatly enjoyed getting my hands dirty and doing field and lab work this past year. I was excited to hear about an internship with PICES because I would like to know more about how research is shared and how all of us who reap the benefits of our ocean can work together to do our best to manage and protect our most precious resource!
  • Saeseul Kim
    (Oct 2019 - Dec 2022, R Korea)
    Saeseul Kim joined PICES from Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Busan.
  • Jinqiu Du
    (July 2018 - June 2019, PR China)
    Jinqiu Du joined PICES from National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center (NMEMC), Dalian.
  • Alexey Khoruzhiy
    (Aug 2017 - Aug 2018, Russia)
    Alexey Khoruzhiy joined PICES from the Pacific Research Fisheries Centre (TINRO-Centre), Vladivostok.
  • Minho Kang
    (Aug 2016 - Aug 2017, R Korea)
    Prior to joining the PICES Secretariat, Minho did an internship at the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission from 2015 to 2016.
  • Jinwen Liu
    (Aug 2015 - July 2016, PR China)
    Jinwen Liu joined PICES from the Third Institute of Oceanography (TIO of SOA), Xiamen.

Interns 2000-2015

  • Anna Skvortsova
    (Jul 2014 - Jun 2015, Russia)
    Anna Skvortsova joined PICES from the Pacific Research Fisheries Centre (TINRO-Centre), Vladivostok.
  • Key-Seok Choe
    (Sept 2013 - May 2014, R Korea)
    Key-Seok Choe joined PICES from the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (former KORDI current KIOST), Project Management Team, Ansan.
  • Zhuojun Ma
    (Jul 2012, PR China)
    Zhuojun Ma joined PICES from Chinese Academy of Fishery Science (CAFS), Beijing.
  • Jeongim Mok
    (May 2011, R Korea)
    Jeongim Mok joined PICES from The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (former MLTM).
  • Tatiana Semenova
    (Feb 2010 - Apr 2011, Russia)
    Tatiana Semenova joined PICES from the Pacific Research Fisheries Centre (TINRO-Centre), Vladivostok.
  • Yong-Ling Zhu
    (Feb 2009, PR China)
    Yong-Ling Zhu joined PICES from the Second Institute of Oceanography (SIO of SOA), Hangzhou.
  • Key-Seok Choe
    (Feb 2008, R Korea)
    Key-Seok Choe joined PICES from the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (former KORDI current KIOST), Project Management Team, Ansan.
  • Xuewu Guo
    (Feb 2007 - Jan 2008, PR China)
    Xuewu Guo joined PICES from the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute (YSFRI), Qingdao.
  • Pavel Vorobyov
    (Jan - Oct 2006, Russia)
    Pavel Vorobyov joined PICES from the Pacific Research Fisheries Centre (TINRO-Centre), Vladivostok.
  • Jin-Yong Lee
    (Nov 2004 - Jun 2005, R Korea)
    Jin-Yong Lee joined PICES from the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (former KORDI current KIOST), Project Development Team, Ansan.
  • Gong-Gu Back
    (Jun 2004 - Jan 2005, R Korea)
    Gong-Gu Back joined PICES from the National Oceanographic Research Institute (former NORI current KHOA), Oceanographic Division, Incheon.
  • Chuanlin Huo
    (May 2003 - Apr 2004, PR China)
    Chuanlin Huo joined PICES from the National Marine Environmental Monitoring Centre (NEMEC of SOA), Dalian. Chuanlin was a Chair of PICES' Marine Environmental Quality Committee - MEQ.
  • Natalia Bessmertnaya
    (Apr 2002 - Mar 2003, Russia)
    Natalya Bessmertnaya joined PICES from the Pacific Research Fisheries Centre (TINRO-Centre), Vladivostok.
  • Gongke Tan
    (May 2001 - Feb 2002, R Korea)
    Jung Hwa Choi joined PICES from Pukyong National University. Jung Hwa has been an active member of PICES' Future Implementation Plan Writing Team (WT-IP) and a Study Group on Common Ecosystem Reference Points across PICES Member Countries (SG-CERP).
  • Gongke Tan
    (May-Dec 2000, PR China)
    Gongke Tan joined PICES from the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO of SOA. Gongke was an active member of PICES Study Group on Communication - SG-COM and a Study Group on Restructuring of the PICES Annual Meeting - SG-RAM.