General information
The Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) will be offering a number of shipboard fellowship opportunities on board research vessels during 2025 and the first semester of 2026. The programme is designed to promote training and capacity building, contributing to the development of a global ocean observation system.
Normally, calls are announced at least six months before a cruise begins, allowing time for applications to be reviewed, shortlisted candidates to be interviewed, and for the successful applicant to complete the necessary paperwork (e.g. visas, travel documents, and required medical or training certifications). However, in some cases, the POGO shipboard training programme is offered an available berth at shorter notice. To make best use of these opportunities, the POGO Secretariat issues annual Open Calls for applications from early-career scientists, technicians, postgraduate students (PhD or MSc), and postdoctoral fellows who are nationals of, and engaged in oceanographic work at, centres in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
The application form asks candidates to outline their specific training interests, including geographical areas and research or training topics, as well as their availability to travel during 2025 and the first semester of 2026. For the latter, candidates are asked to note any prior commitments. The Secretariat will maintain a database of all qualified and interested candidates and, as training opportunities become available, will create shortlists based on suitability for the project in question.
READ CAREFULLY ALL INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS PAGE BEFORE APPLY.
Priority areas
Dependent on each particular fellowship opportunity. Suitable candidates will be contacted with further details.
What is offered
Dependent on each particular fellowship opportunity.
Besides participating in the cruise, the selected candidate may have the opportunity to visit the host institution for one month prior to the start of the cruise to participate in cruise preparation and planning and/or one additional month back at the host institution after the cruise for further training in sample and data analysis and interpretation.
Application
Who can apply
This fellowship programme is open to early-career scientists, technicians, undergraduate or graduate students (preferably MSc or early PhD) involved in oceanographic work at ocean sciences-related institutions in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Applicants must be citizens of developing countries or economies in transition, as defined by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD (see the list of eligible countries). Priority will be given to applicants with limited training/work/study experience in developed countries.
How to apply
Applicants should complete and submit the online application (click the APPLY HERE button below), where they must upload a digital copy of their CV and a recommendation letter from their direct supervisor at their home institution. The recommendation letter must be written in English, on institutional letterhead, dated and signed by the supervisor.
Please note that the application form includes sections on the applicant’s background and training requirements, capacity building intentions, and a training proposal. In case of unstable internet connections, we recommend preparing this text in an offline document, then copy-pasting into the online form. If short-listed, the candidate may be asked to undergo an informal telephone/video conferencing interview.
Applications and recommendation letters must be written in English and letters submitted/uploaded in pdf format. Only applications that are complete in all respects will be considered for the Fellowship.
This is an open-ended call, and we will review applications as they come in. Candidates will be contacted if they are considered to be suitable matches for shipboard fellowships as they become available.
Review process
Representatives from POGO and the host institution will review the applications. In their decision-making, the Selection Committee will consider the following points:
- Quality of the application/proposal;
- Experience and qualifications of the applicant;
- Evidence that the training will lead to capacity-building with potential lasting impact on regional observations;
- Relevance (i.e., research interests of applicant match with cruise objective).
Applications will only be considered if:
- They are completely written in English;
- The applicant fits the profile (early career scientist, technician, postgraduate student or post-doctoral fellow who is national of and involved in oceanographic work at centre in an eligible country)
- The applicant has a background and/or is currently working in Marine Sciences;
- Recommendation letters should be specific to shipboard training, on institutional letterhead, dated and signed by the supervisor.
Terms
- The fellowship DOES cover a round-trip international airfare between the fellow’s home institute and the host institution; subsistence allowance for the duration of the fellow’s stay in the host country, based on the specific’s of the training; travel to and from departure port (if applicable); accommodation in the host country and departure port (if applicable); seafaring medical examination and sea survival training (if required).
- Ship messing fees and any institutional bench fees will be waived by the host institution.
- The fellowship DOES NOT cover expenses incurred within the fellow’s own country or during transit, including domestic travel, visa costs, meals in transit, personal or travel insurance.
- POGO does not provide insurance of any kind and assumes no responsibility for compensation in the event of sickness, accident, death, or disability. It is the fellow’s responsibility to arrange suitable travel insurance for the journey to and from the ship, as well as to ensure suitable insurance cover is provided by the parent institute for the duration of the cruise.
- Fellows are not considered agents or staff of POGO, and shall not be entitled to any privileges, immunities or compensation beyond what is explicitly provided and are not authorised to commit POGO to any obligations or expenditures.
- The fellow and the supervisors at the parent and host institutes are required to provide a short fellowship report at the end of the training period, to evaluate the success of the fellowship programme.
- By applying, you consent to the use of your personal data for communication regarding the training and for POGO’s internal administrative and reporting purposes. Access to your data is strictly limited to authorised personnel, in accordance with the the POGO Privacy Policy .
