Quick Facts:
More than
Full-time employees
Rated among the top
High-tech companies in Hawai‘i
Over
%
PDC staff recruited through internships
Careers and Culture
Fuel your passion for innovation and public service by working with a leading tech organization that routinely pushes the limits of lifesaving possibility. For 30 years, Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) has been a pioneer in the innovation of early warning technologies, exercise scenario design, advanced analytics, and risk reduction science and research. Headquartered in Hawai‘i, PDC is regarded as a global leader in risk reduction and resilience-enhancing tools—a reputation built on the dedication and expertise of our team from across disaster management, technology, academic, and scientific disciplines. The Center’s products and services support the most demanding government customers, international, regional, and nongovernmental organizations worldwide in reducing risk and building safer, more resilient communities. As an applied science and research center managed by the University of Hawai‘i, we are always experimenting with new technologies, including applications for artificial intelligence in hazard alerting, monitoring, and predictive risk analytics. Our products benefit public users, government, humanitarian, and private sector decision makers. To learn about job opportunities with PDC, visit the Research Corporation of the University of Hawai‘i site at www.rcuh.com or through our LinkedIn postings.
Internships
PDC provides mentored internship opportunities to self-motivated students who take pride in their work, have a passion for learning, and a commitment to problem-solving. Our internships allow individuals to apply learned skills and theory to real-world problems.
If you are interested in applying for an internship with PDC, please review the programs below to see if there is a good match. You should also examine the criteria for a direct internship before submitting your resume with the link below.
Programs Available
Akamai Workforce Initiative
Offered to college students in Hawaii. Applications accepted in November. Please check the site for details.
https://akamaihawaii.org/interning/
University of Hawai‘i Student Employment & Cooperative Education (SECE)
Available only to college students within the UH system. PDC posts internship position descriptions to this site.
https://sece.its.hawaii.edu/sece/login
CareerLink – UH Maui College Cooperative (Co-Op) Education program
Available only to UH-MC students. Please check the site for details.
http://maui.hawaii.edu/careerlink/
Ke Alahele Program
Offered through Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) internship program
http://www.medb.org/programs/education-to-workforce/ke-alahele-education-fund/
Direct Internships
Direct internships with PDC are also available on an as-needed basis. Please inquire per the guidelines below.
Internship Criteria
- All internships are based on the island of Maui in Hawaii. PDC does not support internships outside of Maui.
- All internship programs are paid internships. However, we do not offer relocation or housing support.
- Technical internships are for summer undergraduate and graduate students. Communications internships are offered year-round.
- U.S. Citizenship is not required, however:
- Candidates MUST have permission to work in the U.S. for the duration of internship; and
- PDC does NOT sponsor visas for international students.
- Long-term internships (for graduate students) may be as long as 6 months. Candidates must submit a resume as part of the submission. Areas of interest for internship may also be submitted.
- For PDC’s direct internship program, the applicant must submit a resume. Area(s) of interest for internship may also be submitted. Internship is contingent upon need and availability.
Skills We Need
Over the years, interns have made valuable contributions to PDC projects and activities with such skills as:
Computer or GIS skills and literacy
- Computer programming (C++, Java, Jscript, …)
- Scripting (PHP, Python, Shell, …)
- Web/App development (HTML, CSS, JSON, …)
- AI experience and/or interest
- GIS (data processing, visualization, …)
- Imagery and/or Image analysis
- Physical sciences and/or modeling
- Data analysis and/or statistics
Communications or design skills and literacy
- Public relations, communications, content development experience
- Web UX / UI design principles
- Graphic design using latest Adobe products
- Video editing
- Marketing copy development
- Social media content management
Follow Us
Canada is battling intense wildfires across multiple provinces, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Latest reports show 170+ active wildfires nationwide and over half are not yet under control. Wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have led officials to declare states of emergency, with large-scale evacuations underway as fires continue to threaten communities and infrastructure. Air quality alerts have been issued across central Canada and have extended into parts of the Upper Midwest in the United States.
PDC is closely monitoring the situation and sharing critical updates through DisasterAWARE and the free Disaster Alert mobile app (learn more at pdc.org/DisasterAWARE). In addition to issuing critical alerts on wildfires, DisasterAWARE also provides exclusive access to PDC’s advanced analytics—such as Event Brief, which offers vital information on estimated population and infrastructure exposed, vulnerable populations, economic losses, infrastructure, lifelines, and mass care needs. These applications also provide access to important updates on air quality, wildfire locations (Hotspots), fire danger areas (Fire Weather Index), wind speeds and forecasts, critical infrastructure locations, and more!
As part of the global initiative to enhance early warning systems, PDC has unveiled a suite of advanced wildfire hazard monitoring and early warning tools through DisasterAWARE. These capabilities are made possible through PDC’s ongoing collaborations with scientific and academic partners like NASA. As a result, we can provide more precise modeling of wildfire impacts on populations and infrastructure to provide more timely and accurate information alerting and estimates about wildfire severity to decision-makers.
>>> Learn more here: pdc.org/wildfires
#SaferWorld #Earlywarning #DisasterAWARE #DisasterAlert #Canada #wildfire #fire
Canadian Armed Forces
Manitoba Government
Government of Saskatchewan
Government of British Columbia
YourAlberta (Government of Alberta)
Ontario Government
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
As we await the start of the Atlantic and Central Pacific hurricane seasons on June 1, we are keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Alvin off the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Alvin is the first named cyclone of the 2025 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season!
In preparation for the 2025 hurricane season, PDC has upgraded DisasterAWARE to version 9.0—the latest release of its globally recognized disaster risk intelligence platform, used by disaster managers and humanitarian assistance practitioners worldwide. This powerful upgrade delivers major enhancements to real-time situational awareness and operational readiness, including:
• Dynamic Forecast Layers (as shown in the video): Integrated data about wind speed and direction, precipitation, and more.
• Integrated Situational Awareness and Decision Support: Real-time early warning from multiple authoritative sources and visualized risk information for faster, more informed responses.
• Advanced Impact Analytics: Providing accurate estimates of impacts to population and critical infrastructure within minutes, including a demographic breakdown of exposure, capital exposure estimates, and likely humanitarian needs.
• Supply Chain Risk Management: Critical asset protection with personalized Smart Alert notifications and reporting about critical infrastructure, personnel, and other assets in the supply chain exposed to risks.
• Tailored Mapping Tools: Enhanced visuals of tropical cyclone paths, population, risk data, critical infrastructure, and impact zones.
• Hyperlocal Data: New and expanded street-level insights into critical infrastructure and routes.
These newly enhanced tools and expanded datasets are actively supporting partners around the globe—empowering them to act swiftly, plan effectively, and ultimately save lives.
Download PDC’s free public Disaster Alert app! If you are an Emergency Management or Humanitarian Assistance professional—request your free DisasterAWARE account today.
>>> Learn more at: pdc.org/DisasterAWARE
#EarlyWarningforAll #SaferWorld #Hurricane #TropicalCyclone #Cyclone #DisasterAWARE #DisasterAlert
www.pdc.org/readiness-efforts-ramp-up-for-hurricane-season-2025/
“As we face another potentially active season in the Atlantic basin, our mission remains the same: to equip decision-makers with the most advanced science, tools, and information available—so they can act faster, plan smarter, and protect communities before disaster strikes."
www.pdc.org
As forecasters anticipate an above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, preparations are accelerating across the region to protect communities potentially exposed to the devastating impacts of tropi...
Sending aloha and a big mahalo (thank you) to our Armenian partners following an impactful three-day workshop, May 13-15.
The event—held in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy Yerevan, the Institute for Security Governance, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—focused on strengthening national disaster preparedness and response, bringing together stakeholders from across Armenia’s emergency management and policy community.
As part of a technical session on early warning, PDC delivered a demonstration of DisasterAWARE (pdc.org/DisasterAWARE) and introduced tools and services available to support Armenia’s ongoing resilience-building efforts.
We look forward to continued collaboration as we work together to build a #SaferWorld!
#EarlyWarningforAll #Armenia #DisasterAWARE
ՀՀ ներքին գործերի նախարարություն - Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia
ՀՀ տարածքային կառավարման և ենթակառուցվածքների նախարարություն / Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia
ՀՀ պաշտպանության նախարարություն / MoD of the Republic of Armenia
ՀՀ ֆինանսների նախարարություն
ՀՀ բարձր տեխնոլոգիական արդյունաբերության նախարարություն
U.S. Embassy Yerevan
Are you prepared for hurricane season?
As the Atlantic and Central Pacific hurricane seasons approach on June 1, today marks the official start of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season (May 15).
Now is the time to get ready. Download PDC’s FREE Disaster Alert app for early warning and trusted information on hurricanes and other hazards worldwide!
• Real-time alerts
• Global hazard monitoring (28 types of hazards—natural and man made)
• Trusted information, anytime, anywhere
Don’t wait. Be prepared! Download Disaster Alert on Google Play or the iOS App Store. Just search “Disaster Alert” in the app store.
#EarlyWarningforAll #SaferWorld #HurricaneSeason #Hurricane #Disaster #HurricaneStrong #StormSeason #HurricanePrep #TropicalStorm #storm
PDC returned to Honduras last week to advance the Risk Reduction and Advanced Analytics project. This new evaluation analyzes the effectiveness of outcomes from the previous national assessment conducted in partnership between PDC and Honduras (learn more at pdc.org/NDPBA), and identifies capability enhancements aligned with current needs. This new initiative follows a series of major disasters impacting Honduras over several years including outbreaks of Dengue and COVID-19, catastrophic impacts from tropical cyclones Eta and Iota, and several major floods, landslides, droughts, and wildfires.
As part of the engagement, PDC also provided advanced training on DisasterAWARE (pdc.org/DisasterAWARE) to Honduras' national disaster management agency—Comisión Permanente de Contingencias (COPECO), the national police, and the Honduran military. Critical for enhanced preparedness and situational awareness ahead of the 2025 hurricane season starting in a few weeks, the latest version of DisasterAWARE (9.0) delivers improved map performance, customizable high-impact visualizations, and both real-time and forecast data on wind speed, precipitation, and potential impacts.
#SaferWorld #EarlyWarningforAll #Honduras #Preparedness #NDPBA #R2A2
COPECO
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)
Embajada de Estados Unidos en Tegucigalpa
Sending aloha to our Central American partners following an incredible exchange at the first regional coordination meeting for the 2025 hurricane season. Held May 7–8 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the event was organized by CEPREDENAC and hosted by Dominican Republic Civil Defense. The meeting brought together regional and international disaster management leaders to strengthen preparedness and response to evolving storm scenarios.
PDC met with the CEPREDENAC Executive Secretary to discuss capabilities for hurricane planning and response and delivered a table-top briefing to El Salvador’s national disaster office — Dirección General de Protección Civil — on the upcoming Risk Reduction and Advanced Analytics project. This new evaluation will analyze the effectiveness of outcomes from the previous national assessment conducted in partnership with PDC (learn more at pdc.org/NDPBA) and identify capability enhancements aligned with current needs.
Conversations with key partners emphasized the importance of deepening collaboration, improving risk understanding, and supporting efforts to build national and regional resilience.
#SaferWorld #EarlyWarningforAll #Hurricane #Disaster #ElSavador #DominicanRepublic #CEPREDENAC #NDPBA #R2A2
CEPREDENAC
CDEMA - Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
Protección Civil de El Salvador
Defensa Civil Dominicana
UNDRR
Ecuador is highly susceptible to a wide range of natural disasters due to its geography and hydrological conditions, as well as its location on the Pacific Rim of Fire. The national risk profile includes threats from earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, floods, tsunami, drought, wildfire, extreme heat, and potentially others identified as part of this assessment.
“It is an honor to be working with Ecuador to tackle the very serious and difficult challenges it, and many others in the region, are facing from extreme disaster impacts. From recent severe weather, flooding, landslides, earthquakes, and man-made disasters, these events have the potential to inflict prolonged suffering, economic setbacks, and destabilization that can have lasting effects. Ecuador is the 34th country we’ve partnered with to help assess and identify the most significant drivers of disaster risk and national disaster management capacities."
www.pdc.org/ecuador-teams-up-with-pacific-disaster-center/
#Ecuador #SaferWorld #EarlyWarningforAll #AdvancedAnalytics #NDPBA #R2A2
Riesgos Ecuador
U.S. Embassy Ecuador
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)
Ecuador teams up with Pacific Disaster Center in its ongoing battle with extreme disasters
www.pdc.org
Ecuador’s Secretariat for Risk Management, Secretaría de Gestión de Riesgos (SNGR) and Pacific Disaster Center begin their disaster risk reduction partnership while the nation toils in a complex e...
PDC is assisting partners and monitoring the situation following the recent magnitude 6.3 earthquake impacting Ecuador. According to the latest Event Brief available through DisasterAWARE, approximately 336,000 people have been exposed to Moderate to Very Strong shaking, including 21 hospitals and 101 schools.
Continue to monitor DisasterAWARE for updates and learn more at pdc.org/DisasterAWARE.
Get alerts on earthquakes and 27 other types of hazards, anywhere and anytime, with our free Disaster Alert app.
>>> Available on Google Play and the iOS App Store (search "Disaster Alert" in the app stores)
Are you a disaster manager or humanitarian assistance practitioner?
>>> Access our multi-hazard early warning and risk intelligence platform—trusted by disaster managers worldwide.
>>> Learn more at www.pdc.org/disasteraware/
#Ecuador #EarlyWarningForAll #SaferWorld #DisasterAlert #DisasterAWARE #earthquake
Riesgos Ecuador
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)
U.S. Embassy Ecuador
Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE
The Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) participated in the Meteorological and Oceanographic Convergence Conference (MCC), held April 7–15 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu. Co-hosted by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Pacific Fleet, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), the event united military, partner nations, emergency managers, and academia to strengthen meteorological and oceanographic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.
PDC highlighted its decades of experience—across the region and beyond—in hazard early warning, advanced analytics, and AI innovation, underscoring how science, technology, and strategic collaboration drive actionable insights for greater regional preparedness and resilience.
#SaferWorld #EarlyWarningForAll #weather
Download the free Disaster Alert app today to receive early warnings and near real-time information on 28 types of natural and man-made hazards worldwide!
>>> Available on Google Play and the iOS App Store (Search "Disaster Alert" in the app stores)
Are you a disaster manager or humanitarian assistance practitioner?
>>> Access our award-winning, multi-hazard early warning and risk intelligence platform—trusted by disaster managers worldwide!
>>> Learn more at www.pdc.org/disasteraware/
#EarlyWarningforAll #SaferWorld #DisasterAlert #hurricane #volcano #fire #flood #tsunami #earthquake #disaster #hazard #landslide #tornado #winterstorm #storm #wildfire #severestorm
Come visit the PDC team at the free Maui County Emergency Preparedness Expo, tomorrow!
Where: Queen Ka’ahumanu Center in Kahului, Maui
Time: Saturday, April 12, 2025 - 10 AM to 2 PM
Headquartered on Maui, PDC has spent 30 years helping keep Hawai‘i—and communities beyond—alert and informed during disasters. Stop by our booth to learn more and get set up to receive real-time hazard alerts, wherever you are.