Oceanographic research often involves use of research vessels; however, early career ocean scientists (including senior graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty), have limited opportunities to gain experience leading, organizing, and executing research cruises. HOT PI White and collaborator Matt Church recruited early career scientists for a NSF/UNOLS sponsored training cruise aimed at allowing participants to acquire the necessary leadership, planning, and practical skills and experience required to lead an oceanographic research cruise focused on biological and chemical oceanography in conjunction with the HOT program. The training cruise had three major objectives: 1) provide early career researchers with experience and training in cruise leadership and execution, 2) introduce cruise participants to oceanographic sampling equipment and training on the collection of biological and chemical oceanographic samples, and 3) obtain high-quality measurements to inform a broad understanding of microbial diversity and rates of particle production and flux in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). Pre-cruise activities included representatives from NSF, UNOLS, and BCO-DMO to familiarize participants with key steps in the planning and execution of a successful research cruise, from proposal to post-cruise reporting of data. This training expedition also addressed HOT broader impact goals to 'provide a window into oceanographic monitoring for the research community' via at-sea training for early career scientists (students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty).