Looking to leave behind the hustle of big cities? Applications are now open for roles at research stations in Antarctica for an off-grid commute in the company of penguins.
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is hiring carpenters, chefs, electricians and plumbers to take remote work all the way to the seventh continent.
A world leader in polar research and operations, staff at BAS research facilities discovered the hole in the ozone layer in 1985.
Salaries for contracts between six and 18 months start from £29,273 per annum, and all expenses, including accommodation, food, travel, specialist clothing and training, are covered by BAS.
Diving officer, meteorological observer and ocean scientist jobs are now live on the BAS website, with successful applicants starting anytime between May and September.
According to BAS, vacancies for chefs, station leaders and zoological field assistants will be listed over the next three months.
The institute called the job openings on the UK’s Antarctica bases, including Rothera and Halley Station, the “opportunity of a lifetime”.
Eloise Saville, a carpenter at Halley VI Research Station, said the job is “unlike anything I’ve ever done before”.
Working her first season in Antarctica, she said: “This job is unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I scrape ice off wood, drive skidoos and build things in one of the most extreme places on Earth, yet it’s funny how quickly it all feels normal.”
The BAS website says that staff can expect a stimulating work environment with state-of-the-art research facilities, the opportunity to work in the Earth’s greatest wilderness areas and learn new skills.
Ben Norrish, head of vehicles, has spent 16 seasons working for BAS in Antarctica yet said arriving in the unconventional office is as amazing now “as it was the first time”.
BAS catering manager Olivier Hubert, formerly a Michelin-starred restaurant chef, added: “Being a chef in Antarctica is a very different experience to anything I’ve ever done before.
“Meals are such an important part of life down South – they’re the anchors to the day so the pressure is on to create interesting and nutritious meals with limited supplies. But it’s such a privilege to cook for the team that become your family while you’re there – plus the views from the kitchen are pretty epic.”
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