If you’ve been feeling the January blues, a new job and a change of scenery might sound like a tempting offer.
However, this extremely cool opportunity can’t promise the weather will be any better than in the UK.
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is recruiting chefs, plumbers, and electricians to live and work at the South Pole.
And, if the opportunity to work alongside penguins wasn’t appealing enough, living expenses, rent, travel, and even your clothing are covered as part of the deal.
The new recruits will be tasked with maintaining the BAS’ five research stations spread over Antarctica.
However, these jobs certainly aren’t for the faint-hearted.
Residents at the Antarctic research station must face icy temperatures down to -49°C in winter, as well as complete darkness for several months.
Eloise Saville, a carpenter at the Halley VI Research Station, says: ‘If I’d known this was an option earlier, I’d have been working my way down here all along. It’s not just cold, it’s cool!’
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is now hiring plumbers, electricians, and chefs to live at work at its five Antarctic research stations
The new recruits will live inside the Antarctic research stations to enable scientists to carry out their research. Eloise Saville (pictured), a carpenter at the Halley VI Research Station, says that her work involves scraping ice of wood and driving skidoos.
When it comes to jobs at an Antarctic research station, it might be scientists, marine biologists, and explorers that first spring to mind.
Although the BAS has been responsible for some incredible research, including finding the hole in the ozone layer, that wouldn’t be possible with scientists alone.
Maintaining an outpost on the world’s coldest, driest, windiest, and most remote continent requires a whole team of people working throughout the year.
The BAS has now posted job listings for its first batch of new jobs which include diving officer, meteorological observer and ocean scientist.
However, over the coming months, there will be more vacancies for chefs, vehicle mechanics, and zoological field assistants.
Employees will spend extended periods living at one of the research bases dotted across the Southern Continent.
While one of the bases is only open during the summer, the remaining four are open all year round – meaning work doesn’t stop for the frozen Antarctic winter.
That means working through months of perpetual darkness with winds over 60 miles per hour (100 kmph) and temperatures that rarely exceed -30°C (-22°F).
While scientists might be the most famous part of the research station, the BAS needs a team of mechanics (pictured) and other workers to keep the stations up and running
Maintenance workers (pictured) will spend up to 295 days in the station. That means surviving the Antarctic winter through months of perpetual darkness with winds over 60 miles per hour (100 kmph) and temperatures which rarely exceed -30°C (-22°F).
‘This job is unlike anything I’ve ever done before,’ says Ms Saville.
‘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 trade-off is the opportunity to live in one of the most unique places on Earth.
Ben Norrish, head of vehicles for BAS, has spent 16 seasons living on the ice since starting out as a Mobile Plant Technician in 2001.
Mr Norrish says: ‘There’s something special about Antarctica and the people that adventure there that gets under your skin.
‘No matter how many times you go, when you step off the ship or aeroplane into Antarctica, you look up and take in where you are. That feeling of being in an amazing place is that same now as it was the first time.’
However, these unique conditions come with their own set of challenges, especially when it comes to food.
The bases are so inaccessible that food deliveries can only be made once per year.
The Antarctic research sites are so remote that food can only be delivered once per year. That means chefs need to plan meals up to 18 months in advance
Salaries for staff on the base start from £29,273 with a 10 per cent salary-based bonus on successful completion of an Antarctic tour. Staff can also boast of having some of the world’s best views from their office. Pictured: A member of BAS staff checks scientific equipment
That means chefs need to be able to plan balanced, nutritional meals for all the staff at the station up to 18 months in advance.
And with some staff stuck at the station for up to 295 days in a stretch, keeping people fed and happy requires a lot of ingenuity.
Olivier Hubert is now catering manager for BAS but used to be a chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant before deciding he needed a change of scene.
Mr Hubert says: ‘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!’
Contracts with the BAS run from six to 18 months and salaries start at £29,273 with a 10 per cent salary-based bonus on successful completion of an Antarctic tour.
Applications for the first batch of jobs close in March, with contracts set to begin by the end of July.
