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Antarctic Researcher

Antarctica is the world's coldest, driest, and windiest continent where temperatures have dipped as low as 128.6 degrees below zero. Ice covers some 98% of the continent's surface. Those are among the reasons why its jobs, despite their financial advantage, attract few applicants.

In one sense, it's simple to get a job at the South Pole as there's only one employer: the National Science Foundation. It hires the scientific people and its subcontractor, Antarctic Support Services, hires support staff.

What kinds of jobs do you find in Antarctica? During the warmest months (October through February) as many as 2,500 people work at one of the three research stations. Supporting the scientists and their research assistants are workers in such areas as global communications, data entry, hospital services, safety, construction, fire fighting, recreation, and airfield crash rescue.

Employment peaks during the warm months, and most workers are hired for a six-month stint. Some workers, however, elect to "lay over" through the brutal cold season.

Training Required:

Hiring standards for those wishing to work, especially during the coldest months, are high. Candidates must pass a psychological examination, undergo special training, and have no potential medical problems, as there is no way to evacuate people in case of emergencies. Prospective workers are advised to have all their wisdom teeth checked, and pregnant women need not apply.

Incidentally, gender stereotypes are constantly being shattered at the South Pole. Women have had great success working as engineers and construction workers - and men competently fill the ranks of food service positions.

Prior to leaving for Antarctica, workers train in Colorado for their new roles and later go to Christchurch, in New Zealand's South Island, where they receive cold-weather gear, take a safety training course, and prepare for the five-hour flight to the McMurdo Station.

People applying for a position as a scientist or research assistant should call the National Science Foundation at 703-306-1234 or visit its web site.

Information Source:

Career Opportunity News, Chicago: Ferguson Publishing.