Australia Is Hiring 200 Workers to Live in Antarctica During the Winter

Andrea Romano

This may be a lucky day for Aussies looking for a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity.

According to the Daily Mail, the Australian Antarctic Division is looking for about 200 skilled workers to add to its staff for a four to 15-month stay in Antarctica during the winter to assist in research at the Casey, Davis, and Mawson stations, as well as the sub-Antarctic station on Macquarie Island.

For those in the northern hemisphere, it is currently summer in Australia and Antarctica right now. Antarctica only has two seasons: summer and winter. Winter runs between March and September. During the wintertime, the bases are generally empty, with only about 20 people there to keep things running. Needless to say, you should be comfortable with the close quarters, isolation, have a sunny disposition, and generally be a good team player.

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The Australian Antarctic Division is looking for chefs, supply officers, medical doctors, IT officers, boilermaker welders, mechanics, carpenters, and plumbers, in particular, to join their team, according to the Daily Mail. Some new skills will also be taught at the research bases during the contract. Not only is this a unique opportunity to grow skills, assist in scientific research, and live in a truly unique place, it’s also a great opportunity to see real-life Antarctic animals like penguins and natural phenomena like the aurora australis.

Plus, these positions are particularly lucrative. Not only are candidates paid a base salary, which varies on position, the program is also offering an additional allowance of $60,974 AUD (about $41,754 USD) per year. For example, the base pay for a plumber is $66,319 AUD (about $45,414 USD) per year. Plus the additional allowance, this candidate would make $127,293 AUD (about $87,168 USD) per year.

Because of the location and isolation, every candidate must undergo a psychological and physical evaluation in order to be considered. They will also be looking for someone who will gel well with the other workers at the stations.

In order to apply, visit the Australian Antarctic Division website to peruse their job openings.