For November through March, through the Antarctic summer, the U.K. Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) is looking for seasonal workers to run the Peninsula’s Port Lockroy post office and museum. Plus, keep track of its Gentoo penguin population.
Three positions are up for grabs: base leader, shop manager, and general assistant. All will share the task of keeping tabs on Goudier Island’s penguins, including the hatchlings.
Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.K., physically fit, mentally sound, and able to withstand the harsh Antarctic environment. International applicants with legal work status in the U.K. may apply but must provide documentation proving their status.
Interested parties must submit their applications according to the UKAHT’s instructions by 23:59 GMT on Monday, April 25, 2022. Interviews will follow on May 9, and the chosen applicants will attend a week of training in Cambridge in October 2022.
To learn more and apply, head to ukaht.org.
Port Lockroy: a historical, ‘magical’ place
Port Lockroy, on Antarctica’s Goudier Island, was the first permanent British base on the glacial continent, active from 1944 until 1962. In 2006, the UKAHT took over custodianship and transformed the site into a post office and museum.
In 2020, due to the pandemic, the Trust boarded Port Lockroy up. It remained closed through the 2021-2022 season. This year marks the base’s reopening to the public for the first time in two years.
“We look for applicants that can bring a range of skills to the team such as retail experience, heritage, conservation and building maintenance, and leadership or management,” said Lauren Luscombe, UKAHT operations manager. “The successful candidates will be living in close quarters for five months, so it is also essential that we curate the right balance of skill sets and personalities.”
