Antarctica Needs a Network Engineer

littlekorea writes "It's a little underpaid, but network engineers with a fetish for very cold weather might be interested to know that the Australian Government's Antarctic Division is seeking network engineers to manage its telephony, satellite and radio comms in Antarctica. According to the job FAQ, summer temperatures aren't a lot colder than your average data centre. But winters of -30 degrees celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) might make the morning jog a little challenging."

Comments

Extra job perk

[garg0yle]

The ATMs there don't charge any fees!

Raytheon

[rindeee]

For anyone who's interested, Raytheon Polar Services is almost always hiring for positions at the US South Pole research facilities.

Re:Raytheon

[Nadaka]

Funny but true. My father was "tech support" for the Airforce in the 70s and 80s at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. He serviced remote nuclear silo's and early warning radar. It was cold enough that there was a chance you would die on the drive out if you had to service some of the equipment at night, and thats if you didn't get stuck in a 30ft snow drift. And yes, he did step in front of the radar to warm himself up.

-30C? That's hot!

[Cyberax]

/me looks at the thermometer outside my window. It shows -49C (I'm in Yakutsk).

Hm. I think, it might be a good idea to move somewhere where it's a bit warmer.

PS: and no, it's not a good idea to put a computer outside at this weather. HDDs freeze to death quickly.

Re:Seen the movie?

[smooth wombat]

The idea of being trapped with Kate Beckinsale, for any length of time, while highly appealing, is immediately dashed when one realizes she smokes.

Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, smokers. Sorry, if I'm going to have any sense of enjoyment being in close proximity to someone like Kate, I don't want them or me to be horfing up a lung or smelling like shit all the time.

Did They Mention?

[Comatose51]

They did also mention that the base get 16,500 condoms a year. It gets cold and lonely there in Antarctica with nothing else to do except for each other.

My father has held this position.

[Jacques Chester]

It's very hard to qualify for. My father served two winter tours for the Antarctic Division in exactly this role. He loved it to bits -- he's a bit of a hermit, so only having to deal with the same dozen people for months at a time was his idea of heaven.

However, a lot of people apply. A lot of them are very smart and qualified. My father has decades of experience radio, satellite, microwave, land line and LAN communications. You may need the same.

Next you need to pass the rigorous screening process. You need to be in good physical condition. Dad spent months sweating away in a gym to meet the weight, blood pressure and cardio requirements. You will be checked for a large number of medical conditions, and if any of them turn up, you will not be accepted.

Finally, there's the psych review. If you're going to be a winterer, you'll be living in isolated darkness for months with a small group of people with a pitiful satellite uplink to the internet (no youtube or games for you). Not everyone is suited to that.