Work in Antarctica with us
We offer the experience of a lifetime, with opportunities to work in one of the most unique and isolated environments on the planet.
You'll see weather, wildlife and scenery like you've never seen before, forging close friendships with your fellow expeditioners. You'll be part of Australia's official and ongoing presence in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
About 70 expeditioners spend winter across the 4 stations, increasing to about 300 expeditioners in summer. Each station hosts a range of people from varied backgrounds, professions and employers.
Passengers prepare to board a flight on Wilkins Runway in Antarctica, near Casey Station. The 3.2 km runway is carved into glacial ice.
Our jobs in Antarctica
Our roles support the scientific work of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). They also contribute to weather, marine and space weather information for Australia.
We regularly recruit for roles in Antarctica. There are roles at Casey, Davis and Mawson stations. There are also positions on Macquarie Island, our subantarctic station.
Assignments are usually for 12 to 16 months. Preparation and training in Hobart can take 4 to 6 months, including building technical competencies. This is followed by an expedition of about 12 months.
Staff are employed as meteorologists, weather observers and technical engineering officers.
Personal requirements
Personal qualities
When applying for a job in Antarctica you must demonstrate that you:
- have a strong work ethic
- can make a positive contribution to community and team
- respond to authority and follow the law, legislative requirements, and relevant policies and procedures
- commit to Australian Antarctic Program specific requirements.
The Bureau and the AAD assess personal qualities as part of the selection process.
Medical, psychological and security screening
If you meet job and personal quality assessments, you'll undergo medical, psychological and security screening.
- The AAD's Polar Medicine Unit will decide on your medical fitness for duty in Antarctica, after a nominated medical practitioner conducts tests on our behalf.
- Psychological assessments are conducted by a psychologist nominated by the AAD.
- Security checks vary depending on the role required. At minimum, we carry out a police record check.
For more information, see Information for applicants on this page.
Community life
In Antarctica, you'll live in a small, isolated community. Whatever job you do, you'll need to support the community life of the expedition. The station leader rosters tasks such as:
- general kitchen duties
- clearing rubbish
- water duties.
You may be asked to assist other expedition members with official programs. For example, this might include:
- supporting scientific research
- aviation operations
- field camps
- overland traverses to outlying regions.
Reeves Hill at Casey Station, looking out to Newcomb Bay
What it's like to work in Antarctica
Find out what Tanya and Emry experienced during their time on the ice.
Tanya Maddison worked as an observer at Casey research station in Antarctica in 2018 and 2019. She developed diverse skills and experienced unique weather, wildlife and community camaraderie.
As I write I'm sitting in the meteorological office watching snow whizzing past the window and listening to the sound of the wind rumbling. We're experiencing a blizzard with a steady wind speed higher than 60 knots. Welcome to Antarctica, an experience unlike any other.
Having worked on Australia’s icebreaker ship Aurora Australis for years, I've visited Antarctica many times. The ship would glide through a seemingly mirror-like pond between icebergs and floes, or battle through the ferocious, angry seas for which the Southern Ocean is famous. Seeing my first iceberg was amazing and something I’ll never forget. Transporting expeditioners to stations sparked my curiosity about life on a base and spending a winter in Antarctica.
An observer normally stays in Antarctica over winter, spending 12 months at an Antarctic or subantarctic station. As I wasn't already employed by the Bureau, I did an observer course in Melbourne, followed by station training with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). This entailed search and rescue, quad bike, survival and firefighting training to learn the skills for isolated-environment living.
Working in Antarctica is similar to an observer role on mainland Australia. My tasks included synoptic, aviation and upper-air observations, and aerodrome weather reports. I also learned to grow food and manage a hydroponics facility, joined a firefighting team, assisted with food preparation and helped build an ice runway for the first incoming flight of the summer season, among many other things. On a station, people pull together and work as a community to meet deadlines and achieve the necessary outcomes.
Working in an isolated environment isn't for everyone and presents challenges. You're away from family and friends, and the usual conveniences and freedoms of day-to-day life. There's little vegetation and little sunlight in winter, and you're living in close, communal quarters. Yet this environment presents many unique opportunities. Spending a year in Antarctica, you can experience the changing of the four seasons, from the 24-hour endless daylight to dark blizzards at the height of winter. Auroras light up the starry sky and, in the spring, life returns to the continent. Seal pups are born, penguins and other birds arrive to reproduce, and the continent edge teems once again with wildlife.
Aside from amazing scenery and weather phenomena, you can participate in different activities. I did a midwinter swim in sub-zero temperatures, walked/skied on the sea ice and participated in a winter traverse 100 km inland to service a weather station. Over the course of a year with 20 or so others, we developed a strong camaraderie and forged lifelong friendships, along with memories that will last a lifetime.
Emry Thaggard Crocker worked as a technical officer – engineer at Casey research station in Antarctica in 2014. He recounts his experiences of life, friendship and work in this unique environment.
Coming from Fiji I always wondered what colder climates would be like. In finding my way to Antarctica I acquired more of a sense of appreciation for the great outdoors and a whole new understanding of the meaning of the word 'cold'.
My role saw me participate in the observations program and a multitude of other engineering works. The technical nature of my work in Antarctica allowed me to be involved with various science programs and travel into some of the more remote areas. Being able to get out and explore in Antarctica was an exhilarating experience. I also had the opportunity to become familiar with the Bureau’s sophisticated equipment, maintaining it to ensure that no meteorological data was compromised.
Some of the biggest highlights working down south were the beautiful untouched scenery, the amazing wildlife and the brutal weather the Antarctic can throw at you at a moment's notice. Seeing some amazing weather phenomena, including the bright lights of the aurora australis, was something truly special. It was well worth enduring the cold long enough to take that perfect Instagram photo.
Living and working in isolation for such a long period gives you a great appreciation for some of the simpler things in life, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, beach days, and hanging out with friends and family. Despite (or even because of) these challenges I found a wonderful new family and formed lasting friendships down south. There's also a great, but limited, supply of fresh food from hydroponics, and the occasional 'beach' day … which lasts for approximately 30 seconds of swimming!
Following my trip to Casey I was inspired to be more involved with the Bureau's Antarctic operations, so I returned to do another winter – at the subantarctic Macquarie Island in 2017 for 12 months. Since my return to Hobart I have been employed as the Antarctic Lead at the Hobart Observing Operations Hub, which is a dream job come true!
All the remarkable scenery, wildlife and weather phenomena make Antarctica and the subantarctic islands truly unique places and I have taken some great memories home with me. This has been, and still is, a unique chapter of my life with all the amazing people I have met.
Landscape at Casey Station, Antarctica