How to get a job in Antarctica in 2021

Antarctica is the most mysterious continent on Earth, which still remains untouched by human activity. Over time, this part of the world has become a real “Klondike” for scientists and researchers. Thanks to this, the tourism potential of the region has noticeably increased, and an opportunity has arisen to get a job in Antarctica as part of a scientific expedition.

Belonging to the territory of Antarctica

Antarctica is of interest not only from a scientific research point of view, but also as a storehouse of valuable resources. In order to prevent conflict and destruction of the unique nature of the continent, the leading states of the world signed an agreement in 1959, establishing the special legal status of Antarctica as a kind of nature reserve.

The document states that Antarctica does not belong to any state in the world; the deployment of military facilities, the entry of combat fleet vessels, nuclear icebreakers and ships is prohibited here.

Since 1980, Antarctica received the official status of a nuclear-free zone, which excluded the possibility of various states using nuclear power units on the mainland. You can sail here only on ships and crews, where there is no weaponry of any kind.

Despite the existing agreements, many countries of the world do not hide their territorial claims to Antarctic lands. The authorities of Norway, Great Britain, France, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina speak openly about their claims. The United States and Russia have a special position. Representatives of these states declare the possibility of putting forward territorial claims to Antarctica, but at the same time completely ignore the claims of other states.

Climate and degree of human development

Antarctica to this day continues to be the most uninhabited and undeveloped continent. At the same time, geologists have established that the local land stores enormous resources. The continent is the world's source of fresh water, accounting for up to 90% of the planet's total water resources.

The continent is also of great interest from a scientific point of view. Observations of climatic and meteorological processes make it possible to study the processes of the earth's crust and analyze changes in the atmosphere over hundreds of thousands of years. Work on archeology is very popular here. Archaeologists often fail to discover any unique artifacts, but their work allows them to analyze the soil and the thickness of the ice cover.

The main reason for the undeveloped nature of the continent is considered to be difficult climatic conditions. Antarctica is the Earth's pole of cold; the temperature here is extremely low. In the depths of the continent, in winter the temperature ranges from -75 to -60 degrees, in the summer season - from -50 to -30 degrees. In coastal areas near the sea it is noticeably warmer, since there are sea currents nearby. In winter, the thermometer here shows from -35 to -10 degrees, in summer – from 0 to +5 degrees, which is comparable to the climate of the North of Russia, the taiga region, and the Yamal Peninsula.

Resources and area of ​​Antarctica

The territory of the ice continent is 14.1 million square meters. km. If Antarctica were an independent state, it would rank second in area after Russia.

Due to the fact that there is no economic activity here, the resources of the mainland have been preserved in their original form. According to comprehensive estimates by geologists, there are huge reserves of oil and gas (especially near the oceans), coal, iron ore, gold and silver. It is also possible that rare earth metals are present (especially at the borders of mountain systems), which are extremely rare.

Already now, various geological explorations are being carried out here, and production is beginning. For example, the Russian Gazprom often organizes oil and gas exploration operations in partnership with various research institutes.

Due to the enormous resource potential, historians argue that in the foreseeable future a real war may begin over Antarctica, which will involve all the leading states of the world. All this is confirmed by the political struggle for Arctic resources, which has intensified in recent years.

If you believe various reviews, photos and videos, Antarctica seems to be a real corner of untouched nature. Here she is stern and at the same time beautiful.

Working at the North Pole

Mining nickel, coal, gold, oil and gas in northern latitudes requires specialists. Work at the North Pole is carried out at remote distances from the place of residence, working conditions are unfavorable, and only a rotational basis is used.

Russian North

To work in the North, and this is:

Amur, Arkhangelsk, Irkutsk, Murmansk, Perm, Tomsk, Chita regions; Kamchatka, Primorsky, Khabarovsk and Krasnoyarsk territories; Buryatia and Karelia, Chukotka and Magadan, Yakutia and Komi, Sakhalin and Tyva require specialists of various professions.

Important: Qiwi Wallet in Belarus How to Withdraw Money

Working conditions at the North Pole are harsh. We need professions that are not found in our ordinary life, for example, a person who drives away polar bears with ultrasound during expeditions (from February to April).

An applicant in the North must have

• good health (without chronic diseases of the heart, head and gastrointestinal tract), as confirmed by a medical examination,
• willingness to spend 21, 30, 45 and 60 days on a ship, live in a rotation camp,
• high stress resistance,
• experience in expeditions,
• basic knowledge of the specialty,
• health insurance.

Meals, work clothes, sometimes travel to the place of work, and training are provided at the expense of the company. Most often, vacancies take from 18 to 53 years old, any education.

Not allowed in the regions of the Far North of the Russian Federation

• pregnant women;
• persons under 18 years of age;
• persons with medical contraindications;
• women raising children under 3 years of age;
• guardians of minors.

When working on a shift in the Arctic, you need to be prepared for severe climatic conditions (severe frost, blizzards, blizzards, storm winds, polar nights, sudden changes in weather), have physical endurance, and lead a Spartan lifestyle.

Labor activity on the “top of the planet”, where people get there by helicopter and by dog ​​sled to the archipelago or cape.

Work at the North Pole is available not only for men; there are also vacancies for women: commandant, cook, storekeeper, geologist. Men are offered vacancies as a welder, crane operator, driver, bulldozer operator, and excavator operator. Salary depends on qualifications and experience, on the company and field of activity (from 45 thousand to 80 thousand).

Norway

The famous saying “stay close to the pipe, it feeds” really works. The earnings of drillers, oil workers and gas workers are high, an order of magnitude higher than those of other specialists. Companies that extract hydrocarbons, both onshore and offshore, are in constant need of workers.

Where is the best place to go to earn money?

Working on a floating offshore drilling platform - a facility for extracting mineral resources from under the seabed - is dangerous. The activity is related to the conditions: during a storm with wave heights of up to 15 m, with a wind flow of up to 50 m/s, with 100% air humidity. There are many similar job offers in Norway. They promise good money (300 euros per day).

Websites offering skilled work on drilling platforms abroad are full of deception. A decent employer charges 50 euros for services and another 150 euros for opening a visa. Norway is full of its own unemployed, and the employing company is forced, according to the laws of the country, to make a request within 3 months, publishing a vacancy for a driller, motor operator or mechanic in local newspapers.

When an applicant is not found, only then is a work visa for foreigners requested. According to the law, 7 months are allotted. Therefore, getting a job on drilling platforms in Norway is a hopeless matter for a Ukrainian. For more details on how to get a job in Norway, read the article .

The search for a worker outside of Norway may take a long time, and for our brother it will not be possible to quickly find a job in the North Sea. So you need to soberly assess the situation.

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Source: https://trydes.org/rabota-na-severnom-polyuse/

Russian and foreign organizations operating in Antarctica

Developed countries of the world are conducting active research work on the icy continent. As of 2021, there are 48 permanent research stations located in Antarctica. The most active exploration of Antarctica is carried out by Russia, the USA, Great Britain, Chile, France, Argentina and China.

Among the most famous Antarctic stations are:

• Bird Island, King Edward Head, Halley, Fossil Bluff (UK);
• Kunlun, Changcheng, Zhongshan, Taishan (China);
• Bellingshausen, Vostok, Mirny, Novolazarevskaya, Progress, Russkaya (Russia);
• Amundsen-Scott, McMurdo, Palmer (USA);
• Martin-de-Viviers, Port-au-France, Alfred Faure (France);
• Frey, Escudero, Videla, Captain Arturo Prat (Chile).

In addition to permanent stations, Antarctica also has 41 seasonal research bases (including weather stations) where geological surveys are carried out. In the geographical center of the continent, in the region of the South Pole, the American Amundsen-Scott station is located.

What are people doing here? Popular specialties

As mentioned earlier, working in the Arctic requires good physical health and a willingness to face challenges. Today, not only scientific and research activities are carried out in the region. The region is developing rapidly, and as of the beginning of this year 2021, there were twice as many vacancies compared to the previous period.

The following non-scientific specialists are invited to work in the Arctic:

Next in the ranking of recruitment agencies are administrative specialties, and their share of the total number of in-demand professionals is very low:

• personnel management - no more than 3%;
• the same number of people are required in sales;
• about 2% are in demand for accountants.

And finally on the list are specialists of other administrative professions, no more than 2%.

Work and available vacancies in Antarctica

In recent years, work in Antarctica has been in great demand. Jobs and salaries in Antarctica promise high income and interesting employment. All this is explained by the presence of many advantages and a fairly high level of payment. However, getting to work is not so easy.

Since the working and living conditions are close to extreme, the applicant must meet a number of mandatory criteria, including the possession of useful skills that will be useful in Antarctica (for example, in the field of construction), a high level of professionalism and experience in the specialty, the ability to withstand isolation, excellent physical fitness, long-term travel experience.

Due to the popularity of work in Antarctica, there is a serious competitive selection for most vacancies. Specialists of a narrow focus associated with scientific expeditions to Antarctica have a better chance of getting to the glacial continent.

Advantages and disadvantages of working in Antarctica

Despite the fact that an expedition to the polar latitudes is fraught with considerable difficulties, becoming a participant is very difficult.

• Firstly, there are a large number of scientists and ordinary people for whom visiting Antarctica has been a long-time dream.
• Secondly, in addition to romance, many are attracted by the high salary, which can reach 150 thousand rubles per month. The advantages are quite obvious.

If we take the disadvantages of participating in the Antarctic expedition, then they are also very easy to notice. First of all, it is a very harsh climate. The average annual temperature on the continent is -60°C.

And if at coastal stations in the summer you can still “warm up” at -10°C, then work at the inland Vostok station is considered one of the most extreme in the world. In winter it is almost impossible to get to it even by plane. Aviation fuel simply freezes during a short layover.

Popular specialties and professions

Antarctica is a zone of scientific research, so environmental scientists (geologists, geophysicists, meteorologists, biologists and microbiologists) are in great demand here, similar to work at the North Pole. In addition, to ensure uninterrupted operation of the stations, the following specialists are constantly required:

• doctors and junior medical staff;
• system administrators;
• specialists to work on a geological exploration expedition;
• programmers and laboratory assistants;
• photographers and videographers;
• satellite communications experts;
• drivers of all-terrain vehicles and vehicles with tracked wheels;
• welders;
• exploration engineers;
• mechanics;
• cooks;
• security workers.

Also in Antarctica there is a recruitment for unique vacancies that are practically not found anywhere in the world. These include riometrists, magnetologists, polar bear scarers, and vacancies for penguin lifters. But they don’t hire general workers here.

The penguin flipper's earnings are small, but this is compensated by the opportunity to visit uninhabited territory, untouched by human activity, and study the local population - penguins.

There is an increased demand for sailors and other specialists to work on Antarctic ships. The only caveat is that women are not accepted to work at sea.

Popular specialties

Before applying to participate in a polar expedition, you should find out in advance what jobs are required in Antarctica. Given the relatively high salaries and other benefits, there is a lot of competition for some specialties. There are too many people who want to get to the far south, so they choose the most prepared. You can find out what vacancies there are for a future expedition by contacting the St. Petersburg Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic.

In the field of science

Scientists are delegated to the polar station in accordance with the RAS plan. You won’t be able to get hired as a scientific researcher in Antarctica from the “street.” Among the scientists on the expedition, the majority are usually geologists and microbiologists. If it is planned to study the animal world, the station is staffed with biologists.

Crew members on the ship

In addition to those who directly live on the territory of the Antarctic station, work on an icebreaker is required to ensure the delivery of polar explorers. Since the sea route to southern latitudes is fraught with risk, newcomers are rarely taken there.

Unique professions

If anyone wants to go to Antarctica for exotic things, they will almost certainly be disappointed. The environment and wildlife there are poor and monotonous. Work on the southern continent is of interest only from the point of view of scientific research. There are no vacancies for penguin lifters here.

Who can be useful in Antarctica? Rarely in demand specialties worth mentioning are magnetologists, hydrologists, and riometrists. We also need scientists who study the ionosphere, psychologists, and geophysicists. Of course, there is always a need for cooks, diesel operators, electricians, signalmen and even gas welders.

Search for vacancies: with and without an intermediary

Russians and Belarusians can try to independently find employment in Antarctica through the Arctic and Antarctic Institute in St. Petersburg (preference is given to graduate students of the university). Among the countries of the former USSR, Ukraine also conducts Antarctic activities. Job vacancies for Ukrainians to work at the Akademik Vernadsky polar station, which belongs to this country, are posted by the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Often the recruitment of potential workers is carried out by foreign Antarctic communities (often the USA, Australia, Great Britain). However, only professionals of the highest category will be able to get the desired job, subject to fluency in English.

The participation of intermediaries in the search for Antarctic vacancies is minimal. The intermediary cannot in any way guarantee employment. He can help prepare the necessary documentary support, submit an application, and explain some of the nuances of employment. For this reason, applicants are advised not to resort to the services of private companies. The exception is when an employer opens a competitive recruitment process through an intermediary company. However, even here the final decision will be up to the employer, therefore, the applicant will not receive any advantages over other applicants.

You should not trust vacancies posted on various employment exchanges or popular sites like Avito. Often the information provided here is not true.

Monument to polar explorers on Vasilyevsky Island

How to get to work in Antarctica

Russians and Belarusians can apply to participate in the polar expedition by contacting the St. Petersburg Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic. Citizens of Ukraine can do the same through the local Academy of Sciences. The rest of the post-Soviet countries are not engaged in research in Antarctica.

There is, however, another way to get on the expedition. You can try to apply to the British, Australian or American Antarctic Society. Oddly enough, the admission of foreigners there is quite possible. It all depends on the professional assessment of the applicant and his level of qualifications.

Working conditions and wages: legal norms

The level of earnings of a polar explorer directly depends on his work experience and profession. On average, wages in Antarctica are about 60 thousand rubles. Every six months, employees are given a 10% increase. There are three such material incentives during a calendar year, after which the salary level reaches its maximum.

According to the Russian legislative framework, the accrual of a polar explorer’s salary begins from the moment he crosses the 60th parallel. In addition, all polar workers, regardless of status, work experience and position, are guaranteed the following preferences from the state:

• setting the value of the regional coefficient within 3;
• inclusion in the total length of service of years of service in Antarctica, periods of expedition trips to the mainland, which helps to significantly increase the pension;
• additional paid leave.

A percentage increase and an increasing coefficient to the salary are also guaranteed, which allows you to earn many times more.

Features of employment: contracts

Since work in Antarctica is carried out primarily on a rotational basis, each employee is required to conclude an employment contract with the employer before the trip. There are few special requirements here, the main thing is that the document fully complies with the requirements of Russian legislation.

The contract is drawn up in writing in at least 2 copies. One is handed over to the employee, the second remains with the employer. The contract stipulates the professional responsibilities of the hired employee, the amount of material remuneration and the timing of the expedition to Antarctica, there is a description of living conditions and the employer’s guarantees for the supply of everything necessary.

Adaptation

An adaptation period after arrival at the polar station is necessary. All new arrivals suffer from hypoxia. The luggage of new arrivals is unloaded and carried to the station by old-timers. Newcomers with blue lips - a sign of oxygen starvation - sluggishly wander into the module and fall on the bed. It will take several days for the body to adapt to the new conditions.

Zakhar Akulov told how on his first day in Antarctica he tried to help the old-timers unload a container. After physical effort, he tried to restore his breathing. It was rapid, everything blurred before my eyes, I felt a burning sensation in my lungs. The expedition leader saw him in this state and immediately took him to the station. Along the way, he explained that if the air temperature had been ten degrees lower, there was a risk of burning the bronchi and lungs.

Requirements for candidates and documents

Many applicants do not know how to get on the expedition. Antarctica is a harsh region where living and working conditions are very difficult. Therefore, when selecting a suitable applicant for a current vacancy, the employer pays special attention to the following nuances:

• The volunteer has a higher education, good qualifications, and extensive knowledge of the industry.
• Good health. If the applicant has some health problems, he is at great risk. There are no medical complexes or hospitals in Antarctica; to carry out operations, a worker will have to be escorted to the “mainland”, which is not always possible in difficult climate conditions and long distances.
• Communication skills, ability to find a common language with colleagues. Often the working staff at Antarctic stations is small (about 20 people). They are forced to spend a lot of time together, so it is important that conflict situations do not arise.
• Ability to stay in a confined space for a long time. Long snow storms are not uncommon in Antarctica, which the station's hired personnel wait out in equipped rooms. There are cases when employees of one of the stations had to stay inside the building for more than 1 month.
• Willingness to be away from home, close friends, family and children for a long period of time.
• Compliance with the age limit of 25-45 years. For most vacancies in Antarctica, this is the age limit. It is almost impossible for older citizens to enlist here. Some specialties accept applicants up to 65 years of age.

Important! As practice shows, citizens who have experience of rotational work in the Far North (Murmansk, Arkhangelsk regions, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, etc.) have the greatest chance of getting a job.

In addition to the requirements for the personal characteristics of a potential employee, employers also have some requirements for the necessary documents. To work you will need:

• certificates and diplomas confirming the level of qualifications, completion of additional educational courses and seminars;
• work book, which contains records of past places of work;
• driver's license (preferably international);
• national passport;
• a foreign passport with a validity period of more than 6 months after the end of the shift.

For men, it is desirable to have a military ID or rank. Only in this case will they be allowed to travel on ships to the territorial waters of other states.

How to choose vacancies and employer requirements

It is recommended to select vacancies from direct employers in order to exclude the possibility of falling into the clutches of scammers. As follows from reviews of local workers, the guarantees that are offered in most cases:

• shift method;
• shift from 3 months;
• official employment;
• long-term employment contract;
• health insurance;
• guarantees of payment of agreed wages and bonuses;
• social guarantees.

It is also possible to clearly define the list of requirements for working in the Arctic on a rotational basis, put forward by most employers:

• knowledge of English or Spanish;
• ability to work on a PC;
• excellent health.

Depending on the vacancy, the following requirements for candidates may also be put forward:

The age restrictions are quite strict. People who have reached the age of 25, but not older than 45, are most in demand. However, in the working specialty, you can find vacancies with minimum requirements from 25 to 65 years.

For many specialties, a driver's license, certificates and other documents confirming qualifications, in addition to a diploma from an educational institution, are put forward as a requirement. You will definitely need a work book. The determining factor when choosing a candidate may be whether he or she has a military ID and a foreign passport.

The difficult working conditions in the Arctic, the high risk of danger and minimal comfort force employers to conduct a mandatory thorough medical examination of each selected applicant. “Shift workers” say that if chronic diseases and bad habits are detected, the candidate is usually denied employment.

Shift method of work

Due to the lack of road infrastructure, most geological exploration and archaeological expeditions are sent to Antarctica in the summer, which lasts here from October to March. During this period, there is a change of workers at Antarctic stations. During the period from April to September, when winter comes to Antarctica, transport does not go here. The frosts here can be so severe that the fuel freezes after a couple of minutes of inactivity.

Taking into account the peculiarities of weather conditions, work in Antarctica takes place on a rotational basis, the contract is concluded for a minimum of 6 months. With some employees it is possible to sign employment agreements for 1 year. These people are called “winter dwellers” here.

It is worth noting that it is impossible to quit your job before the end of the term for the reason that transport with humanitarian cargo arrives at most stations only in the summer months (October-March). Consequently, it is not possible to terminate the employment contract ahead of schedule.

Working hours

Most Antarctic expeditions are planned for the summer. In the southern hemisphere it lasts from October to March. During wintering (April - September), when frosts and winds intensify, the station staff is significantly reduced. The exception is Bellingshausen station, located at latitude 62°. Its climatic conditions allow the necessary scientific activities to be carried out year-round.

The journey to Antarctica takes about two months (if the expedition arrives by sea from St. Petersburg). Sometimes researchers arrive by plane to Cape Town, and from there by ship to Antarctica.