Antarctic Atmospheric Scientist

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) offers the opportunity for suitably qualified persons to join multi-disciplinary teams at Halley (76°S, 26°W) or Rothera (68°S, 68°W) stations in Antarctica. This is science with a difference. As part of a small, highly motivated team, the successful candidates will be spending a year in the Antarctic. Life here is like nowhere else, so you must be ready to take on all the challenges that it offers. With the unparalleled beauty of the Antarctic, you will find this a profitable experience in more ways than one. The primary role of the successful candidates will be to make observations and to maintain and operate a suite of scientific instruments for studying the atmosphere and also to carry out quality assurance on the resulting environmental data.

Halley research station primarily concentrates on atmospheric research from ground level into space and the successful candidate will face the challenges of a newly commissioned station. Halley is an important observatory studying the Antarctic ozone "hole". The Meteorology and Ozone Monitoring Unit (MOMU) makes regular measurements of the stratospheric ozone content, and participates in international projects to measure trace chemicals, which are instrumental in the processes leading to ozone depletion. Other background pollution studies include taking snow and air samples for later isotopic and trace gas analysis in the UK. The Clean Air Sector Laboratory (CASLab) is the UK’s primary research facility for polar atmospheric chemistry. BAS operates a programme of routine measurements, as well as enhanced science campaigns, to study this clean background atmosphere, and how it links to wider global processes.

The research station at Rothera studies a broader range of science, although notably without the atmospheric chemistry component described above. Meteorological support is also provided for summer aircraft operations. A number of remote automatic weather stations located along the Antarctic Peninsula and on Alexander Island are serviced from the station. There is also a weather satellite image receiver, which is used to aid local weather forecasting.

The stations both make meteorological observations using an interactive, PC-based Automatic Weather Station, designed to facilitate data gathering and analysis and may make more frequent observations for aircraft. Regular upper air soundings are made using balloon-borne radio sondes. Additional observations and measurements are also made throughout the day. These are duties for the Atmospheric Scientists at both Halley and Rothera.

The successful candidate(s) will be responsible for maintaining the atmospheric science equipment in good working order, maintaining the quality of the data and managing its transfer to electronic storage. Each scientist is a member of a small multi-disciplinary team of scientists and support staff; and as such, they are expected to be adaptable and work on other programmes and to take their share of general base work. As the station is isolated for most of the year, the ability to work without detailed supervision and to solve problems as they arise is paramount.

This will be a challenging and demanding opportunity to work in an extreme and isolated environment. Applicants must therefore be physically capable and medically fit to work in Antarctica. You must be adaptable and willing to take on various tasks as they arise including a considerable amount of outdoor maintenance and general base work.

Qualifications: A degree or HND in physics, chemistry, geophysics, meteorology, electronic engineering or a related subject. Alternatively, a minimum of two years practical meteorological or electronics experience, supported by A levels or HNC in Physics or Electronics. An ability to solve problems and to be flexible are also key characteristics of the job.

Duration: The appointment will be for approximately 18 months, commencing in July 2014 in Cambridge. The successful candidates will undertake appropriate specialist training in all aspects of the job, prior to travelling to the Antarctic in the autumn of 2014 and returning in spring 2016.

Salary: Salary starts at £21,037 per annum, rising annually. Additionally, upon completion of a successful tour, you will receive a 10% bonus. BAS provides all training required, outdoor and work clothing, and accommodation (whilst in the Antarctic).

Further information: General information on living and working in Antarctica together can be found at http://www.antarctica.ac.uk. Details of the work undertaken by BAS’s Climate programme (which includes MOMU) and the Chemistry and Past Climate Programme (including the TROPCHEM project) can be found at http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/bas_research/our_research/current/programmes/climate/index.php and http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/bas_research/our_research/current/programmes/chemistry/index.php. Further information about the CASLab and the instruments operated inside it can be found at http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/bas_research/support/labs/caslab/index.php. Further information on the work carried out by meteorologists in BAS is available at http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/met/ Alex Gaffikin, a former holder of the post, has a very informative page about the job at http://www.alexantarctica.net/. You may also email basestab@bas.ac.uk for further employment details or for technical details of the posts.

You can obtain application forms either from the Personnel Section or download them from the WWW via http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/Employment/vacancies Send the completed application form to:

Human Resources Section, British Antarctic Survey, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET Tel: Cambridge (01223) 221508

Please quote reference: BAS 142/13
Closing date for receipt of application forms is 2nd March 2014
Interviews are scheduled to be held in April/May.

You will need to be physically capable and medically fit to work in Antarctic conditions.