British Antarctic Survey

[elster]

Has anyone worked for them? or spent time with them?

I am wanting some background info to help me in my interview.

I have an interview next Tuesday as an electrician for them, which certainly would be very different and interesting.

Just wondering if anyone else has ever spent time down there, or could tell me a bit.

[Einion Yrth]

It's very cold and dark.


HTH

[Don]

Wow. Good luck.

[phumy]

Einion Yrth said:

It's very cold and dark.


HTH

No, its cold and very light

[Einion Yrth]

phumy said:

Einion Yrth said:

It's very cold and dark.


HTH

No, its cold and very light

At the moment yes, but I thought the BAS did winter stopovers when it's cold, dark, and extremely isolated with only the body stealing aliens for company.

[robbin'b]

Mate of mine worked for them as a techie years ago, chickened out when he was shelled by the Argies though!

[elster]

Einion Yrth said:

phumy said:

Einion Yrth said:

It's very cold and dark.


HTH

No, its cold and very light

At the moment yes, but I thought the BAS did winter stopovers when it's cold, dark, and extremely isolated with only the body stealing aliens for company.

Well it is all year round

[elster]

I take it by everyones silence that no one knows anything then?

[phumy]

elster said:

Einion Yrth said:

phumy said:

Einion Yrth said:

It's very cold and dark.


HTH

No, its cold and very light

At the moment yes, but I thought the BAS did winter stopovers when it's cold, dark, and extremely isolated with only the body stealing aliens for company.

Well it is all year round

Well it is all year round, what?

[phumy]

Ive been into the Antarctic circle on a yacht racing through the Southern Ocean

[elster]

phumy said:

elster said:

Einion Yrth said:

phumy said:

Einion Yrth said:

It's very cold and dark.


HTH

No, its cold and very light

At the moment yes, but I thought the BAS did winter stopovers when it's cold, dark, and extremely isolated with only the body stealing aliens for company.

Well it is all year round

Well it is all year round, what?

They operate all year round. So they do winter stopovers and summer stopovers and all year round stopovers.

There is quite a lot going on down there.

[bobthemonkey]

Is this for Halley V/VI, Rothera or somewhere else?

Is this a summer posting or are you wanting to be a WO as well.

[MonkeyHanger]

I hope they're offering more than the 20K p.a. that they usually do.

Tax-free or not i'd want a hell of a lot more than that to work there for 6 months.

[elster]

MonkeyHanger said:

I hope they're offering more than the 20K p.a. that they usually do.

Tax-free or not i'd want a hell of a lot more than that to work there for 6 months.

Nope 23k.

Quite happy with that. It is quite a bit less than what I earn. But I could re arrange things so I could.

Think it would be interesting.

[alfaman]

I have known 3 people who previously worked for BAS ( a climber , a diver , and a geologist )

All of them absolutely loved the experience - 2 of them signed up for return tours. I would love to go to Antarctica ( I climb).

Do it do it do it : very few people get this opportunity , if you DON'T do it .... you will always look back thinking .... "what if"

[elster]

bobthemonkey said:

Is this for Halley V/VI, Rothera or somewhere else?

Is this a summer posting or are you wanting to be a WO as well.

They are wanting multiple positions so I don't actually know which station they would want me to go to. They would be mainly Halley, South Georgia, Rothera and Signy.

Contracts are for 6, 12 and 18 months.

Edited by elster on Sunday 21st September 16:19

[sjj84]

Let us know how you get on with the interview and everything, I considered applying myself, would be interested to know a bit more about it.

[elster]

sjj84 said:

Let us know how you get on with the interview and everything, I considered applying myself, would be interested to know a bit more about it.

Yeah no problem. Will let you know after Tuesday.

[thinfourth2]

Friend did 1 tour with them as a mechanic

he said it was the best job he had ever had but the pay was pants.

So if you are doing it for the money then completely forget it, if you are doing it because you want to then bloody well go for it and don't look back.

[bint]

Make sure you get the job - you won't regret it.

I used to sell to the labs there, and one of my greatest friends works there still running one of the labs.

Nearly everyone gets a chance to spend some time in the arctic, and they seem a really nice company to work for.

The hardest thing is the interview, if you are expected to serve a term in the Antarctic, they will ensure you are the sort to 'get on' with everyone as you are cooped up there for months. (ratio of men to women is also a little interesting....)

ETA: Doh! Just read post above where you mention you would actually be stationed out there rather than the Cambs offices.

Edited by bint on Sunday 21st September 18:40