Counting penguins a key specification for job
Hundreds of people around the world are applying for a coveted job to run the world’s most remote post office. The position is in Antarctica and one of the key specifications is the ability to count penguins.
Four candidates will be chosen to fill the five-month role at Port Lockroy – affectionately dubbed the ‘‘Penguin Post Office’’. The nearly-80-year-old building is on British-owned Goudier Island, which is about the size of a football field and is populated by hundreds of penguins.
The post office doubles as a museum and is managed by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. Each year, the British charity hires four postmasters to live on the island from November to March.
Although employees each have unique roles, they are collectively responsible for maintaining the historic site and catering to the thousands of tourists who come by boat.
The staff are also in charge of wildlife monitoring, which includes tallying penguins, and environmental data collection.
Applicants are warned it’s not a glamorous job. Employees must live without running water, internet or mobile phone service for five months. The team live together in a small lodge, where they sleep in bunk beds and share a single bathroom and camping toilet. Visiting ships will offer showers when they stop by.
‘‘Living there is quite hard work,’’ explained Camilla Nichol, the chief executive of the trust. ‘‘You might be working 12-hour days. There’s not much time for rest and relaxation.’’
Still, the job is widely soughtafter. The charity gets hundreds of applications for the postmaster position. One year, more than 2500 candidates applied.
‘‘We get people of all ages from all over the world,’’ Nichol said, adding that candidates ‘‘from all walks of life’’ apply for the sixmonth contract. ‘‘We are looking for people who are fit and resilient and really love meeting people and visitors.’’
Applicants for the four positions – which include base leader, shop manager and two general assistants – must be eligible to work in Britain, and the application deadline is today. Successful candidates will do a week of training in Cambridge, then head to Antarctica in
October, where they will remain until March 2023.
Depending on the specific role, salaries range from about $US1600 (NZ$2200) per month to $US2300. Each contract spans six months, which includes one month of training before the Antarctic excursion.
Applicants are often drawn to Port Lockroy, both for its history and its scientific significance. Port Lockroy, which is also known as ‘‘Base A,’’ was established in 1944 as part of a top-secret mission during World War II by the British government called Operation Tabarin, intended to reinforce British sovereignty over the region and establish a permanent presence in Antarctica.
About 18,000 tourists travel to Port Lockroy each season on cruise ships and yachts to marvel at the sights and learn about the history.
Seasonal postmasters must acquire a solid understanding of Port Lockroy’s past to guide and educate tourists. According to the job description, they should also be prepared for a ‘‘mentally challenging’’ experience.
‘‘Living takes a bit more work over there,’’ said Lucy Dorman, who was a base leader at Port Lockroy during the 2019-2020 season.
‘‘There’s lot of carrying things around.’’ – Nine