NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business / Economy / Employment

Australian Antarctic Division is looking for people to work on Antarctica for great wages

news.com.au
17 Dec, 2019 04:30 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The jobs, which are mainly trades-based, range for four-month summer jobs to 15-month postings over winter. Photo / 123RF

The jobs, which are mainly trades-based, range for four-month summer jobs to 15-month postings over winter. Photo / 123RF

About 150 people are needed to fill some of the most adventurous jobs on the planet — at Australia's research stations on Antarctica.

It turns out the wages are really good on the frozen continent and New Zealand's citizens are eligible to apply.

The Australian Antarctic Division has put out the call for skilled workers to fill a variety of roles to keep the research station running for the 2020-21 season.

Davis expeditioners visit Deep Lake to measure its vital statistics 📸 M. Hyde

Posted by antarctica.gov.au on Wednesday, October 9, 2019

The jobs, which are mainly trades-based, range for four-month summer jobs to 15-month postings over winter.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rent and board is free for staff — called "expeditioners" — and meals are prepared by chefs.

So you'll be able to save a lot of money, with workers on Antarctica being paid a special allowance of A$60,974 (NZ$63,463) per year, on top of their base wage.

For example, a medical practitioner can earn a base salary of up to A$199,031 (NZ$207,158) a year – plus the A$60,974 (NZ$63,463) annual allowance.

An information technology officer earns a base salary of A$74,469 (NZ$77,510) — plus the same annual allowance.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The research base is also looking for chefs, carpenters, logistic supply officers, medical doctors, IT officer, boilermaker welders, mechanics, concreters, plumbers and more. All the job listings can be found here.

"We manage four research stations – Casey, Davis and Mawson on the continent and Macquarie Island in the sub-Antarctic," the Division's human resources manager Andrew Groom said.

Want a cool job? Head south with the Australian Antarctic Program! We’re recruiting 150 men and women to fill a range of roles for the 2020-21 season. Visit https://jobs.antarctica.gov.au to apply now.

Posted by antarctica.gov.au on Thursday, December 12, 2019

"We're looking for people with the skills to do the job and who will be a good fit for life in a small and isolated community.

"Applicants will first undergo an assessment of their technical skills and experience, and they are then put through one of our selection centres to ensure they will be a good fit for the small Antarctic community."

Discover more

Commodities

The $160K-plus jobs that Aussies don't want

25 Jul 07:57 PM
Commodities

In a real hole: Why Aussies aren't keen on $160k jobs

26 Jul 09:27 AM
New Zealand

The woman who took the $150,000 job no one wanted

11 Apr 02:42 AM
Employment

The $288k Aussie job nobody wants

13 Nov 04:40 AM

There could be as many as 100 people at the station during summer on Antarctica, while the winter population drops to about 20. The small community "relies on one another to keep safe and maintain the station", the Division said.

Expedition mechanic Amy Chetcuti just got back from 14 months on Mawson and Davis research stations.

"It's a long list when you look at the list of machinery on station and from a trades' perspective, you won't find a job like it anywhere else in the world," Ms Chetcuti said.

Emperor penguin colony at Auster Rookery, 2018 📸 Patrick James

Posted by antarctica.gov.au on Tuesday, October 8, 2019

"I definitely came home with a lot more skills than I went down with, and not just skills within my trade, but in things like hydroponic vegetables and helping out in the kitchen as well as helping other trades.

"I was able to help with some of the science activities which included collecting air quality monitoring samples, conducting a seal survey and sea ice drilling.

"There are so many good things about living and working in Antarctica and it really is the experience of a lifetime.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's about so much more than just a job – to see animals in their natural habitat and to become part of that and there is also an amazing sense of community on station, you become one little family."

Applications close on January 23, 2020.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Employment

Business|economy

Thinking of retiring? Nearly one in two Kiwis still working when they turn 65

10 Jun 07:00 AM
Premium
Opinion

Liam Dann: Cheer up, Kiwis - and go shopping

07 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
Property

First look at $1b warehouse hub by James Kirkpatrick Group

07 Jun 12:00 AM

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Employment

Thinking of retiring? Nearly one in two Kiwis still working when they turn 65

Thinking of retiring? Nearly one in two Kiwis still working when they turn 65

10 Jun 07:00 AM

Data shows we're joining the workforce earlier and continuing to work later in life.

Premium
Liam Dann: Cheer up, Kiwis - and go shopping

Liam Dann: Cheer up, Kiwis - and go shopping

07 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
First look at $1b warehouse hub by James Kirkpatrick Group

First look at $1b warehouse hub by James Kirkpatrick Group

07 Jun 12:00 AM
Premium
Shane Te Pou: This Govt seems intent on giving the boot to people

Shane Te Pou: This Govt seems intent on giving the boot to people

31 May 05:00 PM
How one volunteer makes people feel seen
sponsored

How one volunteer makes people feel seen

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP