Meteorological Observer and Technician – Antarctica Cambridge, East of England, England
Job description
Background/Overview:
British Antarctic Survey is offering a unique opportunity as a Meteorological observer and technician in Antarctica.
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) offers the opportunity for suitably qualified persons to join multi-disciplinary teams at Rothera (67°S, 68°W) station in Antarctica. This is science with a difference. As part of a small, highly motivated team, the successful candidate will be spending time 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 candidate will be to make observations and to maintain and operate a suite of scientific instruments for studying the atmosphere and to carry out quality assurance on the resulting environmental data.
Rothera station makes 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.
Via external funding, a targeted programme of atmospheric aerosol/chemistry observations is being initiated at Rothera. The successful candidate 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. The two appointments for Rothera will be for approximately 9 and 21 months, commencing in August 2023 in Cambridge. The successful candidate will undertake appropriate specialist training in all aspects of the job, prior to travelling to the Antarctic in the autumn of 2023 and returning in spring 2024 or spring 2025.
This will be a challenging and demanding opportunity to work in an extreme and isolated environment. 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.
Purpose:
The main responsibility of the job is to carry out the Atmospheric Science programme for the Station. This is the Meteorology programme and the Atmospheric Chemistry programme.
Duties:
- To carry out the meteorological observations and scientific duties described in the Met Station Instructions (MSI) as agreed by the head of Meteorology and Ozone Monitoring (MOM)
- To maintain a suite of atmospheric science instruments. • To organise and carry out the work in a safe and professional way.
- To keep all work areas in a tidy condition.
- To report major problems to the head of MOM when they arise.
- To maintain or repair faulty instrumentation when possible/appropriate.
- To request replacement stores in a timely fashion.
- To compile monthly and annual reports of the work undertaken.
- To work with other staff to ensure that the operational and safety standards of the base are maintained.
- To undertake general duties as required by the station leader
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract
Contract length: 9-21 months
Salary: From £25,179.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Flexitime
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Store discount
- Work from home
Schedule:
- Flexitime
Work Location: In person
Reference ID: BAS 23/05
