Antarctica - Winter 2014

[Bputacoma]

Yes, PAE has the contract now. I think this is their first winter, so it should be interesting.

Ohh i see. I work for PAE too! My company got bought out by them. Soo i'm seeing what kind of international opportunities they have.

If anyone wants to go work with Mike, there is a ton of open positions.

[IHaveAMustang]

Great thread. Sounds like a great time and a great experience to be had. I wonder what kind of server infrastructure they have down there and if they need sysadmins or not.

[jyro]

how much porn does it take to last all Winter?

[Downs]

Are there any Military there during the "off season". Specifically Marines. I would love to volunteer for a stint down there just to say I did.

[Mike K]

how much porn does it take to last all Winter?

Don't know, but I guess I will find out.

Are there any Military there during the "off season". Specifically Marines. I would love to volunteer for a stint down there just to say I did.

It isn't a military base, so there are no military down there. We support the National Science Foundation doing research on global warming, space, and whatever other research they got going on down there.

[Downs]

Looks like the Air Force has some postings somewhere in Antarctica. I'll have to drop by the career planner's office tomorrow and have a chat lol.

[Mike K]

A couple videos:


Condition 1 weather storm (condition 1 explained in video)



Anthony Powell's Antarctica: A Year on Ice trailer.

[Mike K]

Looks like the Air Force has some postings somewhere in Antarctica. I'll have to drop by the career planner's office tomorrow and have a chat lol.

From my understanding the military is supporting the NSF mission down there less and less. The Navy used to help unload the annual cargo ship, but I heard they stopped and the Air Force flies cargo down there, but I hear that is coming to an end as well.

[Downs]

Can't hurt to ask Maybe I could get lucky and be one of the last military members down there. Doubt I'll get that lucky but again can't hurt to ask.

[Mike K]

Can't hurt to ask Maybe I could get lucky and be one of the last military members down there. Doubt I'll get that lucky but again can't hurt to ask.

I agree! Keep in mind that the last time I was down there was 2008 and I am just telling you things that I have heard.

[Sean88gt]

What is the South Pole building?

[Mike K]

I haven't been down there, but it should be one big building for holding everyone's living quarters and the cafeteria, among other things. It was just built in 2006-ish, so it is pretty new.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station

[fastwhite99gt]

Wow, 20 open light vehicle mechanic spots, really makes me consider putting in for it

[Mike K]

The positions are probably open all of the time to keep a pool of applicants. If you applied right now you would be applying for Winter (Feb to Aug) as the Summer (Aug to Feb) is almost over. You are required to have:

- medical exam (full physical with blood work and urine tests, chest x-rays, EKG, abdominal ultrasound, etc)
- dental exam (simple dental review by your dentist, but you have to submit digital copies of bitewing and panoramic x-rays for their final review)
- psych exam up in Denver, CO (both written and verbal)

That is for a winter position. Most of that is still required for summer contracts (sans some of the medical tests and psych exam), so the application process is a bit time consuming. You'll meet a lot of cool people - and a lot of tree huggers during the summer - and it will be an experience of a lifetime. When Raytheon had the contract you had the option of delaying your transpacific flight, so if you wanted to spend a couple weeks in New Zealand or Australia you could. When you were done, you just contracted Raytheon travel and they booked your return flight. I haven't found out if PAE does the same.

The light vehicles are all Fords. 2000-ish F350 trucks and new 2011 or 2012 E350 vans all with the 5.4L gas engine. When workload requires it you would work on anything in the shop, but the light vehicles would be the meat and potatoes of your workload.

[fastwhite99gt]

Being on the DOD travel team, I've probably had everything but the psych test lol. We have to do all the same stuff to do our deployments to SWA.