Recruitment has begun to fill some of the coolest adventure jobs for tradies and others in the world.
The Australian Antarctic Division is calling for more people to work at its remote research stations.
All rent and board is free at the four bases where chefs feed you and expeditioners get a special yearly allowance on top of the job's base wage to work in the far-flung location.
The Australian Antarctic Program is now searching for its new group of skilled, resilient and flexible people to become Antarctic expeditioners for the 2021-22 season with applications to close on January 21.
The predominantly trades-based roles are what keep Australia's research stations at Casey, Davis, Mawson and Macquarie Island running and the AAP needs to fill 25 different positions across all four stations.
The skills needed include station support, telecommunications, infrastructure, aviation, science, mechanical and medical.
Work contracts can vary according to the position and season but usually run between four and 15 months.
Human resources manager, Maree Riley, said it was a rare chance to be part of a national program undertaking critical science in an environment like no other.
"It's an amazing opportunity and such a unique experience to live and work on an Antarctic station, somewhere few people have the opportunity to even visit," she said.
"Our expeditioners are essential to support the vital science work of the AAP and maintain Australia's research stations.
"The Australian Antarctic Division is fully committed to its pursuit of gender equality and diversity across all aspects of the AAP.
"In particular, we have a strong focus on increasing women in the AAP especially across STEM and the broader range of trade roles that we offer."
"We place great importance in ensuring we select the right people," Ms Riley said.
"As well as being technically competent, we need people who can live and work together harmoniously in often harsh and inhospitable conditions."
Wilkins aerodrome manager Matt Ryan recently returned from building a three-kilometre blue-ice runway atop a glacier, 70 kilometres inland from Casey research station.
With his four-person tight-knit team he battled wind gusts of more than 200 kilometres an hour, temperatures of below minus 30, and frequent blizzards to 'wake up' the aerodrome from its winter hibernation.
"My team has done a fantastic job," Matt said, ahead of the first flight of the season bringing new expeditioners into Casey research station.
He just completed his fifth Antarctic winter.
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"I've been doing this long enough to know I should know better, but also just enough time to realise how lucky I am and that no two Antarctic experiences are the same."
All expeditioners are paid an allowance to compensate for living in such a remote, isolated environment.
Ms Riley said the money they could earn wasn't the driving factor for most of the job applicants.
"It's not the money that attracts people to Antarctica, it's the experience," she said.
"Our expeditioners talk about the new skills and experiences they gain from their time on station, the friendships they make, and the personal and professional growth they experience in this environment."
Applications close on January 21.
Visit jobs.antarctica.gov.au for more information.
