Antarctica 'Penguin Post Office' Job Attracts Record Number of Applicants
People with a penchant for penguins are perfect for this position.
— -- People with a penchant for penguins are perfect for this position.
A job posting to man the "Penguin Post Office" in Port Lockroy, Antarctica, has received a record number of applicants: more than 1,500 since Feb. 16. In 2014, there were only 82 applicants all year long.
United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) is looking for four people to, in addition to taking care of the 70,000 cards posted each year for delivery to 100 countries, monitor the impact of the approximately 18,000 visitors to Port Lockroy, situated on Goudier Island in the Antarctic Peninsula, on the wildlife, plus record the number of visitors and ships visiting the area.
One reason for the increase in applications, the organization said, was the airing of the documentary "Penguin Post Office" on BBC2 in the U.K. in July 2014 and on PBS in the U.S. in January 2015.
Each year, the UKAHT’s U.K. team -- based in Cambridge -- searches for committed individuals to make up a small team of four to spend five months at its flagship site, Port Lockroy, situated on Goudier Island in the Antarctic Peninsula. The job runs from November 2015 to mid-March and pay is $1,700 per month.
Job Description:
"The team chosen to spend the 2015/16 season at Port Lockroy will assist the Base Leader in the efficient running of the post office, maintenance and museum operation, with areas of responsibility being divided up amongst team members. A can-do attitude is vital as is good physical fitness, co-ordination (carrying heavy boxes over slippery rocks and slushy snow whilst dodging the local gentoo penguin population is a frequent requirement), environmental awareness and a practical knowledge of minimum impact living. Above all successful candidates need to be passionate about the Antarctic."
No post office experience is necessary and applicants need not be British citizens.
Amy Kincaid, a member of the current team, said applicants need to be "realistic." She called the living quarters (pictured) "surprisingly cozy," though added that "being confined to an island the size of a football pitch isn’t for everyone."
Interested applicants can apply here. Deadline is midnight Friday.
