r/antarctica

I double checked with my supervisor and my onboarding specialist, I have finished every last thing I need to do, I am officially going to be traveling to McMurdo to work as a vehicle operator for this summer season! When I submitted my resume back in late January, I didn't think I'd make it, and during the process there were so many times I thought it was over, but I made it!

Thanks to everyone here for all the advice and for answering my questions, and hopefully I'll see you on the ice this season!

Hey yall! Just got word I was bumped to primary for the position I was applying for-- that means it's time for me to look for communities!

If you've been down to McMurdo before, what are some fun groups you've been a part of? Run clubs, climbing groups, (magic the gathering??)

Just curious about what to expect.

I read somewhere that there are some strict rules in Antarctica about what you can take ashore from the ship - for example, you may not be allowed to bring a tripod, and you apparently can’t even put your backpack down on the ground. 😳
If that’s the case, you could be standing for quite a while with nowhere to sit, so it sounds like it’s important to come ashore light and be prepared to stand for extended periods while ashore.
Could someone please clarify the actual rules and regulations, and share any tips on how best to manage them? Thanks!

What is peoples experience with bringing laptops running Linux to the stations, will they pass NAC?

What distro?

ClamAV?

Hi All, I have some servers setup at home and I was wondering if anyone knows if wireguard or OpenVPN function on base so I can connect to my stuff back home when not working.

I’ll preface this by saying I’m familiar with the different Antarctic programs and have skimmed their job boards, but I didn’t find what I’m looking for, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask the community here:

Has anyone here worked in Antarctica in a software engineering, data engineering, infrastructure, or other technical role?

I’m a software engineer and I’m interested in spending a season working in Antarctica.

I’m curious about:
- What SWE/IT/data roles actually exist at the stations
- Which contractors or programs hire software/technical workers
- Typical compensation and deployment bonuses
- Whether $200k+ is realistic for senior technical roles
- What qualifications or prior experience are generally required

I’m less interested in scientific research positions and more interested in software engineering, data engineering, cloud/infrastructure, DevOps, systems, or technical leadership.

If anyone has firsthand experience or knows of specific employers/roles, I’d appreciate the details.

Well, it’s official! I received my interim approval and PQ qualification so I guess it’s official now. Waiting on my manager to provide me with a specific date or date range so I can put in my two weeks and plan my next month to month and half before deployment to McMurdo!

When it comes to toiletries, do you really pack five months worth? My list is a bit long and I can’t see myself packing five months of bar soap, shampoo/conditioner, face wash, face moisturizer, sunscreen, body powder, shaving cream, etc… do most people mail themselves the majority of these items? I heard mail transport is reduced this year though which makes me hesitant of that.

Excited to meet yall down there!

What jobs will be available for me?

Hi all! This might be an unusual question. One of my personal goals is to have one of my murder mystery games played on all 7 continents. I'm only missing Antarctica! I'd love to donate a game to anyone at McMurdo (or anywhere else) who might be interested in playing. Is this possible? Does anyone know who I should contact? Any advice or ideas would be appreciated.

I'm happy to share the files, or print and mail the game if that's best. Thank you for your help!

I forget the same thing every year. So check in 85lbs total. Boomerang bag, is that part of the eight-five? Or, isn’t the boomerang just added as your weight when you’re in your ECW & standing on the scale before leaving?