A dedicated team of engineering and logistics professionals underpins all British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) world-class polar science. Their expertise makes research in the Earth’s most extreme environments possible.
From advanced engineering to essential operational support, we offer many career opportunities. These are based in the challenging polar regions themselves, as well as onboard our research ship, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, and at our Cambridge headquarters.
Extreme engineering
Engineering and technology are central to our operational capabilities. Our mechanical engineers collaborate directly with scientists, providing frontline support for critical research equipment, from airborne survey systems and meteorology instruments to specialised ice-coring machinery.
Our electrical engineers design and develop unique equipment tailored for frontier science.
Marine engineers, based in Cambridge and at sea, are responsible for refitting, maintaining, and operating the RRS Sir David Attenborough. Aircraft engineers manage the airworthiness of our specialised fleet, and vehicle mechanics maintain and repair essential polar vehicles like snowmobiles and bulldozers in sub-zero climates.
Underwater robot deployment in Antarctica
Our IT engineers ensure seamless connectivity and maintain our critical comms infrastructure for the entire organisation, managing both bespoke scientific and essential back-office systems.
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineers work hand-in-hand with scientists to provide bespoke frontline science support across an exciting, diverse range of research programmes. Along with other specialist engineers, projects can include airborne survey systems (radar and cameras), meteorology instruments, hot water drilling equipment, ice coring machinery, space weather sensors such as very low frequency receivers, and even penguin weighbridges!
Mechanical engineers are based in Cambridge, and can be deployed on ships or stations, or into remote fieldwork locations.
Electrical engineering
Like mechanical engineers, electrical engineers work closely with scientists and other engineers to deliver unique pieces of equipment to support frontier science, as described above.
Electrical engineers are based at Cambridge, and are frequently deployed on ships or stations, or remote fieldwork locations.
IT engineering
IT engineers provide equipment and support for everyone in the organisation. Some IT engineers work alongside mechanical and electrical engineers on bespoke equipment for frontier science, as above. Others are service desk engineers and network engineers whose critical role is to keep business systems up and running.
Predominantly based in our Cambridge offices IT engineers can also spend time on ships or stations in the polar regions.
Marine engineering
BAS employs two types of marine engineers: a Cambridge-based team who are responsible for refitting and maintenance of all the science, propulsion and navigation equipment onboard the ship; and mariners such as the Chief Engineer, 2nd, 3rd and 4th engineers who work at sea to ensure the ship’s equipment and systems run smoothly while on polar research or operational missions.
Aircraft Engineering
BAS operates two aircraft types (DHC-6 and DHC-7) primarily in the Antarctic, but also worldwide. BAS holds the necessary regulatory approved CAMO (Continued Airworthiness Management Organisation) function for these aircraft. As such BAS has a small cell of dedicated aircraft engineering management staff within the Air Unit, based at Cambridge, to assure continuous airworthiness compliance, oversight, control and give direction to our contracted aircraft engineers on any work necessary to maintain and assure continued airworthiness in service in the world’s most challenging operating environments.
Airborne Survey Team working onboard a BAS Twin Otter in Antarctica
The direct aircraft scheduled maintenance and rectification is accomplished through our approved contracted aircraft engineering entities, currently based in Canada.
Vehicle mechanics
Operating stations and vehicles in extreme climates such as the polar regions requires skilled mechanics and technicians to maintain, repair and deploy vehicles including Snowmobiles, Pisten-Bullys and Bulldozers. Mechanics can be based at Cambridge for five months before being deployed to support operations in Antarctica.
Our Antarctic-only roles are posted here between December and March each year. To get email updates when jobs go live sign up here or contact jobs@bas.ac.uk.