Employee benefits

A man wearing cold weather clothing in front of a marker flag on the ice

British Antarctic Survey offers generous benefits packages. These vary depending on the contract type and whether or not staff work in BAS Cambridge or at research stations or onboard polar ships.

Cambridge and Cambridge/Antarctica contracts

 Financials

  • Salary start point takes into account relevant skills and experience
  • Defined benefit pension scheme
  • Additional allowance for periods spent in the Antarctic
  • Comprehensive sick pay coverage
  • During Antarctic deployment all food, accommodation and polar clothing are provided
  • Employer discount scheme on a range of travel gifts and leisure

Leave and flexible working

  • 30 days annual leave (pro rata for part time and short term contracts)
  • 10.5 public and privilege days holiday annually
  • Flexible working hours

Family-friendly policies

  • Flexible working hours
  • Home working considered
  • Career breaks
  • Generous maternity, paternity and adoption pay
  • Unpaid parental leave
  • Special leave
  • Welfare service

Antarctic staff

Job-specific training for Antarctic staff is undertaken both prior and after the annual briefing conference, which is usually held at the beginning of September in Cambridge. Staff are invited to this conference to learn about life in Antarctica and to undertake first aid training.

The training does not stop once you arrive at the Antarctic station — you will be taught a range of skills, including how to light a primus stove and how to pitch a tent in the snow!

Financials

  • Set starting point but with staged increases for subsequent tours
  • 10% salary based bonus on successful completion of Antarctic tour
  • All pre-deployment training and accommodation (away from Cambridge) covered
  • Additional Accommodation allowance if significant pre deployment attendance required at Cambridge
  • During Antarctic deployment all food, accommodation and polar clothing are provided
  • Comprehensive sick pay coverage
  • Defined contribution pension scheme (for more information see the Nest pensions website)

Leave and flexible working

  • 2.5 days per month for time spent in the UK prior to departure
  • 10 days “embarkation leave” prior to deployment

Marine Contracts

Financials

  • Generous benefit pension scheme
  • Comprehensive sick pay coverage
  • During Antarctic deployment all food, accommodation and polar clothing are provided
  • Employer discount scheme on a range of travel gifts and leisure
  • Support for further tickets/training courses

Learning and development opportunities

BAS is committed to the development of our people, our skills, knowledge and behaviours.

We offer a Universal learning programme of statutory and best practice training, hosted on the People Learning platform. This is to ensure you are working safely and have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to perform efficiently in your role, in a way that supports UKRI’s values and ethics.

We also encourage, and offer staff, opportunities to undertake appropriate personal and professional development training.

In summary you can expect:

  • Access to learning resources and individual learning plans

  • Job-specific training and development

  • Polar survival skills training (if appropriate)

  • Access to libraries

  • Access to coaching and mentoring scheme

  • Support for further education

Stimulating work environment

Whether you work in Cambridge or in the polar regions we strive to give all employees the kind of working environment that stimulates productivity and job satisfaction.  Staff can expect:

  • State-of-the-art research facilities
  • Talented, diverse and supportive teams
  • Opportunity to work in the Earth’s greatest wilderness areas
  • Opportunities to learn new skills
  • Access to technologies and tools to help you do your best
  • Free car parking in Cambridge; no parking issues in the polar regions!
  • Opportunities to make a difference to knowledge and understanding of issues of global concern