A job surrounded by penguins, ice and some of the most extreme weather on Earth is among the unusual opportunities offered each year by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT). The British organization recruits staff to spend about five months working at a remote historic site in Antarctica, with monthly pay reportedly reaching €2,500, according to Argentine news network TN. Accommodation, meals and essential equipment are also covered.
The workplace is Port Lockroy, a former British military base on Goudier Island in the Palmer Archipelago. Established in 1944 during World War II, the base was abandoned in 1962 and has since been preserved as a historic site. Today, it houses a museum, a souvenir shop and one of the world’s most isolated post offices, known as the “Penguin Post Office.”
More than a job among penguins
The work involves considerably more than counting penguins. Employees welcome tourists arriving on cruise ships, explain the history of the former base, sell souvenirs, handle mail and maintain the site’s facilities.
The post office is a particularly busy part of the operation. During the 2025-2026 season, approximately 50,000 postcards passed through the facility, traveling from Antarctica to destinations around the world.
Staff also help monitor the island’s colony of gentoo penguins, recording nests, eggs and chicks to track breeding activity and changes in the population.
During the latest monitoring period, the organization recorded 445 breeding pairs, 604 eggs and 876 chicks, according to figures published by UKAHT.
Life without running water
Despite the appeal of working in such an extraordinary location, daily life at Port Lockroy comes with significant challenges.
The base has no running water. Supplies are transported in containers from resupply ships, and opportunities for personal hygiene are limited. Depending on weather conditions, employees may be able to shower only once a week.
Staff must also share small living spaces, cope with low temperatures and carry out physically demanding manual work.
Applicants therefore need to be physically fit, adaptable and able to work well as part of a team. They must also be living in the United Kingdom during the selection process and have the legal right to work there.
Applications open through annual recruitment
The eight-person team for the 2026-2027 season has already been announced, meaning the positions are not currently open for that season.
UKAHT recruits staff each year, however, offering a small number of people the opportunity to work at one of the most remote and striking locations on Earth — alongside a colony of penguins.