The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust is seeking an experienced Electrician to work at Base A, Port Lockroy, one of the historic sites we manage on the Antarctic Peninsula for 3 - 4 weeks in November/December 2025

ABOUT THE UK ANTARCTIC HERITAGE TRUST

We are the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, the principal organisation in the UK dedicated to advancing conservation, culture and education for heritage in Antarctica.

We aim to connect people with Antarctica's wonder and its stories of human endeavour to help promote a greater understanding of this extraordinary place and the role we all have in protecting it.

We help conserve Antarctic heritage by looking after six historic sites on the Antarctic Peninsula, delivering a range of vibrant and creative public programmes, and working with Antarctic policymakers on issues related to heritage conservation.

Through focusing on the layers of human history in Antarctica, we use their remarkable stories to explore Antarctica and why it matters to us all, helping current and future generations understand, value and protect this precious wilderness.

Building on our strengths, and learning from our experience, our ambition over the next decade is to: safeguard British heritage in Antarctica; engage a growing and increasingly diverse audience with this heritage and the broader questions concerning Antarctica and use our expertise and influence to help secure a sustainable future for this remarkable place on our planet.

We are seeking an electrician to make essential upgrades to the existing solar system and service all of the electrical systems onsite at Port Lockroy.

Deployment will be 5 - 7 days at Port Lockroy, plus approximately 7 days' travel each way to Antarctica. Candidates should be prepared to be away for 3 - 4 weeks in total in November/December 2025 (exact dates to be confirmed).

UKAHT is committed to equal opportunities and to learning how to increase the diversity of our people. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons and encourage applications from people currently underrepresented in the Polar Regions.

SCOPE OF WORK  

You will work in the modern Nissen Hut (built in 2010) staff accommodation. Tasks include relocating, re-wiring and replacing the existing batteries in the solar system, replacing connections in the solar panels and re-installing a modern weather station. 

You will also make upgrades to the current electrical system including installing an AC changeover switch and main DC isolator, and installing a Victron Lynx Shunt and Distributor. You will PAT test all appliances, and service the whole electrical system to ensure EICR certification. Working closely with the UKAHT IT Consultant onsite, you will future-proof the power and communications systems and back-ups.

You will have at least 3 years' post-qualification electrical experience, including hands-on experience working with solar systems. Knowledge of Victron systems, marine/yacht electrics and damp/cold environments is an advantage. Authority to sign off EICR certification is preferred.

During your time on base, you will be an integral part of the wider Port Lockroy team, who live onsite from November to March welcoming visitors to the tiny museum, post office and gift shop. The team use a rota system for daily domestic duties, such as cooking, cleaning and waste management. You will be expected to share these duties with the team and contribute fully to all aspects of life on a remote Antarctic base.

You will also be living and working within a penguin colony at Port Lockroy, and the need to be respectful of the wildlife is essential.

In advance of deployment to Antarctica, you will help devise the electrical installation plan and task scheduling, working closely with our external electrical consultants, IT consultant and the UKAHT Operations team. You will also manage procurement of electrical supplies for the project, adhering to the logistical deadlines for shipping to Antarctica.

Attendance at the pre-season training week in Cambridge from 6 - 12 October is essential. This includes a 2-day Wilderness Responder first aid course, H&S, fire and emergency evacuation training, as well as training on working around penguins and Antarctic environmental protocols.

Following deployment, you will submit as-built electrical drawings, operation instructions, and written reports on work undertaken and recommendations for future work.

Please note that this position is subject to successfully passing a medical and dental assessment to ensure fitness to work in remote locations in Antarctica.

Key tasks include the following:

• Input into project work planning, task scheduling, and procurement.
• Spend up to 4 weeks away, including travel and work in Antarctica.
• Carry out planned and any other necessary electrical work (additional help from non-specialists will be available).
• Replace and relocate solar lead acid batteries.
• Service, repair and future-proof solar panels.
• Re-install or re-wire weather station.
• Install 12V pump filter tap in kitchen.
• Install Victron Lynx Shunt and Distributor, AC changeover switch and main DC isolator.
• PAT test all onsite electrical appliances.
• Service whole electrical system, ensuring it adheres to UK electrical safety standards and regulations, including compliance with EICR certification.
• Help identify hazards onsite and contribute to a safe working environment.
• Document in detail all work carried out using UKAHT procedures and proformas.
• Prepare recommendations for future works based on your observations at the site to guide future work planning and record keeping.
• Promote UKAHT to fellow cruise ship passengers during journey South.
• Alongside the base team, undertake general base duties including cooking, cleaning and waste management.
• Adhere to UKAHT’s waste management policy throughout the project and take an active role in sustainable waste management on site, with support from others.
• Contribute to the requirements within UKAHT's Communications Strategy e.g. blog writing, press interviews, photographic/video requests etc, if required.
• To undertake other duties as required by the Chief Executive/Head of Operations.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Qualified electrician
• NVQ / SVQ Level 3, plus City and Guilds 2360 Part 1 and 2
• City & Guilds 2391-52 Inspection & Testing qualification, or City and Guilds 2394 & 2395, or equivalent.
• Experience of living and working in small teams, ideally in remote locations or maritime environments.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent people and teamwork skills.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Good report-writing and record-keeping skills.
• Confident using IT (including Microsoft Office, email, photograph management) and ability to learn new technical skills, such as VHF radio and satellite communications.

BEHAVIOUR & OTHER

• A good level of mental and physical fitness.
• Ability to work flexibly and improvise, using a limited supply of tools and equipment and adapting task schedules according to a changeable environment.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and deliver results under challenging work conditions.
• Ability to work safely without supervision.
• Be willing to adapt task schedules according to the needs of visitors and wildlife.
• Have a positive attitude, enthusiasm and an exemplary team and work ethic.
• Comfortable living in basic conditions and contributing to the running of daily base life, including cooking and waste management.
• Ability to fit in socially and professionally with a small team from different professional backgrounds.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• UKAHT Head of Operations
• UKAHT Operations Officer
• UKAHT Head of Buildings and Conservation
• UKAHT Chief Executive
• UKAHT Staff team
• Port Lockroy team members, especially Base Leader
• Project consultants, including electrical consultants and IT specialists
• Project partners and stakeholders

 
TERMS 

Location:

Remote/online (approx. 3 days, worked flexibly):

• Pre-deployment (July - November 2025): project work planning, meetings, and procurement.

• Post-deployment (December 2025): provide as-built electrical drawings, operation instructions and a report, plus an online debrief.

Cambridge, UK: 

• Pre-deployment training: 6 - 12 October 2025.

Antarctic Peninsula: 

• Scheduled works: Nov/Dec 2025 at Base A, Port Lockroy, Goudier Island

Working conditions

Communication is primarily via Starlink, but data is limited and constant communication cannot be guaranteed. The wifi network can be used to contact UKAHT staff and for personal email and voice calls. Starlink allows for limited internet access at Port Lockroy, but there is no mobile phone reception in Antarctica.

We have satellite telephones, chiefly for emergency use or scheduled communication with UKAHT if needed. Its main purpose is for safety. Access to these devices for personal use is limited.

Accommodation is in a 6-person bunk room, shared with the Port Lockroy team. There is no running water, but there is electricity, a gas cooker and heater. Staff accommodation is basic but comfortable, and we aim for our staff to live as sustainably as possible. Staff quarters are a purpose-built Nissen hut which is a reconstruction of the historic Nissen hut, in keeping with the aesthetics of the other historic buildings on the island. Staff share one hostel style bunkroom, with access to a kitchen/living/communications area, a separate boot room, toilet and washroom.

We have no running water and no flushing toilet on the island, so washing facilities are very basic. There will be opportunities to go onboard cruise ships for showers and laundry. Power is also limited at Port Lockroy. The base is run entirely on solar power, with a back-up petrol generator for emergencies.

Port Lockroy is a tiny snowy/rocky island, roughly the size of a football pitch. The team have no boat and are unable to leave the island during the Antarctic season, except to board visiting cruise ships. Due to the size of the island, the wildlife and the terrain, opportunities to exercise are extremely limited.

Smoking 

UKAHT operates a no smoking policy which extends to all our heritage sites in Antarctica. Smoking (traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and any other form of inhalation/vapes) is categorically prohibited in all areas on the island for protection of the historic buildings and wildlife.

Travel

Travel to Antarctica will involve flights to Ushuaia, Argentina and a 4 - 5 day journey to Port Lockroy on an expedition cruise ship. This includes crossing the Drake Passage and small boat travel in zodiac/RIBs. All UKAHT staff and contractors are expected to act as ambassadors for the charity while onboard, and to talk about the work of the charity with fellow passengers and crew.

Fees and expenses:

£4,000 project fee, plus expenses.

Project fee includes pre-deployment planning and procurement work, training and post-deployment reports/debrief.

All pre-deployment travel (in the UK), training and accommodation needed as part of the role are covered by UKAHT. During Antarctic deployment all travel, food, accommodation, insurance and essential polar clothing are provided. Contractors should bring their own tools.

UKAHT contract staff are employed on a self-employed basis for a fixed-term contract. Contractors are responsible for paying any tax or national insurance due via their own HMRC self-assessed tax return.

Summary of key dates:

(NB these dates may be subject to change)

Online interview: 9, 11 or 16 July

Preparation for field season: remote work including procurement, project work planning, meetings: July – November 2025 (around 3 days)

Meet the team (optional) training: Peak District, 15 -17 August 2025

Pre-deployment training: Cambridge, 6 - 12 October 2025

Deployment to Antarctica: November/December 2025 (exact dates are flexible). Antarctica travel period (expect 3 - 4 weeks)

Debrief/Reporting: Approximately 1 - 2 days, including an online debrief meeting

How to apply

Our recruitment and selection process aims to select the applicant whose skills, knowledge, and experience best match those set out in the person specification, and whose attitude and character fit within the wider Antarctic team and our organisational culture.

To apply for this post, please provide:

A CV and short cover letter detailing why you want to work for UKAHT, and how your experience qualifies you for this role OR a video explaining the same (max 3 minutes).

Successful applicants will be asked to provide proof of qualifications.

Deadline for applications: 6 July 2025

Interviews will be held online: 9, 11 and 16 July

Any queries about the role can be directed to Sophie Montagne, Head of Operations (operations@ukaht.org).