Antarctica's 'penguin post office' has an opening

The United Kingdom's Antarctic Heritage Trust is advertising three separate job opportunities available at the 'penguin post office' in Port Lockroy, Antarctica.

The roles include a base leader, a general assistant, and a shop manager. And unfortunately, since the site is technically a part of Great Britain, you'd have to be a citizen of the United Kingdom to apply!

Successful applicants will live and work together for five months beginning in November 2024.

According to the job advert, the role includes sorting mail, selling postage stamps, caring for the 80-year-old weathered buildings, running the onsite gift shop, and counting the 1,500 gentoo penguins that nest around Port Lockroy.

So, to be chosen for the role, you'd have to be able to stomach the smell of penguin poo!

Despite its isolation, the post office processes 80,000 letters and postcards each season, sent by the 18,000 cruise ship passengers who visit the British base at Goudier Island each summer.

'Port Lockroy Station A', as it's officially known, was originally set up in World War II as a British research base.

Teams of 49 scientists were sent to the research base, staying for an average of two winters among the colonies of gentoo penguins.

The site is largely a museum full of old equipment once used to monitor the local wildlife populations.