Cool job on coldest continent: Firm wanted for eight-year building project in Antarctica

Tuesday, 24 September 2019

A fly-through of the proposed redevelopment of Scott Base in Antarctica.

Wanted: A construction crew for one of New Zealand's toughest new builds.

Applicants must be willing to work in the world's coldest, driest, windiest place and shortlisted candidates will be flown to Antarctica for the interview.

That's the brief for the design stage of the redevelopment of Scott Base – New Zealand's research headquarters on the frozen continent.

An artist's impression of what New Zealand's Antarctic research complex could look like.

The $250m project will see the existing 12 buildings, which were constructed in the early 80s, replaced by three large interconnected units and a separate helicopter hangar.

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The redevelopment will take place in a challenging building environment, where even sawdust can be harmful to the fragile ecosystem.

Once completed the 10,000 square-metre new base will be able to accommodate up to 100 people at a time.

Antarctica New Zealand has invited firms to submit bids for the tender.

In what has been described as 'a job interview with a difference', the selection process involves a trip to Antarctica. But senior project manager Simon Shelton said 'this is no junket'.

'We understand that very few people have been to Antarctica so we want to work with the industry to familiarise them with the environment, show them Scott Base and help them understand any perceived commercial risk,' he said.

Shortlisted applicants will be flown to Scott Base in February 2020 to experience the unique logistical requirements involved with safely living, working and building in Antarctica.

Shelton said before they were shipped-out, all the materials would be checked to ensure there was not even a spider or a blade of grass among them to ensure no invasive species were introduced during the build.

'Even little things are important to know in Antarctica, like what clothing is required to work outside, how people and materials get there and back and how cold it really is,' he said.

Up to 60 builders will be on-site when construction begins, with many buildings prefabricated using over-sized components so they can be handled by workers wearing thick gloves.

The Government has allocated $18.5m over the next two years to complete a detailed design.

Registrations of Interest are now open on the Government Electronic Tenders Service website, GETS.

Antarctica New Zealand must raise $50 million in charitable donations as part of the $250m rebuild. Construction is expected to begin in 2020-21 and likely to take eight years.