Antarctica New Zealand

23/06/2026

🌑How’s that for a full moon? 🌑

For Winter Technician Jamie McGaw this isn’t just a stunning sight, but a limited opportunity to measure the ozone and greenhouse gases during winter.

During summer this process is easy – with sunlight streaming through the atmosphere into the near-century old instruments. But during winter, no sun = no direct light. The researchers have to use light reflected off the moon, and make sure the entire lab is blacked out, to get the readings they need.

This way we can continue to build our long-term data set and fulfill our obligations under the Montreal Protocol.

Read more about what Jamie’s getting up to over winter by signing up to our monthly Science Update: https://mailchi.mp/47f62ece6289/antarctica-new-zealand-science-update-8349822

📸 Jamie McGaw

22/06/2026

17/06/2026

Pew pew! No, we’re not sending signals to the mothership, this is SMOL-X in action!

Short for ‘Small Mobile Ozone Lidar – eXtended capability’, this machine is helping our researchers track air quality, monitor the ozone, and evaluate changes in the climate.

Read more about our winter research in our latest Science Update: https://mailchi.mp/47f62ece6289/antarctica-new-zealand-science-update-8349822

📸 Jamie McGaw

09/06/2026

One month to go - have you got your tickets to "Ranginui: Call of the ice"??

Antarctica in winter is one of the most extreme places on Earth: isolated, locked in darkness, and -50°C. Māori astronomer Rangi Mātāmua and language expert Mataia Keepa enter this frozen world, where science and Indigenous knowledge meet in real time.

Rangi carries a personal promise to honour his grandfather’s dying wish and share Māori starlore beyond Aotearoa. When unexpected snowstorms roll in, they are forced to stay longer than planned, cut off inside a continent that continues to shift and close in around them. Through auroras, storms, first sunrise and shifting ice, they learn to read a living landscape most will never witness.

This PutiPuti Productions Ltd film is co-produced by Miriama Kamo and premieres in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on Friday 10 July. It's also screening in Pōneke Wellington and online so make sure you get your tickets here: https://docedge.nz/events/ranginui-call-of-the-ice/

Antarctica in winter is one of the most extreme places on Earth: isolated, locked in darkness, and -50°C. Māori astronomer Rangi Matamua and language expert Mataia Keepa enter this frozen world, where science and Indigenous knowledge meet in real time. Rangi carries a personal promise to honour hi...

05/06/2026

Engineering roles. Antarctica. This is your chance.

We’re hiring for two critical roles at Scott Base:
🔧 Water Engineer
👉 [Apply now](https://antarcticanz.qjumpersjobs.co/jobs/details/Water_Engineer_Antarctica-1103018)
⚙️ Maintenance Engineer
👉 apply now (https://antarcticanz.qjumpersjobs.co/jobs/details/Maintenance_Engineer-1100670)

Work where every system matters. Live and operate in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.
If you’re experienced, adaptable, and ready for something bigger, apply now.

Government agency responsible for carrying out Aotearoa New Zealand's activities in Antarctica.

03/06/2026

Antarctica New Zealand is seeking a General Manager Antarctic Operations to lead the delivery of safe, reliable operations supporting New Zealand’s presence in Antarctica.
This is a rare opportunity to lead in one of the most complex and challenging environments on Earth, supporting science, protecting the environment, and guiding operations at the front line of New Zealand’s Antarctic programme.
A significant executive leadership role for someone who thrives in high stakes environments.
👉 Apply now.
https://antarcticanz.qjumpersjobs.co/jobs/details/General_Manager_-_Antarctic_Operations-1103015

29/05/2026

A huge congratulations to Dr Georgia Grant (Earth Sciences New Zealand), who won the Early Career Researcher Award at the Science New Zealand 2026 Awards on Wednesday night!! 🥳

Georgia is a co-lead of the Antarctic Science Platform's 'Tiaki Whenua' - a research programme focusing on the critical vulnerabilities of Antarctica’s ice sheets and glaciers, and the implications of likely melt. She's pretty awesome, so make sure you check out her video 👇👇👇

https://youtu.be/h3FcfJ_tqAs?si=diplW0hA-ajEwK3R

Science New Zealand Awards 2026 - Early Career Researcher Winner: D...

21/05/2026

How do we tell what's in the plume coming out of Mt Erebus? Gather the light streaming through with some 👉very👈 cool equipment.

There are only two chances each year for these observations: you need a full volcanic plume, clear skies and low sun. There's a tiny, four-minute window to get the measurements, as the sun briefly transits behind the plume across the smoking caldera of Mt Erebus.

Our Winter Science Technician, Jamie McGaw, was all set to take the measurements when the sun set in Antarctica this year, but rubbish weather meant there was too much cloud for it to work. He'll be ready again in August, when the sun rises for the first time after winter.

Find out more about how the laser works in our last Science Update: https://mailchi.mp/d52c63994033/antarctica-new-zealand-science-update-8349745

19/05/2026

Mechanic – Scott Base, Antarctica
Fix machines. Support science. Live on the ice.

We’re looking for an experienced mechanic to join Scott Base for a six-month Antarctic deployment (Aug 2026 – Feb 2027).
You’ll keep everything moving from Toyotas to tracked plant, Hagglunds to PistenBullys in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.
This isn’t a workshop job.
It’s field fixes, problem-solving, and working alongside a tight crew where everyone pulls their weight.
What you’ll be doing
• Maintain and repair vehicles, plant, and specialised plant and vehicles
• Respond to breakdowns in the field, in all conditions
• Train others to operate equipment safely
• Support science teams and contractors
• Pitch in with generators, fire crew, and base operations

What you’ll bring
• Qualified heavy diesel or automotive mechanic
• At least 5 years’ hands-on experience
• Strong diagnostic and repair skills
• Full NZ Class 1 & 2 licences (with F, W, T)
• A practical mindset and team-first attitude

Why this role
• Six months in Antarctica
• Real responsibility from day one
• Work that directly supports science and environmental protection
• A crew and experience you won’t get anywhere else
Apply now
https://antarcticanz.qjumpersjobs.co/jobs/details/Mechanic-1100680

11/05/2026

The light is fading fast at Scott Base, but our crew remain hard at work keeping things humming.
Photos by Jean Christophe Varnier