One of the world's most remote islands has a unique job opening (PHOTOS)
One of the world’s most remote islands has a job opening, but the successful candidate will have to get along with its feathered coworkers.
Gough Island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, is so remote that the only way to reach it is a seven-day boat ride from South Africa.
Forming a part of the UK territory of Tristan da Cunha, Gough is home to just nine humans ā and millions of seabirds.
The Gough Island Restoration/Facebook
After a year spent on the island as a field officer, Rebekah Goodwill is ready to fly the coop, so the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is in search of her replacement.
The RSPB is hiring a field officer to work in the remote sub-Antarctic environment for 13 months starting in September.
The position has a salary range of Ā£25,723 to Ā£27,614 (CND$43,888 to $47,115) and includes benefits like pension, life assurance, and 26 days of annual leave.
The Gough Island Restoration/Facebook
According to the job posting, the successful applicant will have to monitor one of the world’s most important seabird breeding sites, control an invasive plant, and carry out other fieldwork to restore the Gough Island World Heritage Site.
If you’re thinking this is a fun, remote-work getaway, think again.
The RSPB says the new field officer will experience the challenging terrain and climate on Gough, with high winds and frequent heavy rain.
Goodwill told the BBC that potential employees will also have to put up with no fresh food for a year.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are a biosecurity risk because they can germinate and spread across the island. Food is sourced from two walk-in freezers which are stocked once a year.
“One’s full of frozen vegetables and the other’s basically full of frozen meat and then we’ve got lots of tinned frozen fruit and veg,” said Goodwill.
“They give us a year’s worth of supply of food during that two-week takeover time, and we live off it for the rest of the year.”
So, what does the ideal team member look like?
The Gough Island Restoration/Facebook
You’ll need to have a science degree, or equivalent experience in a relevant subject.
Wild bird/animal handling and monitoring experience in the field with a focus on bird identification, and data collection and management are essential skills.
The job description stresses that a successful candidate will also need to demonstrate experience working in remote locations with a small team as “it is not always easy.”
If you check all of the boxes, the RSPB will cover all pre-deployment travel, training, and accommodations.
Food, accommodations and necessary protective clothing will also be provided once you’re on the island.
If you’re looking for a unique job that’s closer to home, Canada is hiring a lighthouse keeper in BC and it pays pretty well.
Follow Channels and Categories