It Takes a Small Town

Frequently, when most people think of the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) they think of scientists going to Antarctica and the work done by the scientists. That is a fair line of thinking given that the objective of the USAP is to advance science and it is funded by the National Science Foundation. The reality is that USAP is made up of far more occupations than scientists and scientists only make up a small percentage of the people in Antarctica as a part of USAP.

McMurdo Station is like a small town. The station population during the summer months ranges from 800 to 1050. Sometimes McMurdo Station is compared to a small mining town and that is a more fitting comparison. McMurdo is located on the tip of Hut Point Peninsula, which is on the southwest end of Ross Island. McMurdo is located on volcanic rock and it is part of the 2% of Antarctica that is not covered by snow and ice. On top of the physical similarities of a mining town, heavy machinery are constantly moving around the town and are a central part of the roads and work areas. Similar to a small town, McMurdo Station is comprised of a range of occupation and workers that fill the wide range of needs in support of the scientific mission.

There is a large range of job titles for people working in Antarctica and at McMurdo Station. There are the typical range of "trades" jobs including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, welders, and heavy equipment operators. The people working these jobs are often highly experienced in their field and many are familiar with working similar contract type jobs that last for a duration of the year (not year round). My guess is that people in these jobs are also some of the most veteran people at McMurdo Station. It is not uncommon to find somebody who has been working here for 15 years or more in the trades. There is also a range of more clerical, administrative, and IT positions. The Crary Lab (the main science lab) has a lab supervisor, two assistants, and three IT personnel. There are many other similar jobs throughout McMurdo. A common entry level position for first timers is dining assistants (work in the kitchen, cleaning tables/dishes, etc.), jano (janitorial), and shuttle drivers. These positions are often filled by young people seeking the adventure shortly after college or some people, and sometimes as couples, looking to do something exciting. I should add that frequently the people working these positions are highly educated and these are the jobs they have taken to experience Antarctica. Lastly, there are the support services that are necessary in any town. There is a large number of people that work in "wastes" as they are responsible for packing and retro'ing all of the garbage and recyclables back to California as nothing is dumped in McMurdo Station. There are also people who work at the waste water treatment plant, the station store, lodging, and the list goes on. The scientists are the focus of all that is done here but it is the efforts of a small town of people that allows the science work to be done.