British Antarctic Survey BAS reference: BAS 26/03 Contract type: Antarctic Employment Pool - Fixed Term (deployments of 16 or 12 months) Location: Antarctica or South Georgia Salary band: AEP B1A £31,183 per annum (pro rata) Closing date: 8th March 2026, 23:55 Interview date: w/c 13th April 2026, start date in August. Candidates will need to be available for practical assessment in the UK in late April or early May. As part of your application, please complete this diving information form - Boating and Diving Form - Boating Officer - Fill in form Failure to complete may result in the application not being considered. Role Location/Duration There will be a period of UK training, August to October, before deploying south. Boating Officers are deployed to Rothera and KEP research stations on different contract lengths. • Rothera Station: One wintering role. Contract duration of August 2026 to March 2028 • KEP station: Two wintering roles. Contract duration of August 2026 to December 2027 Purpose Boating Officer - Rothera To manage, operate and maintain small boats (RIBs) at Rothera Research Station supporting a variety of scientific and operational remits. These include training, water sampling, deployment and retrieval of scientific instruments, diving operations, marine search & rescue (SAR) cover, aerodrome rescue and fire-fighting services (RFFS) boat cover and transporting scientists to and from local islands. Boating officers also assist in the station recreational programme by taking colleagues on boat trips enjoying the local area and observing wildlife. Boating Officer - King Edward Point To manage, operate and maintain the small boats used in support of the Government of South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands and British Antarctic Survey from KEP research station. Duties Boating Officer - Rothera • Day-to-day management of the boating fleet. Tasking will be related to weather conditions and various priorities in order to support the scientific and operational work at Rothera Research Station. • Working alongside the Bonner Lab manager, field dive officer, marine biologist, ocean scientist, marine operator and visiting scientists to plan boating and SCUBA diving activities in support of scientific research and station operations. • Coxswain each of the 4 RIBs, ranging from 6m to 7.5m in length, all with twin outboard engines (60-115hp). • Coxswain for scientific SCUBA diving operations. • Advise the Rothera Station Leader on safety issues associated with boating operations. • Carry out regular planned maintenance on boats, outboard engines and checks on boat communications equipment. • Carry out minor and major repair work on the boats. This may include various mechanical and electrical repairs on boat engines and systems, and repairs to glass fibre hulls and inflatable sponsons. • Instruct and train other station staff through a defined training syllabus. This will be through a series of theoretical and practical exercises including launch and recovery, boat handling skills, seamanship, search and rescue techniques and navigation using GPS and chart plotter. • Provision of marine search and rescue (SAR) cover, including training of station members and creation of SAR duty rotas. • Provision of rescue and fire-fighting services (RFFS) boat cover for air operations during the flying season. • Ensure that the annual boating spares inventory and orders take place through the Maximo database system. • Provide a monthly boating activity and running hours report. • Provide an annual Rothera Boating Report. • Assist with revising boating procedures and risk assessments as required by the Deputy Station Operations Manager. • During winter months when sea ice can form - support water sampling and SCUBA diving activities on / through sea ice. • Assist in general station duties including cooking, cleaning and winter night watch rounds (on a rota basis), as required by the Station Leader. Boating Officer - King Edward Point • Day to day management of the boating fleet. The tasking will be related to weather conditions and various priorities to support government fishery vessel inspections during the winter and scientific work from KEP research station. At KEP you will carry out a variety of boating support tasks, these will primarily be passenger and equipment transfers. • Coxswain two 10.5m jet drive harbour launches. These have rigid aluminium hulls and are driven by two Yanmar 315 bhp diesel engines and twin Hamilton jet drives. • Coxswain two 5.5m Humber Destroyer RIBs with twin Evinrude 40 bhp engines. These are mainly used for beach landings. • Advise the Station Leader and Government Officers on safety issues associated with boating operations. • Carry out regular planned maintenance on diesel engines, outboard engines, Hamilton jet drives and checks on boat comms equipment. • Carry out minor and major repair work on the boats. This may include various mechanical and electrical repairs on the boat engines and systems, glass fibre hulls and sponson repairs. • Instruct and train other station staff through a defined training syllabus. This will be through a series of theoretical and practical exercises including launch and recovery, boat handling skills, seamanship, search and rescue techniques and navigation using GPS / chart plotter / radar. • Ensure that the annual boating spares inventory and orders take place through the Maximo database system. • Provide a monthly boating activity and running hours report • Assist in general station rotas including cooking, cleaning and station watch rounds as required by the Station Leader • Assist with revising boating procedures and risk assessments as required by the Station Operations Manager • Produce an annual KEP station boating report Skills, Qualifications, and Experience Essential • RYA Powerboat Instructor • RYA Advanced Powerboat • Extensive small boat handling experience in coastal waters in a professional capacity • Sound judgement of prevailing maritime conditions with ability to convey confident and conservative decisions to others based on these assessments • Able to plan and deliver boating operations in a safe and efficient manner • Competent navigation skills using manual and electronic methods • Experience in delivering boat safety briefs to boat crew and passengers • Ability to work unsupervised, be self-driven and is hard-working • Training of other boat users to coxswain and crew standards • Proficient in written and spoken English language • Good written skills in order to communicate by email and to produce monthly boating reports • Excellent communication skills • Excellent VHF radio communications skills • Microsoft office suite • Use of boats in a cost-effective manner which reduces mechanical wear and tear and gives due consideration to reducing fuel consumption • Management of spares and stores • Able to work and live in a remote and isolated community, including involvement in communal tasks such as cleaning and cooking • Must be a good team player and be considerate to others • Experience of working with different stakeholders where customer service skills are key • Outboard engine maintenance and basic repairs • Inflatable and glass reinforced plastic (GRP) repairs • KEP - Diesel engine maintenance and repairs • You will need to pass a medical test to demonstrate that you are medically fit to work in Antarctic conditions Desirable • Yachtmaster Coastal • KEP - GMDSS General Operators Certificate (GOC) • KEP - STCW 1995 • Rothera - Experience of coxswain and supporting SCUBA diving operations • Knowledge and initiative to develop the efficiency of the boating operation • Experience of operating boats in the vicinity of wildlife • KEP - Experience of transferring people at sea from vessel to vessel through use of pilot ladders • Rothera - Experience of transferring people between boat and high ladder on wharf/jetties • Previous experience use of databases primarily in a planned preventative maintenance (PPM) package • Ability to understand the needs of different boat user groups, including scientists, and support them in their work • KEP - Hamilton jet drive repairs (a course will be available if not experienced) The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment. As part of your application, please complete this diving information form - Boating and Diving Form - Boating Officer - Fill in form Failure to complete may result in the application not being considered. About Us UKRI - UK Research and Innovation UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation. More information can be found at www.ukri.org. Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI. How we support EDI in the workforce At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce'. Disability Confident Employer As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. How to apply Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application. UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us. The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment. About the Team British Antarctic Survey (BAS) delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Our skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet. Through our extensive logistic capability and know how BAS facilitates access for the British and international science community to the UK polar research operation. Numerous national and international collaborations, combined with an excellent infrastructure help sustain a world leading position for the UK in Antarctic affairs. British Antarctic Survey is a component of theNatural Environment Research Council (NERC).NERCis part of UK Research and Innovation www.ukri.org We employ experts from many different professions to carry out our Science as well as keep the keep the lights on, feed the research and support teams and keep everyone safe! If you are looking for an opportunity to work with amazing people in one of the most unique places in the world, then British Antarctic Survey could be for you. We aim to attract the best people for those jobs.British Antarctic SurveyBAS reference: BAS 26/03Contract type: Antarctic Employment Pool - Fixed Term (deployments of 16 or 12 months)Location: Antarctica or South GeorgiaSalary band: AEP B1A £31,183 per annum (pro rata)Closing date: 8th March 2026, 23:55Interview date: w/c 13th April 2026, start date in August. Candidates will need to be available for practical assessment in the UK in late April or early May.