Job Description

Electrical Maintenance Technician
British Antarctic Survey
BAS 26/77
Contract type: Antarctic Employment Pool - Fixed-Term Appointment – 6 or 18 months
Location: Antarctica
Salary: £30,224 - £31,183 per annum (pro rata) plus a £3,000 allowance per annum (pro rata)
Closing date: 16/09/2026, 23:55
Interview date: TBC

Purpose
Electrical Maintenance Technicians take responsibility for maintenance, repair and support of electrical services at our Antarctic research stations. We are offering a rare opportunity to utilise your skills in the most extraordinary place on Earth. The UK’s polar research effort is critically important for understanding environmental issues that affect everyone. Antarctica is also the most exhilarating and spectacular workplace you could imagine.

British Antarctic Survey operates five sites from smaller domestic size sites such as Bird Island to more complex stations such as Rothera with Combined Heat and Power (CHP)systems and Building Management Systems (BMS) controls. We require a broad range of skills to maintain our stations in all aspects of electrical engineering including domestic, commercial, and industrial installers, maintenance electricians, test and inspect, controls specialist and commissioning engineers. You will need to have served a full apprenticeship, have a BTEC, relevant City & guilds or NVQ with a recognized qualification within the electrical engineering industry and have post qualification/apprenticeship practical site experience.

With high levels of self-motivation and strong team-working skills you will be able to manage your time well, anticipate problems and take responsibility for reporting issues to your managers and fellow team members.

Duties
This role is responsible for all planned maintenance, reactive repair, support and upkeep of all electrical and associated services on Station. To document works carried out and ensure indents are kept up to date.
• Be responsible for the operation, Pre planned maintenance and compliance as well as unplanned remedial work on station systems including:
• General lighting & power.
• Main distribution 400v 3ph.
• HVAC controls.
• Fault fining and diagnosis on equipment.
• Domestic & Kitchen appliance maintenance and repair.
• PAT testing.
• Fire Alarms service and repair.
• Carrying out the Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) program.
• Carrying out and supervising the installation of refurbishment works as required to meet the efficient and effective operational needs of the Station.
• Reporting and documenting all works carried out through the PPM system.
• Recording and documenting of all reactive works carried out.
• Production of report on the condition of Station mechanical services.
• Undertake other general duties as required or directed by the line manager.

About you:
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Quality focused.
• Health and safety focused.
• Able to work in a team or individually.
• Happy to think out problems and resolve independently.
• Be easy to get along with and a good communicator.
• Confident with IT systems and answering emails and phone calls.

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience
Essential
• Served full apprenticeship, BTEC, relevant City & Guilds or NVQ
• Recognised qualification within the electrical services industry 17th/18th edition
• Practical post qualification/apprenticeship site experience
• Knowledge of light commercial electrical power supply systems
• Experience of building management systems (BMS)
• Experience of refrigeration systems
• Use of electronic pre-planned maintenance systems (PPM)
• Proficient in written and spoken English language
• Able to plan and manage both time and workload
• Use of email systems
• Ability to work both individually and as part of a team
• Good problem-solving skills
• Ability to report any problems or issues to line manager
• Be self-motivated
• Ability to work within a management structure
• Proficient in use of applicable tools and materials
• Basic computer operating skills; using the Microsoft Office suite of programmes
• Understanding and experience of the importance of stock control, monitoring and ordering
• You will need to pass a medical test to demonstrate that you are medically fit to work in Antarctic conditions.

Desirable
• CSCS Certificate
• Electrical inspection and testing
• Experience of LV and HV systems and equipment
• Experience of domestic appliances
• Experience of cooling systems
• Ability to motivate a small team
• Report writing experience
• Previous use of electronic pre planned maintenance systems

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.
Although this job is not UK based, the successful candidate will be required to attend training in the UK which will require a right to work.

For this role, the only potential for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa is where an individual is currently sponsored for another role/sponsor assigned via a certificate of sponsorship dated prior to 5 April 2024 who also continues to meet the New Entrant criteria of the Skilled worker route. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y.

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, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. 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.

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.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.