
Coolest jobs in tech (literally): running a South Pole data center - evo_9
http://arstechnica.com/business/coolest-jobs-in-tech/2012/04/coolest-jobs-in-tech-literally-running-a-south-pole-data-center.ars
======
jhuckestein
I think we'll see a lot of remote supercomputers in the future. For
applications where bandwidth or latency aren't critical this makes a lot of
sense.

Iceland is another great example of this. I recently visited there and they
have a huge surplus of energy. They have heated sidewalks, everyone heats
their houses 24/7 and they're still only using some tiny fraction of their
natural geothermal energy (I think around 2%).

If I had to build a supercomputer for long-running computations, I'd build it
there.

------
thepacketrat
With the contract switching from Raytheon to Lockheed, the general NSF support
contract should have a bunch of IT positions opening up next research season,
I'd think.

------
Simucal
I wonder if there is any need for software engineers down there to support the
scientific teams?

I'm not a sys admin but I wouldn't mind doing a tour just for the experience.

~~~
hardtke
I worked down there with IceCube. We had a few programmers in the project, but
it was very competitive to get a slot at the Pole. Most of the people sent
down were for physical drilling operations. I went down to do data acquisition
software. IceCube is done with construction, so they don't need to send people
any more. If you don't go with a science project, the other option is Raytheon
Polar Services. Raytheon, however, pays their workers almost nothing because
they know that people want to travel there. There were bus drivers with
Ph.D.'s. The cook was a gourmet chef.

------
sek
A friend of mine works there since 2006. They don't get enough press in my
opinion, but the topic is not suitable for mass media.

------
pilom
Anyone know of some other remote locations looking for computer engineers /
sys admins that might be a little warmer?

------
mattbauer
I worked for Steve Barnet while at SSEC (<http://www.ssec.wisc.edu>). Working
for him is about as awesome as working at the South Pole.

------
techfiltered
<http://aq.indeed.com/>

[http://aq.indeed.com/jobs?q=%3C%3E&l=Antarctica](http://aq.indeed.com/jobs?q=%3C%3E&l=Antarctica)
\- 136 jobs in Antarctica!

