Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole • Hacker News Board

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#11

Post by randliu » Mon, Jan 18, 2010, 10:29 PM UTC

timf wrote: post #10

FooBarWidget wrote: post #5

The salary seems a little low for asking someone to work in the middle of nowhere, away from family, friends and civilization. I know "regular" developers who make more than that.

That is a typical UW "minimum" salary for listing and classification purposes. Based on personal experience, the actual offer would be commensurate with experience (modulo what a University can actually pay developers which goes far above 55k but not as high as a Silicon Valley job). Putting aside how this is such a unique opportunity and just looking at the financial compensation aspects of being asked to live in a…

The unique location is the big plus, especially considering that the absence of geostationary satellites over the poles means this is likely the ONLY developer job on the planet that can't be done offsite, until they run fiber to Antarctica.

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#12

Post by kqr2 » Mon, Jan 18, 2010, 10:31 PM UTC

Best quote about working in Antarctica and it's psychological toll:

  The first time you come down for the adventure. 
  The second time for the money. 
  And the third time because you can't function anywhere else anymore.

http://60south.com/about/faq.htm

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#13

Post by blahedo » Mon, Jan 18, 2010, 10:44 PM UTC

Amusing: "Must be authorized to work in the United States."

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#14

Post by rbanffy » Mon, Jan 18, 2010, 10:49 PM UTC

randliu wrote: post #11

timf wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a typical UW "minimum" salary for listing and classification purposes. Based on personal experience, the actual offer would be commensurate with experience (modulo what a University can actually pay developers which goes far above 55k but not as high as a Silicon Valley job). Putting aside how this is such a unique opportunity and just looking at the financial compensation aspects of being asked to live in a…

The unique location is the big plus, especially considering that the absence of geostationary satellites over the poles means this is likely the ONLY developer job on the planet that can't be done offsite, until they run fiber to Antarctica.

Were the Iridium/Globalstar satellites de-orbited? That would be such a shame: to have a true global wireless communications network deployed and to let it decay...

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#15

Post by sutro » Mon, Jan 18, 2010, 10:54 PM UTC

I hear the South Pole is the Silicon Valley of Antarctica.

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#16

Post by navyrain » Mon, Jan 18, 2010, 10:56 PM UTC

dlsspy wrote: post #2

Well, it's too late to apply.

I am both an alumni of the UW and former employee, and have been keeping an eye on the UW job posts for a long while now.

This gig, or gigs very similar, have been posted for years now. I believe the expiration date of the job post is just a limitation of the UW's recruitment system/process; you could quite likely still apply.

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#17

Post by whatusername » Mon, Jan 18, 2010, 11:47 PM UTC

FooBarWidget wrote: post #5

The salary seems a little low for asking someone to work in the middle of nowhere, away from family, friends and civilization. I know "regular" developers who make more than that.

Note that it's probably $55K + food + lodging + flights/transport

And it's at the South Pole!! No-one really wants to work on an Oil Rig - so they pay lots. Lots of people would love to go visit Antarctica - so they don't need to offer up the big bucks

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#18

Post by mebigfatguy » Tue, Jan 19, 2010, 12:07 AM UTC

I would think you'd have to offer 200K to get anyone any good to go.

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#19

Post by jrockway » Tue, Jan 19, 2010, 12:17 AM UTC

rbanffy wrote: post #14

randliu wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The unique location is the big plus, especially considering that the absence of geostationary satellites over the poles means this is likely the ONLY developer job on the planet that can't be done offsite, until they run fiber to Antarctica.

Were the Iridium/Globalstar satellites de-orbited? That would be such a shame: to have a true global wireless communications network deployed and to let it decay...

They are still alive and in-use. (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_(satellite) )

Re: Java, Postgres developer job. Location? The South Pole

#20

Post by rbanffy » Tue, Jan 19, 2010, 1:14 AM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #19

rbanffy wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Were the Iridium/Globalstar satellites de-orbited? That would be such a shame: to have a true global wireless communications network deployed and to let it decay...

They are still alive and in-use. (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_(satellite) )

Thanks. That's great news. I heard something along the lines of de-orbiting them, but wasn't sure if that was avoided.

I also couldn't check Wikipedia at that moment ;-) Now I can.

With a 86.4° inclination, Iridium satellites should be above the horizon. Some data communication should then be possible (interestingly, the article says they weren't designed for that). Neither Globalstar nor Orbcomm appear to operate at those latitudes.

Anyway, it seems putting a clever human close to the equipment is a good idea.