Fat salary, cute penguins...China recruits chef for Antarctic position

China's Antarctic staff members have a BBQ at an Antarctic research station. [File photo/Xinhua]

The State Oceanic Administration of China has confirmed a latest recruiting drive for support staff at the country's Antarctic research stations.

Advertisements for positions such as chef, doctor, engineer and plumber are spreading fast via social media platforms.

The administration has branded these jobs as the coolest around, with the chance to see penguins and auroras on a daily basis.

Payments are also above average. The chef, for example, is offered a yearly salary of 250,000 yuan ($39,375), nearly two to three fold that of a white-collar worker in China's big cities.

The administration also assured applicants that the polar stations are equipped with heaters, internet and recreational facilities, so they won't be either frozen or bored.

For job requirements, the chef should ideally be aged between 28 and 50. Applicants must have been working in the field no less than 10 years and hold a national certificate for senior cooks of Chinese food. Polar experience is a plus.

While some conjecturing a Chinese version of The Chef of South Polar, the administration has stated that no Antarctic animals would be captured for food as in the movie.

The chef would only be able to cook using ingredients shipped from home, it was stated.

For more information on these jobs, please visit www.chinare.gov.cn