Antarctic Medical Practitioner (season 2028/29)

Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; Brisbane; Remote; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water invites applications for an Antarctic Medical Practitioner (AMP) for the 2028/29 season. The AMP will deliver generalist medical care, emergency surgical and dental services at an Australian Antarctic station and during voyages.

You will typically be the sole clinician, caring for 15–30 winter expeditioners, potentially up to 120 in summer, and may participate in research and professional development in remote

Qualifications

• Medical Registration - Current Unrestricted General Registration as a medical practitioner with the Medical Board of Australia.
• Basic Medical Qualification.
• Suspensions or Restrictions - detail any suspensions or actions from registering bodies.
• Certificate of Good Standing (where requested).
• Driver’s Licence – current unrestricted C class (manual).
• Citizenship requirements per PS Act 1999; Australian citizens preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide complete generalist medical care at Antarctic stations.
• Deliver emergency surgical and emergency dental care.
• Be the sole medical practitioner at the station during deployments.
• Support care during voyages and in field environments.

Skills

General Medicine

Emergency Medicine

Anesthesia

Surgery

Obstetrics

Education

Medical Registration

Basic Medical Qualification

Certificate of Good Standing

Driver’s Licence

Citizenship

Passport Validity

Job description

Antarctic Medical Practitioner (season 2028/29)

Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water – Brisbane QLD

Please note: Antarctic Medical Practitioner recruitment is for season 2028-29.

As an Antarctic Medical Practitioner (AMP) you will provide complete generalist medical, emergency surgical and emergency dental care for a remote community at an Australian Antarctic station. AMPs also provide care during voyages and in Antarctic field environments.

You will generally be the sole medical practitioner at the station. The AMP provides comprehensive health care services for 15 to 30 expeditioners over winter. This can increase to 120 during summer (October to March). There may be up to 130 passengers and crew on expedition voyages. The Polar Medicine Unit focuses on recruiting for winter AMP positions (total employment 15–18 months, with 4-5 months of pre-departure training and 10 – 15 months in Antarctica). Shorter term appointments (including ship, summer station and field doctors) are typically filled by returning AMPs who have previously completed the wintering pre-departure AMP training.

You will also receive ACRRM accredited remote and Antarctic medicine training and professional development, medical indemnity and professional development support and opportunities for research and higher degrees in healthcare in remote and extreme environments. The AAD has developed, with the University of Tasmania (UTAS), the Graduate Certificate in Healthcare in Remote and Extreme Environments and higher awards.

For more detailed information about the requirements of the role and the selection process, please see the job description document and link to more information on the application process below.

This position is designated as performing Safety Sensitive Aviation Activities (SSAA) under the organisation’s Aviation Drug and Alcohol Management Plan (DAMP) and the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR Part 99). As a condition of employment, employees performing SSAA are required to comply with all applicable drug and alcohol management requirements.

What we are looking for

To apply for this role, you must have the skills and licences listed below:

Qualifications/licences

Provide copy with application:

• Medical Registration - Current Unrestricted General Registration as a medical practitioner with the Medical Board of Australia http://www.medicalboard.gov.au/
• Basic Medical Qualification.
• Suspensions or Restrictions - Provide details of any suspensions, restrictions or other actions from relevant registering and professional bodies in Australia or in any other country.
• Certificate of Good Standing (where requested).
• Driver’s Licence – A current, unrestricted “C” class (manual) Australian driver’s licence.
• Citizenship - In accordance with the PS Act 1999, APS employees are required to be Australian citizens. Persons who are not Australian citizens will generally only be considered where there are no suitable Australian applicants, with next considerations being Australian residents with work rights and New Zealand citizens.

Obtain prior to commencement:

• Valid Passport - The expiry date of the passport (and any relevant visa) must be at least 6 months beyond the planned end date of your intended stay in the Antarctic or sub-Antarctic.

Knowledge and experience

Successful applicants are typically rural and remote generalist practitioners or registrars (e.g. rural generalists), or less typically specialists with a broad scope of practice and relevant upskilling (e.g. emergency physicians, anaesthetists, surgeons, physicians).

AMPs must have practical skills or be able to respond, where appropriate, in the following fields. Some examples of practical procedures which have been performed by AMPs, or may be required, are indicated below. A generalist non-specialist level of experience is sought.

1. General Medicine

• General Medicine (lumbar puncture, pleural tap)
• Dermatology
• Ophthalmology (enucleation of eye)
• Ear, Nose and Throat
• Psychiatry and Mental Health Counselling

2. Emergency Management

• Urology & STI (catheters, suprapubic cystotomy)
• Thoracic (underwater seal drains)
• Burns (split skin graft)
• Current ALS 2 certification

3. Anaesthetics* and Intensive Care

• General Anaesthesia
• Local and Regional Anaesthesia (spinal, Bier’s Block)

4. Surgery*

• Surgery – Appendicectomy (craniotomy, laparotomy with exploration of the abdomen, oversewing perforated peptic ulcer, splenectomy, management of other abdominal trauma, colostomy, tracheostomy, oesophagoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidoscopy)
• Plastic Surgery (hand injuries, amputations, management of tendon and nerve injuries)
• Orthopaedics
• Orthopaedics (conservative management of all types of fractures, including skeletal traction, management of cervical and thoraco-lumbar spinal injuries, treatment of dislocations of minor and major joints, and management of lower back problems)

5. Obstetrics and Gynaecology

• Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Dilatation and Curettage, Ectopic Pregnancy)

*Some training may be provided in these areas before departure.

Applications close: 11.30 pm AEDT, 1 November 2026