May Lee worked in Antarctica from October 2025 to February 2026 and has now returned for a new role. Courtesy of May Lee

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with May Lee, a 60-year-old broadcast engineer with GreyHawk Global at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. She previously worked there as a supply technician for Amentum after spending decades at HP, most recently as a marketing and communications manager. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I was laid off from HP after 30 years, so I decided to look beyond tech jobs and pursue something different at 60.

I had visited Antarctica twice for vacation and fell in love with it. At the time, I didn't know that you could work there. When I looked into it, I knew I had to apply.

It's so hard to describe how amazing it is to work at McMurdo Station .…