This Seasonal Job in Alaska Comes With a $1,000 Bonus. Plus, Polar Bears!

Do you ever dream of leaving your everyday life and going on a crazy adventure?

I do all the time. Most of the time, though, these dreams don’t involve getting paid.

But they could… If you applied for one of these winter seasonal jobs at Deadhorse Camp on Alaska’s Arctic coast.

The work isn’t glamorous, but room and board is covered — so you could save a lot of money — and you’ll get to see polar bears!

These Arctic Jobs Come With Polar Bears

Deadhorse Camp is a “northern base camp for summer recreational travelers intent on reaching the Arctic Ocean, conquering the Pan American Highway, and/or viewing polar bears in their natural habitat,” according to its Cool Works job listing.  

Right now, it’s hiring seasonal workers, including cooks, bakers, cleaners and dishwashers for the winter. You must be available from September 2016 through January 2017.

If you’re hired early in the season, you’ll get to go on a complimentary polar bear-viewing trip, whose timing “coincides with the fall whale hunt conducted by the Inupiat Eskimo villagers.”

Whoa. Sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, doesn’t it?

The pay is $9.75 per hour for a dishwasher, and based upon experience for the other positions.

If that doesn’t sound like much to you, keep in mind you won’t have to pay for room or board. And, since there aren’t exactly shopping malls in the Arctic — not to mention it’ll be insanely cold and dark outside — you’ll have few temptations to spend your money.

Here’s how it could work out: If you work 45 hours per week for 16 weeks, you’ll earn $7,020 before taxes. Let’s say your tax rate was 15% (there’s no state tax in Alaska); you’d bank $6,000 for four months of work.

Try to save that much in a regular job!

Stay for the second half of the winter season (through May 2017), and you could double that.

Plus, if you complete your contract, you’ll get a $1,000 end-of-season bonus, which would likely cover the cost of your flights.

What do you think? Ready to move to the Arctic? Click here to apply.

Your Turn: Would you move to Alaska to see polar bears?

Susan Shain, senior writer for The Penny Hoarder, is always seeking adventure on a budget. Visit her blog at susanshain.com, or say hi on Twitter @susan_shain.