OK, so that would just be silly, would it not? Nobody in their right minds would accept a job working in IT on Mars. Yet so far 70 people have applied to the Mars-500 project in Russia, for the unusual position (literally) of an IT Manager willing to be sealed inside a metal container simulating a manned flight to Mars.
The State Scientific Centre of the Russian Federation - Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SSC RF - IBMP RAS) not only has an extremely long name, it expects then successful applicants for the half dozen vacancies to spend an extremely long time in a metal tube for relatively little pay. In return for spending a minimum of 520 days sealed within the 550 sq meter simulator, which might be extended by 180 days if there are orbital problems (I kid you not), you will get a basic Russian salary and an overwhelming desire to be on your own for a bit. Oh, you will be filmed by CCTV the whole time, naturally enough.
If this still has not put you off sufficiently and you happen to be between 25 and 50, speak both English and Russian fluently, and meet the professional qualification requirements, then get your application in as soon as possible.
Me, I think I’ll be giving it a miss…
