There are several really big science projects here and they all generate huge volumes of data. Our 800 pound gorilla right now is the South Pole Telescope, a 10-meter in diameter radio telescope that scans the cosmic microwave background. They're looking for things like dark matter, and it generates tons of data that they want to send back to the states as quickly as possible.

If we didn't have [satellite broadband] they would have to store the data for the nine-month winter. This way they can see the results much quicker. They can also analyze any issues with the telescope and correct them while the winter observing season is going on, rather than having to wait a full year.

How do you support the researchers and scientists?

Generally they provide their own equipment and we provide the back end. But when something breaks we do step forward and help them get it repaired.

Many scientists -- and I can't say that I blame them -- don't want to trust their data to anyone else. Our support is really just providing the communications they need, providing the technical expertise.

Do the conditions affect reliability and uptime at all?

It is incredibly dry [so] static electricity is a huge problem for us. We lose more laptops and hard drives to static electricity than anything else. Our biggest failures are things like power supplies and hard drives. We're at an altitude of 12,000 feet and with the thin air here, cooling fans don't push a lot of air. Anything heat related tends to need a lot of extra TLC.

Hard drives also have a problem with the high altitude. Most hard drive heads float on a cushion of air above the platter. We have fewer air molecules for hard drives to float on so we have more hard drive crashes than anywhere else.

What happens when something breaks?

Getting service is a little tough. We try to maintain at least a year's worth of spare parts.

What's the most fun --and least fun -- part of your job?

The most fun is working with the scientists. Everybody down here -- from the dishwasher to the scientists to the construction guys -- they all have interesting background stories. Nobody here is your average person.

The worst part is that I've done two full years down here and being away from your friends and family, especially for the holidays, can be really tough sometimes.

What unique management issues do you face?

We have to order and plan and do everything a year and a half in advance to get supplies on time. We get supplies by airplane, but those come through McMurdough station [and] it is supplied once a year by a cargo vessel.

It's also a physically demanding job. A lot of people who come down here immediately get sick from the altitude.

Other than the cold and the environment and the lack of fresh food and vegetables, sometimes it almost feels like I could be somewhere in the real world. But then I look out the window and see the South Pole in my front yard and realize that I have one of the best jobs in the world.