– I have previously worked at Oden and I really enjoyed it. I know my colleagues from before and it will be fun to work with them full time, says Alex Lüdge.

Alex Lüdge will service and maintain the labs and equipment that the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat has on board the Oden. He will also help handle, for example, winches and cranes that are used for sampling.

– As a sailor, it is the proximity to the sea that always attracts, and the polar regions are also fantastic. On a ship, you need to be creative, and I look forward to being able to support researchers in connection with expeditions. We repair things that wear out and break, and that often happens on a ship.

IT on a remote location is a challenge

Anton Sandström will work as an IT technician at the icebreaker Oden where he will maintain and develop new and existing IT systems.

– I will help the researchers to integrate their measurements with the IT infrastructure we have on board. One of my favourite areas is telemetry, which is about the wireless transmission of measurement data. Oden has many sensors that collect different data. These will be stored, compiled, and made available in real-time to the researchers who need it for their research, says Anton Sandström.

He looks forward to the challenge to work with IT on a ship that is far from civilization.

– Modern technology is becoming more and more integrated with the internet and when you are beyond all connection points, it is important to be well prepared. At the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, I saw an opportunity to combine parts of my previous profession with parts of my hobby and at the same time get to visit places where few have been before. I feel very inspired!

Passion for motorsport

Alex and Anton both have a great passion for motorsport where both have been involved in different teams at national and international level. When it comes to Alex, rally has previously been a big part of his life. As a rally mechanic, he has been involved in winning several Swedish Championship titles and has also worked on World Cup competitions. Nowadays he participates more sporadically, usually in historical racing – motorsport with older vehicles.

For Anton, drag racing is a big hobby where he worked for ten years with electronics and motor control for four different teams at the Swedish Championships and European Championships level.

– Drag racing is an emotional roller coaster. After nine months of preparation, everything is decided in a few seconds where anything can happen. Hopefully, you avoid those dramatic seconds on a polar expedition. On the other hand, you get the team spirit when everyone works towards a common goal, it is something I enjoy and creates life memories, says Anton Sandström.