The coolest job ever (that doesn't involve hummus)

I have a general sense of where I want my life to go, career-wise, although occasionally I think, what if? Jobs such as "Israeli hummus exporter" have a certain appeal, although being neither Israeli nor trained in business, all I could bring to such a position is a potential Israeli citizenship, a knowledge of Hebrew best described as "ktzat," and of course experience in hummus consumption. Oh, and AP Microeconomics. So really, not the most far-fetched idea ever, but still unlikely. But getting to the point... The job posting below, from the Economist, is evidence that whatever it is you're doing, someone out there is about to be hired to do something much, much cooler:

Build Britain's reputation at the ends of the earth.

Head of Polar Regions Unit

£54,788 to £115,616

Thanks to the efforts of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Britain's reputation extends to the ends of the earth - we are among the most influential States within the Antarctic Treaty System. It is vital that the internationally acclaimed excellence of the British Antarctic Survey is matched by the highest levels of international diplomacy if we are to maintain pole position, giving you an exceptionally influential role to play.

Taking control of the policy-making Polar Regions Unit, you will lead the UK delegation to both the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and the Antarctic Fisheries Commission Meeting, whilst attending a number of other high profile international summits. At the same time, you will impact upon Arctic diplomacy and on relations within the sub-Antarctic, including the Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Falklands/Patagonian Shelf fisheries, so your remit will be wide-ranging and your challenge immense.

You will join us with a proven track record in policy making at senior government level, backed by extensive experience of multilateral negotiations. A background in environmental science or fisheries management would be a major advantage, as would previous exposure to the Polar Regions, but it is your network of contacts, strong interpersonal and influencing skills and innate ability to bring negotiations to a successful conclusion that will count above all.

While I cannot think of a position for which I would be less qualified, I am nevertheless intrigued by a job which would require skills in both high-level diplomacy and "fisheries management." And who doesn't want a hand in helping to "maintain pole position," whatever that's all about. But perhaps not all is lost-- if you read to the end of the post, you'll see that what they care most about is that the candidate know people (I know people, though possibly not the relevant people), be able to influence said people (Katherine confessed that she gets inspired to cook various dishes after seeing me make them), and have an "innate ability to bring negotiations to a successful conclusion" (no points there--Nora and I both asked the waitstaff at a Japanese place in the East Village if they could turn the beyond-danceclub-decibel music down, we received understanding nods, and the music proceeded to get just the slightest bit louder). OK, so perhaps this shouldn't be looked at as a possible job for me, but if any of my readers happen to have this rather specified set of overlapping abilities--and it might not hurt to be British--I'd be happy to do the job vicariously. Although it's not specifically mentioned in the job posting, I have a sense that one's co-workers would include very cute and fluffy arctic dogs, such as the one I saw not long ago in Tribeca. And now, a gratuitous picture of that dog, which was, for the record, about three times the size it looks like it would be from that picture: