South Pole Research Associate (I)

Description

The Leidos Corporation is seeking a Research Scientist (I) in accordance with overall technical direction, guidance, and protocols provided by grantees, subcontractors, and the National Science Foundation. The Research Scientist position supports a variety of scientific research projects in the physical and astrophysical sciences at remote Antarctic field stations, works with advanced scientific instrumentation, assists in the collection of data, and carries out research protocols for NSF grantees.

***Deployment to Antarctica is required for this position. This role is expected to deploy for approximately 13 months, from mid-October 2026 through mid-November 2027. Pre-deployment training begins in late September, with deployment from the Denver area once training is complete.

The individual in the position must successfully complete the physical, dental and psychological examinations as required by the NSF for deploying to Antarctica. Failure to meet these requirements will result in withdrawal of employment offer or other employment action.***

Due to contract requirements, US Citizenship is required.

Must obtain a Public Trust security clearance prior to start date. This process could take up to 4 months.

If this sounds like an environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

About the Antarctic Support Contract:

Leidos Antarctic Support Contract (ASC) is the prime contractor to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in support of the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). Leidos supports the NSF's Office of Polar Program's Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics by aligning with their Mission and Vision Statements:

• Vision:Expanding our scientific reach in Antarctica through increased operational and logistical effectiveness.

• Mission:To provide the operational and logistical platform necessary for the U.S. to conduct world-class science in Antarctica and maintain its active and influential presence on the continent.

Leidos ASC provides science and logistics support for approximately 150 science and technical events across three geographically remote research stations; McMurdo Station, Palmer Station, and South Pole Station and several deep field sites across Antarctica. Each station or field site supports world class research across multiple science disciplines. The planning and implementation of science support requirements in Antarctica is a critical part of our mission.

To learn more about the Leidos Antarctic Support contract, click here.

The Research Scientist (I) will:

• Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair a variety of equipment used in the long-term monitoring of physical phenomena including (but not limited to): data collection equipment, magnetometers, spectrophotometers, CCD cameras, and other radio and optical equipment.

• Use digital and analog electronic equipment to diagnose and repair instruments and computer hardware failures.

• Support researchers by ensuring timely problem resolution, minimizing data collection interruptions, and providing notifications of outages, issues, and maintenance schedules.

• Maintain appropriate project log books, documents and email records.

• Maintain and operate liquid nitrogen plant, cryogenic dewars, and compressed gas cylinders.

• Provide manual labor as needed, including excavating buried experiments and maintaining access to surface installations.

• Maintain accurate inventory of spare parts for equipment and instruments.

• Maintain inventory of laboratory supplies and equipment, and prepare resupply lists.

• Participate in community duties, which may include washing dishes and cleaning common areas.

• Other duties as required.

• The Research Scientist (I) will assist the station meteorologist with weather observations and balloon launches several times a day. This will involve shift work. Specialized training will be provided.

• All South Pole winter crew members will be assigned to an Emergency Response Team (ERT) such as the Fire Brigade or First Aid team. Specialized training will be provided.

What Sets You Apart:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical, Electrical, Aeronautical, or other Engineering, Astronomy, Astrophysics, or Physics.

• Two years' experience in laboratory or observatory technical work, which should include operational experience utilizing experimental, physical, optical, or atmospheric science equipment.

• General electronic troubleshooting experience, with a minimum of two years of experience in the use of bench testing equipment. Soldering experience a plus.

• Experience working with diverse groups of people in high stress situations.

• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities. Must be organized, able to multi-task, and able to work without direct supervision.

You May Also Have:

• Experience handling cryogens and compressed gases.

• Basic understanding of RF and power equipment (RF attenuators, filters, LNAs, switches, switching power supplies). Experience with network interfaces helpful.

• Familiarity with Macintosh and Linux/Unix platforms, as well as legacy versions of Windows.

• Familiarity with networking topics and file transfer tools.

• Successful conflict resolution experience or training.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos' name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system - never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at LeidosCareersFraud@leidos.com.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.