McMurdo Winter Research Associate

Leidos Inc; United States; On-site; USD 70,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Paid Leave and Retirement

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Leidos seeks a McMurdo Winter Research Associate to support cutting-edge science at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during the austral winter. The role involves operating and maintaining advanced instrumentation, data collection, and collaboration with researchers and IT teams, with a deployment of approximately eight months from February through October 2027.

Ideal candidates have a strong technical background, experience across instrumentation, electronics, and networking, and the ability to work

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher with relevant experience.
• Ability to apply technical principles within a scientific/engineering discipline.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain Public Trust clearance.
• Current valid driver's license.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• Fluency with networking topics and file transfer tools.
• Experience with Macintosh and Linux/Unix systems; Unix admin experience.
• Electronic and technical troubleshooting experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
• Experience working with diverse teams in challenging environments.
• Conflict-resolution skills or training.
• Flexibility in changing priorities.
• Willingness to work outdoors in extreme conditions.
• Comfort driving in remote conditions.

Responsibilities

• Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair a diverse range of scientific instrumentation.
• Support continuous scientific data collection by resolving equipment and network issues.
• Collect, archive, validate, and transmit data and equipment status information.
• Use test equipment to diagnose and repair instruments and computer hardware.
• Develop solutions when standard approaches are insufficient.
• Administer and maintain data acquisition systems and hardware.
• Coordinate with IT on network connectivity and configurations.
• Maintain technical documentation and SOPs.
• Support lifecycle planning, inventory, and resupply planning.
• Operate and troubleshoot antennas and RF equipment.
• Identify potential radio-frequency interference sources.
• Support operations at Arrival Heights Laboratory facilities.
• Conduct occasional research briefings and facility tours.
• Perform outdoor inspections and travel to remote locations.
• Assist with snow removal and access maintenance.
• Participate in shared community responsibilities at the station.
• Perform other duties to support program objectives.

Skills

Networking fundamentals

Technical troubleshooting

Independent work

Communication skills

Problem solving

Teamwork

Adaptability

Field work

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Master's degree in related field

Equivalent education/experience

Tools

Python

SQL databases

Excel

Word

DOS/Windows

Macintosh OS

Linux/Unix

Job description

Description

Leidos is seeking a McMurdo Winter Research Associate to support cutting-edge scientific research at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during the austral winter.

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.

• Deployment to Antarctica is required for this position. This is a seasonal role and is expected to be deployed for approximately 9 months, from early February through mid-October 2027. Pre deployment training may be required.
• Selected hire 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 starting date. This process could take up to 4 months.

The Role

The McMurdo Winter Research Associate is a unique opportunity for a technically curious, hands‑on professional who enjoys solving complex problems, working independently, and supporting science in one of the most extraordinary environments on Earth.

Working in support of National Science Foundation-funded research, you will help operate and maintain advanced scientific instrumentation used to study physical, atmospheric, geophysical, and astrophysical phenomena. You will collaborate with researchers, technical teams, and program staff to keep critical experiments and data‑collection systems operating throughout the Antarctic winter. This is a seasonal position of approximately eight months, with deployment to McMurdo Station anticipated from early February through mid‑October.

What You’ll Do

• Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair a diverse range of scientific instrumentation, including UV spectroradiometers, GPS receivers, VLF radio receivers, seismometers, all-sky imagers, lasers, magnetometers, photometers, interferometers, antennas, and other optical and research systems.
• Support continuous scientific data collection by identifying and resolving equipment, computer, networking, and instrumentation issues.
• Collect, archive, validate, and transmit scientific data and equipment status information to researchers and project teams.
• Use digital and analog electronic test equipment to diagnose and repair scientific instruments, electronics, and computer hardware.
• Apply technical judgment, creativity, and resourcefulness to develop solutions when standard approaches are not sufficient.
• Administer and maintain computer-based data acquisition systems and associated hardware.
• Coordinate with IT teams on network connectivity, firewall access, IP addressing, computer configuration, and related technical requirements.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, project logbooks, maintenance records, correspondence, and standard operating procedures.
• Support equipment and instrument life‑cycle planning, including inventory management, spare parts tracking, resupply planning, and replacement recommendations.
• Operate, inspect, maintain, and troubleshoot antennas and antenna arrays, including coaxial cable systems and RF‑related equipment.
• Work with other organizations to investigate and identify potential sources of radio‑frequency interference.
• Support operations at the Arrival Heights Laboratory and associated facilities, including coordination of maintenance and repair needs.
• Conduct occasional research briefings and facility tours.
• Perform outdoor inspections and travel on foot to remote equipment and antenna locations.
• Support snow removal and other hands‑on activities necessary to maintain access to scientific equipment and facilities.
• Participate in shared community responsibilities associated with living and working at an Antarctic research station.
• Perform other duties as required in support of program and research objectives.

What Sets You Apart

You are someone who is comfortable working independently, solving technical problems with limited onsite support, and adapting to changing conditions. You enjoy working across disciplines and can move comfortably between scientific instrumentation, electronics, computers, networking, and hands‑on field work. You also understand that successful Antarctic operations require more than technical expertise. Strong communication, teamwork, flexibility, resilience, and a willingness to contribute to the broader station community are equally important.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 2-4 years of relevant experience, a Master's degree with 1-2 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to apply technical principles, theories, and concepts within a relevant scientific, engineering, electronics, or technical discipline.
• U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain the required Public Trust clearance.
• Current, valid driver's license.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage day‑to‑day technical responsibilities with limited direct supervision.
• Fluency with networking topics and file transfer tools required.
• Administrator ability for Macintosh and Linux/Unix platforms required. Unix system administration ability required.
• Demonstrated electronic and technical troubleshooting experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
• Experience working effectively with diverse teams in challenging or high‑stress environments.
• Demonstrated conflict‑resolution skills or related training.
• Flexibility and adaptability in response to changing operational priorities.
• Willingness and ability to work outdoors in extremely cold, windy, snowy, and dark conditions.
• Comfort driving in dark, snowy, icy, and remote conditions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Physics, Electrical, Aeronautical or other engineering discipline is preferred.
• A background in an academic research environment providing direct support to science projects is preferred.
• Experience in general computer repair including IBM-PC, Macintosh, and network equipment preferred.
• Experience with Python and SQL databases; RA should be able to write scripts for automation and reporting, including visualizations.
• Two years' experience in laboratory or observatory technical work. Laboratory or observatory technical work should include operational experience utilizing experimental, physical, optical, or atmospheric science equipment. Experience handling cryogens preferred but not required.
• General electronic troubleshooting experience required, with a minimum of two years of experience in the use of multiple commercial software packages as well as DOS and Windows operating systems.
• Familiarity with legacy versions of Windows operating system, and experience with Macintosh and Linux/Unix platforms desired.

THE EXPERIENCE

This role offers the opportunity to support meaningful scientific research while living and working in one of the most remote environments in the world. Success requires technical breadth, independence, adaptability, and a genuine interest in supporting science where reliable systems and creative problem‑solving matter every day.

PLEASE BE ADVISED

that during the interview, you will be required to keep your camera on, and your interviewer will be taking your picture for identification purposes if an offer letter is extended to you.

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.

Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00

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.

• competitive compensation
• Health and Wellness programs
• Income Protection
• Paid Leave and Retirement

More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

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.