$90K - 162K a year
The IT&C Radio Frequency Systems Engineer is responsible for advising and assisting in all aspects of RF communication systems engineering, operation, sustainment, and decommissioning within the US Antarctic Program. This includes designing, upgrading, and maintaining RF systems and engaging with various stakeholders.
Candidates must have a bachelor's degree and at least eight years of relevant experience, including knowledge of radio communication electronics and systems. A Public Trust clearance and the ability to deploy to Antarctica are also required.
Only applicants with a Public Trust clearance via the NSF will be considered for this role. The Enterprise IT&C Radio Frequency Engineer is a senior-level position supporting the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). The position is responsible for working with managers, supervisors, engineers, technicians, end-users, vendors, manufacturers, various USAP partner organizations, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) client to actively advise and assist in all aspects of RF communication systems engineering, operation, sustainment, and decommissioning within the program. The successful candidate is to establish and maintain familiarity with technical details of, and support requirements for all radio communication systems used throughout the USAP. Systems include HF, VHF, UHF, microwave, paging, field and infrastructure wireless links, narrowband satellite systems such as Iridium phones and data links, and other RF equipment as assigned. The position can be performed via home office telework, but being local to Centennial Colorado is desired to facilitate equipment testing, configuration, shipping to operational locations, and other hands-on work. Operational locations include but are not limited to McMurdo, Amundsen-Scott South Pole, and Palmer stations, and logistics hubs in New Zealand and Chile. This position coordinates support of RF systems with IT&C Station Managers and their staff, members of the science community, and engineering staff in the ASC Centennial office. *** Deployment to Antarctica, New Zealand, Chile, and various locations within the United States may be necessary at the discretion of management (approximately 25% of the year). The candidate in the position must complete the physical and dental examinations required by the NSF for deploying to Antarctica. *** Due to contract requirements, US Citizenship is required. The Challenge: Design, upgrade, modify, integrate, replace, and dispose of RF systems to include analog and digital and associated copper, fiber, and Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity for remote operation Support RF voice and data communications system sustainment Engage with on-station technical staff, stakeholders, clients, partner organizations, projects staff Develop and execute test plans to verify project performance requirements Document and validate system characteristics as required to facilitate Spectrum Management Maintain inventories of equipment. Identify, log, and track RF system sites and characteristics whether actively used or not Establish and manage corrective and preventative maintenance plans for RF infrastructure Identify and recommend life-cycle procurements for investment prioritization. Establish systems requirements, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), Bill of Materials (BoM) Generate time and cost estimates, contribute to project and proposals Provide technical training and guidance to station staff Review seasonal Science Information Plans (SIP) Contribute to seasonal field operation Resource Support Plans (RSP) Create formal system documentation and status reports Perform administrative functions such as annual review or initial creation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), various reports, white papers, and Technical Implementation Plans (TIP) Maintain working relationships with IT&C Station Managers, their staff, and engineering teams to ensure radio communications success What Sets You Apart: Bachelor’s degree with at least eight (8+) years of position-related experience or demonstratable knowledge of and ability to perform basic qualifications Experience operating, maintaining, and installing radio communication electronics to include HF, VHF, UHF, microwave, wireless networking, and narrowband satellite systems Knowledge of Land Mobile Radio (LMR) industry, manufacturers, and technology Experience designing, installing, maintaining, upgrading, and programming LMR systems Antenna theory knowledge sufficient to evaluate radiation patterns Experience analyzing area coverage and link margins for design and documentation purposes Experience in training and providing both remote and on-site support to technical teams Proficiency with MS Office suite programs and Visio Strong written communication skills, ability to create and present formal documents Must be comfortable working at heights such as atop buildings or near mountainous cliffs Ability and willingness to deploy to Antarctica annually for 4 to 12 weeks per year Ability to pass physical and dental examinations as required by the NSF for Antarctic deployment A Public Trust clearance as required by the NSF for employment You May Also Have: Knowledge of functional analysis studies to include requirements derivation, requirements allocation, timeline analysis, trade study, cost estimation, and interface definition Knowledge of Spectrum Management process Knowledge of Radio Frequency Interference risk analysis and mitigation measures Knowledge of radiation and electrical safety policies and procedures Knowledge of Project Management processes and procedures Familiarity with both commercial Iridium and DoD Iridium account services administration Familiarity with rigging processes, procedures, materials, and work requirements Come break things (in a good way). Then build them smarter. We're the tech company everyone calls when things get weird. We don’t wear capes (they’re a safety hazard), but we do solve high-stakes problems with code, caffeine, and a healthy disregard for “how it’s always been done.” Original Posting: October 10, 2025 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. Pay Range: Pay Range $89,700.00 - $162,150.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and 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. Leidos Leidos is a Fortune 500® innovation company rapidly addressing the world's most vexing challenges in national security and health. The company's global workforce of 47,000 collaborates to create smarter technology solutions for customers in heavily regulated industries. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenue of approximately $15.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2023. 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 here. Securing Your Data Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to spam.leidos@leidos.com. Commitment and Diversity 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.
This job posting was last updated on 10/12/2025