Description

Position: Research Scientist III

Location: Natick, MA

The Leidos Defense Sector is seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist to join our team in Natick, MA supporting the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (CCDC-SC). This role offers an exceptional opportunity to apply your scientific expertise in support of the U.S. Army’s mission to advance food protection, innovative packaging, and soldier sustainment technologies.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Spectral Imaging & Contamination Detection
  
  • Collaborate with the Food Protection and Innovative Packaging team to identify potential contamination on diverse surfaces using spectral imaging technologies.
  • Conduct inoculation trials, perform efficacy studies, generate spectral images, and interpret imaging data to validate pathogen reduction treatments.
  • Analyze spectral signatures to support contamination detection and quality assessment.

• Food Quality & Degradation Studies
  
  • Support spectral imaging research on operational ration components, fresh produce, and other food items.
  • Correlate imaging results with indicators of product quality, freshness, and degradation.

• Pathogen Reduction & Treatment Validation
  
  • Design and execute bacterial and viral reduction studies using sanitizers, UV-C, and combinations of multiple treatment methods.
  • Perform pathogen propagation, data collection/analysis, and determine next-step experimental directions based on results.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology or a related technical discipline and 4+ years of relevant experience (Additional experience, training, or certifications may substitute for degree requirements.)
• Ability to obtain and maintain a government Common Access Card (CAC)
• Demonstrated experience with spectral or microscopy imaging and data analysis
• Hands-on experience with bacterial and viral propagation, enumeration, and culturing
• Proficiency with data analysis tools such as GraphPad, SAS, or equivalent
• Experience generating, analyzing, and interpreting benchtop spectral imaging data
• Prior work in a BSL-2 laboratory, including safe handling and disposal of pathogenic organisms
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks
• Excellent analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Microbiology or a related technical field with 2+ years of relevant experience
• Experience working with military food systems or commodities
• Strong communication skills and demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex scientific challenges

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.

Original Posting:
January 15, 2026

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 $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

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.

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.