Remote Computer Science Research Assistant Jobs in Arizona

Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world.   For over 20 years, Iridium’s unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things.

At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed.  Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions.  Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world.  Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves.   We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world.

Iridium is seeking a highly motivated and technically skilled Network Administrator III to join our Network Operations team. In this role, you will work alongside a collaborative group of network, firewall, and infrastructure professionals supporting critical enterprise and operational environments. You will help maintain and modernize a complex network and security infrastructure spanning routing, switching, firewalls, remote access, monitoring, and network access control systems.

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys solving challenging technical problems, takes ownership of their work, communicates proactively, and thrives in a fast-paced operations environment. Successful candidates are curious, adaptable, team-oriented, and committed to delivering reliable and secure solutions that support the business.

• Maintain, deploy, and support enterprise network and security infrastructure including routing, switching, firewalls, VPN connectivity, and network access control systems
• Support technologies including Cisco Catalyst and Nexus platforms, FortiGate firewalls, Cisco ASA firewalls, Cisco ISE, SolarWinds, and related enterprise infrastructure platforms
• Perform troubleshooting and root cause analysis across LAN, WAN, datacenter, and remote access environments
• Monitor network and security system performance, analyze trends, tune configurations, and ensure overall reliability and availability
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including security, systems, cloud, and application teams to support operational and business initiatives
• Participate in network modernization and infrastructure lifecycle projects involving segmentation, remote access, automation, and security enhancements
• Research network and security technologies, industry trends, and best practices to support continuous improvement initiatives
• Assist in the development and maintenance of technical documentation including network diagrams, implementation plans, standard operating procedures, and operational best practices
• Present technical findings, recommendations, and troubleshooting results clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Participate in after-hours maintenance activities and provide 24/7 on-call support on an as-needed basis

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, Engineering, or related program of study, OR equivalent experience in lieu of degree
• 5+ years of experience supporting enterprise network and/or security infrastructure
• Strong understanding of enterprise networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, routing, switching, VLANs, redundancy, segmentation, and network troubleshooting methodologies
• Experience supporting enterprise routing protocols such as OSPF and BGP in production environments
• Hands-on experience with enterprise firewall technologies such as Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco ASA, or Check Point
• Experience working with remote access technologies, VPN solutions, TACACS+, MFA, and/or network access control systems
• Familiarity with enterprise monitoring and troubleshooting platforms such as SolarWinds, Wireshark, or equivalent tools
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills with the ability to independently diagnose and resolve complex technical issues
• Strong communication skills with the ability to effectively collaborate across teams and communicate technical concepts clearly
• Ability to proactively manage workload, prioritize tasks, and take ownership of issues through resolution
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced operational environment with shifting priorities and multiple concurrent initiatives
• Strong customer service mindset with a focus on reliability, responsiveness, and teamwork

• Cisco CCNP, Fortinet NSE/FCP, Palo Alto, or equivalent networking/security certifications
• Experience supporting 24/7 operational or mission-critical environments
• Experience working in datacenter, telecommunications, or highly available enterprise environments
• Familiarity with Cisco ISE, TACACS+, MFA integrations, and network access control technologies
• Experience supporting Fortinet security platforms and/or Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) technologies
• Experience supporting cloud-connected infrastructure and hybrid networking environments
• Experience troubleshooting network connectivity issues across both infrastructure and endpoint operating systems including Windows and Linux/UNIX
• Strong documentation habits and experience creating operational procedures and implementation plans

• Provide 24/7 on-call assistance as needed to support business operations
• Be able to work a hybrid schedule that includes at least 60% of your time (3 days per week) in office
• Be able to travel up to 10%
• Be able to lift 30 lbs.
• Be a U.S. citizen

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer. 

We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium’s Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least three days per week (approximately 60%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth.

Additional Information

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed.

Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.