How Kyle Long returned to Leidos thanks to remote work flexibility
When Kyle Long first joined Leidos in 2017, he was fresh out of graduate school with a master’s degree in bioinformatics—a field he describes as the intersection of data science and biology. Despite having spent his entire life in Texas, Kyle found a sense of belonging as he settled into the Maryland-based office.
“It was my first professional job, but Leidos made this big step in my career feel much easier. Everyone was so welcoming and helpful as I transitioned from school life into full-time professional work,” he says.
While Kyle enjoyed his job and appreciated his Leidos colleagues, he missed everyone back home and hoped to eventually move back to central Texas. When COVID hit, bioinformatics ballooned, creating many opportunities—including one with the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“I didn’t want to leave my job at Leidos,” Kyle says. “I liked the work, my bosses and my colleagues, but working remotely just wasn’t feasible at the time. Thankfully, my Leidos managers understood that this change was for my own personal happiness. They supported my decision because they wanted me to make the best choice for myself.”
After spending two years away from Leidos, working for the state of Texas and then remotely for a private company out of California, Kyle found his way back in January 2024.
Kyle’s path back to Leidos
While applying for other roles, Kyle contacted his former manager at Leidos to ask for a reference. To his surprise, she had a better idea: She could hire him back to telework from Texas.
“I was a little skeptical at first because Leidos had tried to figure out how to do this in 2020 but couldn’t. So, when I realized it would work this time, I was very excited,” Kyle says. He now works for Leidos from Texas as a bioinformatics engineer at the Biological Defense Research Directorate of the Naval Medical Research Command and flies to Maryland a few times a year.
“In this field, every day is a little different,” Kyle says of his current job. “There’s always new data coming in, new organisms to get to know, and new challenges to tackle.”
His mother and three of his grandparents served in the military, so Kyle finds additional satisfaction in knowing that his work helps to support American military service members.
“I was excited to come back to Leidos because I know the work is impactful and that the organization is stable, experienced, and transparent,” Kyle says, “but the most attractive thing about returning to Leidos was the people. Not only are they incredibly intelligent and talented, but they're also great people to be around. They're what make it such a great place to work.”
When asked if anything feels different this time around, Kyle reports that, thankfully, nothing has changed.
“Returning to Leidos was exactly what I expected, and I mean that in the best possible way.” Kyle reports that the process of reintegrating with the team and getting set up for remote work was professional, organized and prompt.
“It was what I expected of Leidos, and exactly what I was looking for. I now realize how lucky I was to land at Leidos after my masters program,” Kyle says. “After experiencing other organizations, I’m so thankful for the opportunity to return and I'm looking forward to continuing a long career with Leidos.”
If you’re a Leidos alumnus like Kyle, stay in touch! Join the Leidos Alumni Network to hear about opportunities to rejoin the company, refer friends or family through the External Referral Program, or become clients or vendors.
