Engineering Technician (NASA Balloon Program)

Peraton provides management and technical support for NASA’s scientific balloon program which supports enabling science missions for NASA and universities across the United States and foreign scientific communities. Scientific balloon missions provide researchers inexpensive, relatively quick, long duration access to near space altitudes and environments. Balloon missions cost orders of magnitude less than satellite missions and provide platforms for heavy experiments (some greater than 5000-lbs) to operate for weeks and even months. Balloon missions have provided significant science theories and discoveries about cosmic rays, gamma ray and x-ray astronomy, optical and UV astronomy, atmospheric sciences, and cosmic microwave background studies.

Our staff are located at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) in Palestine, TX where we design, analyze, build and assembly the support hardware and balloon gondola payloads for the missions. We launch the balloons from locations within the United States (Texas, New Mexico, and Hawaii) and around the world including Antarctica, Sweden, New Zealand, and Australia. Our engineers and technician staff support the launches and balloon and payload recoveries in the US and many worldwide locations. Peraton’s NASA Balloon Operations Contract (NBOC) program is seeking a Mechanical Technician to join our team in Palestine, Texas.

Under direct supervision, performs basic and routine work in areas of fabrication, installation and testing of mechanical systems or sub-systems. 

Responsibilities include:

• Assists senior technicians or engineers in the rigging functions to support the launch of scientific balloons and payloads.
• Assists in fabrication, installation and testing of mechanical units, systems, sub-systems or models from specific drawings and schematic diagrams.
• Operates standard test equipment and instruments.
• Records data.
• Performs preventative maintenance of light vehicles and equipment, documents and files records for same.
• Operates applicable equipment and performs functions to assist with the launch and recovery of scientific payloads and balloons.
• Supports field operations which could require travel for periods up to eight weeks or more several times a year both in the United States and overseas.
• Ability to perform and document preventative maintenance on light equipment.  Ability to perform strenuous physical activities, i.e. recurrent waling, bending, climbing and lifting 50 pounds or more.  Ability to follow oral and written instructions and to establish working relations with associates. 

Required Qualifications: 

• High School diploma or GED certificate, 2 years of experience related to the standard duties as outlined. 
• Travel to remote locations outside the United States is required.
• Special Requirements – Ability to pass the RPSC physical (medical) requirements to work in Antarctica.
• Knowledge of basic mechanical theory and application.
• Skill in use of hand and power tools. Skill in the use of mechanical test equipment, i.e. pressure gauges, load cells and scales.

Desired Experience: 

• Knowledge/experience with stick and heli-arc welding desired. 
• Knowledge/experience with forklift and heavy equipment operation desired. 
• Skill in the use of mechanical test equipment, i.e. pressure gauges, load cells and scales.
• Certifications/License – Must possess or have the ability to acquire a Class A License with HazMat endorsements.

Peraton drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and technologies that keep people safe and secure. Peraton serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies across the intelligence, space, cyber, defense, civilian, health, and state and local markets. Every day, our employees do the can’t be done, solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers.