Aerostat Operator III

Aerostat Operators provide Operations and Sustainment (O&S) support for the Persistent Surveillance Systems – Tethered (PSS‑T) program. PSS‑T is comprised of former Persistent Ground Surveillance System (PGSS) and Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) programs.

• Supervise the execution of the assigned work schedule and related crew duties.
• Ensure the site and system maintains adequate levels of spares, helium, POL (petroleum, oil and lubricants), vehicles, support and test equipment, tools, consumables, and all other site/system material requirements.
• Ensure assigned site/system maintenance activities are performed on a timely basis and items identified for replacement or repairs are addressed.
• Prepare and submit customer and TCOM written reports on site/system operations, including operational status, flying time, downtime, maintenance activities, critical logistics and supply issues, helium usage and inventory, safety items, personnel issues, and other significant site/system issues.
• Ensure assigned crew supports the timely identification and resolution of site/system technical problems, including troubleshooting, repairs, modifications and system improvements. These activities may include interfacing and supporting TCOM company personnel, customer personnel, and other individuals on and off the site.
• Perform Launch and Recovery Director (LRD) duties, including assessment of the weather and the mission‑ready status of all crew personnel and system equipment; conduct pre‑flight checks; direct aerostat launch; continuously monitor weather and system status during flight; direct aerostat recovery and conduct post‑flight checks.
• Direct the crew to perform any post‑flight maintenance and/or repairs identified after recovery, such as tether replacement or helium replenishment.
• Ensure all site and system operations, maintenance, security, and safety policies and procedures are practiced in all phases of aerostat operations.
• Perform both corrective and preventive maintenance on aerostat avionics, fiber optic components, site electrical systems, communication and weather sensor equipment.
• Proficient in a wide range of technician tasks, including use of standard mechanical and electrical hand tools, electronic/electrical assembly/disassembly, wiring, soldering, and operating standard and unique test equipment.
• Read schematics, specifications, technical drawings, and engineering data.
• Maintain and understand site documentation such as parts and repair requisitions, time reporting, flight logs, and maintenance logs.
• Be skilled in the operation of special purpose vehicles, including man‑lift operations.
• Develop and train lower‑classified field technicians as required.

• All Level II Operators must be trained and certified on all Level I tasks and possess at least three years of aerostat experience.
• Must have successfully completed TCOM aerostat operator training in the 34M and 74K aerostat system at YPG or E‑City training sites.
• Must have an active Secret US Government Clearance. US citizenship is required to obtain a Secret Clearance.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• High school diploma.
• 20 Series/industry equivalents denote two (2) to four (4) years of aerostat experience within the requested labor disciplines. Experience may be substituted for education.
• Must have a passport valid for at least six months; preferably one year.
• Supervisory/leadership experience.
• Knowledge of and experience in the operations of hardware systems and components.
• Experience in fault detection, isolation, and correction of hardware systems and individual components.
• Ability to perform routine system maintenance and analysis functions, including hardware configurations; adding, removing, and replacing hardware components; use of hardware and software diagnostic testing tools; reading electronic circuit schematics; and repairing printed circuit boards.
• At least four (4) years of experience in one of the following areas below.

• 3 years’ experience performing operations and maintenance on aerostat systems.
• Possess at least four (4) years of aerostat experience as an…