Aerostat Operator​/Flight Director

Position Overview

QinetiQ US is seeking an experienced Operator 3/Flight Director with specific experience in supporting aerostat operations to support aerostat systems providing persistent surveillance and detection capabilities to the U.S. Government customer across multiple operational sites in Rio Grande Valley, Texas along the US Southern border.

The successful candidate will have experience managing aerostat flight operations on aerostat platforms of any size. You will be part of a comprehensive flight crew actively supporting a aerostat pre-launch, launch, ascent, transition, station keeping, and recovery. You will work to coordinate installation repair and improvement projects with operational maintenance and repair timelines. You will report to Aerostat Operations Director and Program Management Office for long term planning of site activities and with the on‑site personnel for daily execution.

A summary of responsibilities areas follows:

The ideal candidate will have direct aerostat experience as a current operational support person or prior program support.

• Serve as the operational crew in a 24/7 operation in the areas of aerostat pre‑launch, launch, ascent, transition, station keeping, and recovery.
• Directs and performs all aerostat electronic subsystem preflight and post‑flight checks and inspections as required.
• Maintains status of local weather conditions and trends as they influence mission support.
• Communicates with the Control Center, Meteorological Forecast Facilities, and other Government agencies as appropriate.
• Prepares and maintains the flight system weight logs and the weight and balance records for the operational aerostat.
• Evaluates aerostat lift and purity trends. Reports any unusual trends to management and recommends remedial action.
• Applies advanced technical knowledge to solve unusually complex problems (i.e., those that typically cannot be solved solely by reference to manufacturers’ manuals or similar documents) in working on electronic equipment.
• Applies advanced technical knowledge and experience to the overall aerostat system operations and maintenance that may not be accomplished solely by reference to manufacturer’s manuals or similar TAS O&M documentation.
• Functions as a key member of the flight crew for inflation, deflation, launch, recovery, and in‑flight activities.
• Operates the aerostat launch/recovery control systems including their back‑up systems.
• Directs and performs corrective and preventive activities on the aerostat pressure and control subsystems, power subsystems, mechanical and hydraulic subsystems, aerostat hardware and rigging, tether subsystem, and aerostat envelope.
• Directs and performs operations and maintenance of compressed‑gas equipment, including helium transfers to the aerostat for inflation and replenishment purposes.
• Trains and certifies other personnel in selected aerostat system procedures and on the proper operation of all aerostat special purpose vehicles.
• Applies advanced technical knowledge to solve unusually complex problems (i.e., those that typically cannot be solved solely by reference to manufacturers’ manuals or similar documents) in working on electronic equipment. Examples of such problems include location and density of circuitry, electromagnetic radiation, isolating malfunctions, and frequent engineering changes.
• Directs and performs corrective and preventive maintenance on the aerostat telemetry and control subsystems, power and control subsystems, tether subsystem, meteorological equipment, ground station electronic subsystems, payload and communications subsystems, and site facility electronics as appropriate.
• Trains and certifies other personnel in selected aerostat electronic subsystem procedures.
• Exercises independent judgment in performing such tasks as making circuit analyses, calculating wave forms, tracing relationships in signal flow, and regularly using complex test instruments.

• GED or High School Diploma.
• 5 Years’ direct experience with Aerostat‑related systems. Associate and Bachelor of Science degree in any technical discipline can be substituted for years’ experience.

Must…