Junior Engineering Technician; NASA Balloon Program

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED certificate.
• One year of related experience
• Equivalency – Completion of post-secondary degree or certificate may substitute for years of experience.
• Certifications/License – Must possess or have the ability to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) within 3 years of employment.
• Must be a US Citizen

Must be able to pass a background check to obtain a NASA Personal Identity Verification card (PIV).

Background check and drug screen required.

• Knowledge/experience with stick and heli-arc welding desired.
• Knowledge with machine shop tools and machines desired.
• Knowledge/experience with forklift and heavy equipment operation desired.
• Knowledge of methods and techniques involved with assembly and testing of mechanical hardware.
• Knowledge of basic mechanical theory and application.

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 assemble 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 an Engineering Technician to join our team in Palestine, Texas. Our rural campus offers the ability to work in a low-cost of living area, but within an easy drive of Tyler, Dallas and Houston.

Responsibilities of the position:

• 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 and 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.

• Must be able to travel to support campaigns in various locations around the world
• Up to 60% travel per year
• Must have or be able to obtain a passport
• Ability to pass the National Science Foundation physical (Medical) requirement to work in Antarctica including latest FLU and COVID vaccinations required to qualify.