Mechanical Technician/Machinist

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 Mechanical Technician/Machinist to join our team.

Responsibilities of the position:

• Machine simple metal parts using machine shop in Building F-7
• Assemble sub-systems and systems:
  • May include: WASP gimbal frames, latch assemblies, avionics decks, gondola frames, hub assemblies, rotator assemblies
• Test sub-systems and systems
  • May include: WASP gimbal frames, latch assemblies, avionics decks, gondola frames, hub assemblies, rotator assemblies
• Integrate systems into,
  • Balloon gondola frames that are either built in-house or supplied by science groups
  • Other systems that are either built in-house or supplied by science groups
• Packing/loading of equipment
• Disassembly, inspection, and refurbishment of mechanical hardware as needed
• Modification or enhancement of mechanical hardware as needed

Primary work on-site Wallops Flight Facility.

Ability to travel domestically or internationally up to 6 weeks for balloon campaign support 

Required Qualifications:

• High School diploma or GED with five years of experience
• Knowledge of material, operational, structural requirements related to suborbital flight environment
• Working knowledge of NASA-STD-5020 for bolted assemblies for spacecraft
• Fabrication Experience with Tolerance stacking of fabricated systems, Machining metal and/or composites, Sheet metal forming, Press brake forming, Lathe, drill press, mill, grinder
• Familiarity with balloon-borne off-axis pointing systems including, but not limited to: Configuration control for assembly of balloon-borne payloads, Assembly, testing, and tolerancing modifications of both the driver and passive control hubs (pitch/yaw axes), Fabrication, assembly, integration, and testing of 3-axis balancing systems
• Familiar with balloon-borne rotational pointing (rotator) system
• Has certification, or can obtain certification: High-pressure systems operation, Powered industrial truck (mechanical forklift) operation, Overhead crane operations and rigging
• Must be a US Citizen and able to obtain a passport and travel visas
• Ability to pass the National Science Foundation physical (medical) requirement to work in Antarctica including latest FLU vaccinations required to qualify

Desired Qualifications:

• Implementing novel solutions to emergent problems to ensure a safe and successful mission based on knowledge of NASA pointing systems, NASA safety requirements, and the mission environment
• Managing weight and space limitations on balloon-borne gondola
• Wallops Arc-Second Pointing System (WASP)