Mechanical Technician - Mountaineering Recovery

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 with Mountaineering experience to join our team.

This position is a on-call position with extensive travel. 

Responsibilities of the position:

• This role is ideal for candidates who possess a strong mechanical aptitude, proven field experience, and the ability to operate safely and effectively in mountainous and hazardous environments.
• Perform mechanical maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of mission equipment, ground systems, and specialized components in field and shop settings.
• Conduct mountaineering-based recovery operations, including retrieval, stabilization, and extraction of scientific equipment in steep or high-altitude terrain.
• Utilize climbing, rigging, and rope-based systems to safely recover or reposition equipment and support field teams.
• Inspect, diagnose, and document mechanical issues using technical manuals, schematics, and diagnostic tools.
• Operate and maintain tools, recovery gear, vehicles, and mechanical systems required for mission tasks.
• Support field deployments, including transporting equipment, setting up operations, and ensuring mechanical readiness.
• Apply safety standards, risk assessments, and environmental considerations specific to high-angle and mountaineering environments.
• Collaborate with engineering, logistics, and operations personnel to ensure mission success and equipment reliability.
• Maintain detailed maintenance logs, inspection reports, and recovery documentation for customer and internal reporting.

Must be able to travel to Argentina or South America for recovery of mission. 

Required Qualifications:

• High School diploma with 3 years or more years of experience
• Documented experience in mountaineering, high-angle rescue, alpine recovery, or similar technical climbing disciplines.
• Proficiency with rigging, rope systems, belay techniques, mechanical advantage systems, and high-angle safety protocols.
• Strong mechanical diagnostic and repair skills with a variety of mechanical, hydraulic, or electromechanical systems.
• Ability to work in remote, rugged, or elevated terrain for extended periods.
• Must be a US citizen and the ability to obtain a passport and travel visas

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience supporting government, defense, or expeditionary operations.
• Proficiency in reading engineering drawings, technical manuals, and system schematics.
• Experience with field recovery planning, risk assessment, and back-country navigation
• Spanish speaking language highly preferred