Machinery Maintenance Mechanic

QinetiQ US•Deming, NM

About The Position

QinetiQ US seeks an experienced machinery maintenance mechanic to support the DHS Customs & Border Protection Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) program. TARS provides persistent surveillance and detection capabilities at eight operational sites along the U.S. southern border, including locations in Puerto Rico, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The role supports aerostat flight crews and site operations, with responsibilities in telemetry and control operations and recurring mechanical maintenance of aerostat and radar systems. The mechanic serves as a senior maintenance resource for assigned aerostat shifts and sites. Work includes mechanical assembly and disassembly, wiring, soldering, equipment testing, aerostat fabric repair, handling helium and nitrogen, maintaining and troubleshooting aerostat and ground systems, and performing preventive and corrective maintenance across aerostat, telemetry, control, power, tether, meteorological, payload, communications, ground station, and facility subsystems. The position also supports flight operations, equipment calibration, site documentation, logistics, and training. The employee must be willing to work shifts in a 24/7 operational environment and may be assigned to various shifts to meet mission requirements.

Requirements

GED or high school diploma.
Seven years of experience in mechanical maintenance; an associate or Bachelor of Science degree in any technical discipline may be substituted for years of experience.
Ability to obtain flight operator certification.
Valid U.S. driver’s license.
Strong written and communication skills.
Willingness to work in a 24/7 shift scenario and be assigned to various shifts as required to meet mission requirements.
Proof of U.S. residency required.

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior machinery maintenance mechanic for assigned aerostat shift and site requirements.
Perform technical tasks including use of mechanics’ hand tools, mechanical disassembly and assembly, wiring, soldering, operation of test equipment, aerostat fabric repair, and handling high-pressure helium and nitrogen.
Participate as a flight crew member in pre- and post-flight activities, launches and recoveries, helium topping, snubbing, inflations and deflations, tether inspections, and emergency procedures for moored and airborne aerostat operations.
Enter significant events and data in the mission flight log.
Perform required aerostat subsystem preflight and post-flight checks and inspections.
Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair aerostat structures, hydraulic systems, avionics, electrical components, generators, communications systems, and weather systems.
Monitor system performance.
Perform corrective and preventive maintenance on telemetry and control, power and control, tether, meteorological, ground station, payload, communications, and site facility subsystems as appropriate.
Apply advanced technical knowledge to solve unusually complex mechanical equipment problems.
Operate general-purpose and special-purpose vehicles, including man lifts at heights up to 150 feet.
Maintain and understand site documentation, including parts request forms, equipment condition tags, timecards, and flight data and maintenance logs.
Calibrate site and test equipment as required.
Coordinate resupply and repair logistics for aerostat subsystems.
Train and certify other personnel in selected aerostat subsystem procedures.
Support security, logistics, and site-specific requirements when they do not conflict with primary maintenance responsibilities.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.