Meteorology, Junior level (NASA Balloon Program)
About The Position
Want to travel? We have a rare opening on the team supporting NASA’s scientific balloon program delivering low-cost access to near space at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF)! At Peraton, our motto is “We Do The Can’t Be Done”. We provide 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, quick, long duration access to near space. Our balloon missions provide platforms for heavy experiments (some greater than 5000-lbs) to operate for weeks and even months. This Meteorologist position is home-based at our main facility in beautiful 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. You will be part of a team launching balloons from locations within the United States (Texas and New Mexico) and around the world including Antarctica, Sweden, New Zealand, and Australia, during campaigns that last 60-90 days.
Requirements
- BS in Meteorology/Atmospheric Science, with a focus on synoptic meteorology/forecasting.
- Must be able to travel up to 7 months out of the year.
- Must be able to pass the physical (medical) requirements to travel to Antarctica.
- Must be able to obtain passport
- Must be a US citizen.
- COVID-19 vaccine and boosters may be required for some travel.
Nice To Haves
- Possess a passion for operational meteorology and desire to work in a challenging but rewarding operational forecasting environment.
- Professional forecasting experience of 1-2 years a plus, but not a requirement.
- Experience with Linux or MacOS a plus.
- Experience with Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint, a plus.
- Extensive use of one or more of GEMPAK, LDM, McIDAS-X, McIDAS-V, IDV, AWIPS II, a plus.
- Programming experience with one or more of UNIX/Linux shell scripting, FORTRAN, or Python a plus.
Responsibilities
- Develop pre-campaign stratospheric wind climatologies, and minimum altitude assessments for use in mission planning using balloon performance analysis.
- Provide weather briefings in support of outside payload compatibility tests and prior to launch attempts.
- Provide pre-launch predicted ascent and float trajectories.
- During launch attempts, provide complete onsite meteorological support for all launch operations, including pilot balloon observations.
- Provide meteorological support during ascent and float phases of launches, including updated precipitation and cloud forecasts and stratospheric wind predictions. Payload descent vectors will be calculated and provided for the termination phase.
- Assemble NASA-required post flight reports after each balloon campaign.
- Maintain inventory of meteorological equipment for campaign support.
- Prepare forecast studies for launch sites and climatology studies for future launch sites.
- Develop forecast techniques and products.
- Perform balloon performance analysis and prediction.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
