Operations Technician (COS-2054-002)

Aerodyne Industries•Houston, TX

3d•$28 - $36•Onsite

About The Position

This role supports the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF) for the Contract for Organizing Spaceflight Mission Operations and Systems (COSMOS), NASA's next-generation mission operations contract located on-site at Johnson Space Center. The Operations Technician plays a direct, hands-on role in training the astronauts who will fly NASA's most critical human spaceflight missions, including the International Space Station (ISS), Commercial Crew (CST/Boeing), and the Artemis/Orion Program - helping get NASA back to the Moon. Operations Technicians support suited training events inside full-scale, made-to-scale spacecraft mockups and prototype training environments by operating and maintaining Environmental Control System (ECS) and breathing-air equipment and, after separate qualification, serving as an SVMF Test Director for pressurized suited events. The Operations Technician supports breathing-air, ECS, control-cart, compressor, K-bottle/backup-air, suit-control, and suit-cooling systems used during human-rated training. The role requires disciplined checklist execution, pressure/flow system awareness, clear test-team communications, emergency response, and maintenance of current qualification and system records.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent and a minimum of 2 years of operations/maintenance or directly related technical experience to meet SVMF technician candidacy requirements. Technician III classification normally requires 8 years of related experience.
Must be able to read and execute technical procedures, checklists, schematics, operating limits, and emergency actions without skipping critical steps.
Must be able to obtain a NASA Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Badge for NASA credentials.
Must be able to complete required SVMF common-core/facility orientation, ECS Console OJT, applicable CPR/First Aid/Electrical Contact Release, physiological training, pressure-systems qualification, gas-monitor/MultiRAE training, emergency drills, and program-specific ECS certifications before independent operation.
Test Director qualification requires completion of the SVMF Test Director training outline/checklist and successful oral board after meeting candidacy requirements.
Must be able to support scheduled suited events, qualification runs, drills, and occasional extended-hour, off-shift, or weekend operations.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience with mechanical, pneumatic, pressure/flow, instrumentation, industrial equipment, aerospace/test systems, or comparable technical operations.
Current or prior Test Director certification for pressurized suited operations.
Current or prior ECS/Breathing Air Cart Operator certification for ISS, CST/Boeing, Orion, EHP, or comparable human-rated suited training.
Experience with ECS/control carts, K-bottle racks/manifolds, breathing-air compressor carts, suit-control/suit-cooling equipment, gas monitoring, and pressure/flow instrumentation.
Experience supporting EVA/suit operations, hazardous operations, Test Readiness Reviews, Safety Reviews, emergency drills, or formal test conduct.
Experience maintaining auditable operations, maintenance, calibration, or qualification records.
Experience troubleshooting mechanical/pneumatic systems while maintaining configuration and procedural control.
Experience with Office 365 tools and electronic training/maintenance documentation systems.

Responsibilities

Operate, configure, inspect, troubleshoot, and support SVMF breathing-air and ECS equipment within documented qualifications and endorsements.
Complete ECS Operator OJT tasks including K-bottle installation and changeover, manifold and pressure checks, compressor-cart operation, ECS console preparation, air/water connections, communications checks, airflow and cooling-water control, chiller operation, gauge interpretation, shutdown, and emergency actions.
Verify breathing-gas purity, cleanliness and contamination controls, pressure-system certification status, relief-device status, gauges/flowmeters, calibration, sampling, and required QA/verification before human use.
Perform authorized operator maintenance and logbook activities for compressors, drains, filters, hoses/fittings, gauges/flowmeters, gas monitors, and associated ECS equipment; route work outside operator scope through approved engineering/controlled-work processes.
Support suited training under Test Director control and respond immediately to off-nominal conditions including low-flow/pressure anomalies, loss of primary air source, contamination concerns, communications loss, facility emergencies, or medical emergencies.
After separate Test Director qualification, conduct event briefings, verify test-team readiness and required checklists, direct pressurized event activities, manage anomalies, and place an event in a hold or terminate condition when required for safety.
Coordinate with suit technicians, suit engineers, instructors/test conductors, communications personnel, facility management, engineering, and other test-team members.
Maintain required event checklists, qualification records, equipment logs, calibration/maintenance records, and anomaly documentation.
Support multiple suited-program configurations such as ISS, CST/Boeing, Orion, EHP, and other assigned programs after completing the applicable qualification.
Maintain qualification currency through recurring ECS training, emergency drills, system-specific delta training, suited-event proficiency, and Test Director currency requirements when qualified.
Demonstrate strong situational awareness, stop-work judgment, concise communication, and the ability to perform safely in time-critical human-rated operations.
Operate forklifts, manlifts, overhead cranes/rigging, POGO, PABF, scaffolds, or other specialized equipment only when individually qualified and endorsed.