Safety Engineering Technician (NASA Balloon Program)

Peraton•Palestine, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Peraton provides management and technical support for NASA’s scientific balloon program, which enables science missions for NASA and universities. Scientific balloon missions offer researchers inexpensive, quick, and long-duration access to near-space environments, costing significantly less than satellite missions and supporting heavy experiments for extended periods. These missions have contributed to significant scientific discoveries in various fields. Our team at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) in Palestine, TX, designs, analyzes, builds, and assembles support hardware and balloon gondola payloads. We conduct launches from various locations in the US and globally, including Antarctica, Sweden, New Zealand, and Australia. Our engineers and technicians support launches and recoveries worldwide. Peraton's NASA Balloon Operations Contract (NBOC) program is seeking a Quality Assurance Engineering Technician to join our team in Palestine, Texas. Our rural campus offers a low cost of living with easy access to larger cities.

Requirements

High School or GED
Four years of related experience in safety, flight operations, or similar environment
Equivalency- Completion of a post-secondary degree or certificate may substitute for years of experience.
Strong documentation and reporting skills
Strong verbal communication skills; ability to deliver safety briefings and conduct safety training
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
Must be a US Citizen
Must be able to pass a background check to obtain a NASA Personal Identity Verification card (PIV) background check and drug screen required.

Nice To Haves

OSHA 30 for General Industry
Experience conducting incident/near-miss investigations
Experience operating forklifts, mobile work platforms, and overhead cranes
First Aid / CPR / AED certification
Experience with SDS management and chemical inventories

Responsibilities

Conduct and deliver safety briefings including pre-campaign briefings, annual all-hands safety briefings, and new-hire safety orientation.
Deliver operator and safety training including forklift, MEWP, overhead crane, fall protection, lockout/tagout (LOTO), and fire warden training.
Perform required facility inspections.
Maintain all chemical inventory and SDS management.
Assist the Safety Manager in ensuring timely submission of required NASA and Peraton safety reporting.
Oversee hazardous operations onsite during balloon launch preparations, payload handling, and ground operations.
Investigate close calls and mishaps, prepare and submit findings and corrective actions, and support implementation and closure of corrective actions.
Serve as a Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) when radioactive sources are onsite and support radiation safety program activities.
Act as the primary Safety Point of Contact for the Palestine facility when the Safety Manager is supporting remote campaigns.
Support mission travel as required, including travel to Fort Sumner for inspections and pre-launch/launch operations and to other balloon campaign locations for OSS coverage.
Participate in safety meetings, emergency drills, campaign readiness activities, and program safety initiatives in alignment with Peraton’s NBOC II Safety and Health Plan.