Junior Mechanical Technician – NASA Balloon Program

About the role

Peraton is seeking a Junior Mechanical Technician to support NASA's scientific balloon program at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas. You will work on the design, build, and assembly of support hardware and balloon gondola payloads that enable long‑duration near‑space missions.

Key responsibilities

• Assist in fabrication, installation, and testing of mechanical units, systems, and sub‑systems from drawings and schematics.
• Operate standard test equipment and instruments, record test data, and document results.
• Perform preventative maintenance on light vehicles and equipment, maintaining accurate service records.
• Operate equipment and perform tasks that support the launch and recovery of scientific payloads and balloons.
• Support field operations, which may require travel for up to eight weeks or more, both within the United States and internationally.

Required profile

• Willingness to work onsite at the Palestine, TX facility.
• Ability to travel for extended field missions.
• Basic understanding of mechanical drawings and schematics.

Required skills

• Mechanical fabrication and assembly.
• Installation and testing of mechanical components.
• Operation of standard test equipment and instrumentation.
• Preventive maintenance of light vehicles and equipment.

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on cutting‑edge near‑space missions.
• Low‑cost‑of‑living rural campus with easy access to Tyler, Dallas, and Houston.
• Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team supporting NASA and university research.