Operations Technician

ASCEND Aerospace & Technology, LLC (ASCEND) is an All-Small Mentor-Protégé Program (ASMPP) Joint Venture (JV) between Aerodyne Industries, LLC and Amentum Technology Inc., that leverages our 12+ year collaboration as award-winning NASA contractors. Through our ASCEND partner companies, we have 62+ years of experience working for NASA and currently manage 5,500 employees across nine NASA Centers. With this foundation of expertise, we are dedicated to helping every mission succeed—today and into the future.

Job Description

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.

Description of Duties

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.

Successful candidates will:

• 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.

Job 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.

Desired Requirements

• 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.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status

Final compensation is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of several key factors, including the candidate's educational background, specialized technical expertise, and relevant professional experience. We also consider internal equity, prevailing market data, and specific contractual or funding requirements to ensure competitive and equitable offer alignment.