HET Science Operations Manager, McDonald Observatory

Job Posting Title :

HET Science Operations Manager, McDonald Observatory

Hiring Department : McDonald Observatory

Position Open To : All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours :

40

FLSA Status : Exempt

Earliest Start Date :

Immediately

Position Duration : Expected to Continue

Location : MCDONALD OBSERVATORY

Job Details : General Notes

This position is the science operations manager at the McDonald Observatory, Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), which operates on a 24 / 7 schedule. The Observatory is a major astronomical research observatory located 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles from the UT Austin campus).

This position involves responsibility for HET's scientific output. It requires bridging two gaps : the gap between daytime engineers and night-time operations and the gap between operations in West Texas and the scientists who use the scientific data collected. Supporting efficient telescope operations will sustain the production of high-quality scientific observations. Supporting the scientists who rely on those observations will allow them to continue to make discoveries about the fundamental nature of the universe, including the formation and evolution of galaxies and stars, the nature and composition of planets outside of our solar system, and the history of the expansion of the universe itself.

The University of Texas at Austin provides an outstanding benefits package to staff, including :

Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%; family premiums at 50%)

Vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options

Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays

Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan)

Additional voluntary retirement programs : tax-sheltered annuity 403(b) and a deferred compensation program 457(b)

Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses

For more details, please see https : / / hr.utexas.edu / prospective / benefits and https : / / hr.utexas.edu / current / services / my-total-rewards .

Purpose

The Science Operations Manager for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) at the McDonald Observatory will provide leadership, high-quality science, and technical support in the science operations of the HET, including managing the HET science and engineering support operations, supervising night-time operations, monitoring and reporting on HET optical and instrumentation performance, data acquisition and reduction.

Responsibilities

Manage HET science and engineering support operations. Coordinate with engineering and special program leads to facilitate HET Board discussions of these allocations and produce Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC) allocations. Manage the HET observing queue and resolve time conflicts. Work closely with science and engineering staff to specify and conduct night-time engineering tests and analyze / reduce data / results as needed.

Conduct personal research. Become an active user of the Observatory instruments to contribute to the scientific life at the Observatory. Participate in outreach activities such as giving public talks, tours of the facility, and attending colloquia. Submit research proposals to outside funding agencies as principal investigator (PI) or on research grants / contracts.

Monitor and report on science operations. Lead operations meetings. Oversee HET Observing Metrics and report to the HET Board, Time Allocation Committees, and Users Committee on HET science operations performance and time usage.

Conduct night operations. Serve as a resident astronomer approximately two nights per month, or as needed, in the night operations team to conduct science observations on behalf of HET users, using facility instruments and based upon queue priorities, weather conditions, and facility constraints. In addition, also maintains a working understanding of the essential duties of the Telescope Operator position, including stacking and acquiring targets.

Supervise HET night-time operations staff. Manage projects to improve operations. Monitor and evaluate work performance. Supervise training.

Conduct projects to improve HET operations and / or add new capabilities or features. Projects may include theoretical work, documentation, hardware, and software projects, depending on the candidate's skill set.

Conduct daytime operations. Support daytime engineering testing, including instrument commissioning tests as needed and daily telescope functional tests on a rotation basis.

Observatory operations. Participate in observatory-wide duties and serve as deputy facility manager.

Perform other duties as assigned to meet business needs. Keep accurate and updated time sheets and complete required training and paperwork. Staff living on-site in the residential community are considered essential employees as determined by the HET Facility Manager and the Observatory Superintendent. They will be required to serve on the Observatory Emergency Response team"ERT" and perform tasks to help respond to emergencies, such as fire, medical, hazardous material, or other emergencies threatening or interfering with the facility's normal operations.

Required Qualifications

Doctoral degree in astronomy or closely related field.

Five years demonstrated experience working in a collaborative service astronomy role.

Two or more years of experience in a scientific operational leadership and management role, including managing diverse teams of research staff.

Significant research experience in observational optical astronomy.

Proven record of objectivity and the ability to coordinate and direct research project activities and meet reporting and project deadlines.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional demeanor.

Excellent organizational skills.

Ability and willingness to work some nights, weekends, and holidays to assist in conducting science operations.

Ability to be adaptable, work independently, and as an integral project team member.

Demonstrable good judgment.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

More than the minimum years of experience with optical and near-IR spectroscopy using high, medium, and low-resolution spectrographs.

Three years of experience with fiber-fed integral field spectroscopy.

Willingness to adapt to changing research programs and project needs.

Proven ability to interact with scientific principal investigators, the public, and industry stakeholders on complex astronomical topics.

Driving Required

This job requires a class "C" operator's driver's license. The applicant selected must provide a current three-year driving record from the current state of residence. If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver's license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident.

Salary Range

$110,000+ depending on qualifications and experience

Working Conditions

Since we are a 24 / 7 operation, this position, on occasion, is expected to respond to problems and business needs relating to the telescope outside of regular work hours (nights, weekends, and holidays) to serve the needs of the Observatory and, specifically, the HET.

Residence in the Observatory's residential community may be available and required.

The position may be subject to "call-back" as an essential emergency or critical response employee.

Must be eligible to work in the US full-time for any employer without sponsorship.

Working at a computer, including repetitive keyboard use at a workstation.

Use of manual dexterity.

Climbing of stairs and ladders up to 90 ft.

Heavy lifting and moving.

Working in potentially hazardous chemicals, cryogenic liquids, and chemical fumes environments.

May work around electrical and mechanical hazards.

May require working extended hours in inclement weather with hazardous equipment or materials.

Acts as a senior member of the Observatory's Emergency Response Team that responds to fire, medical, hazardous material, or other emergencies threatening or interfering with the facility's normal operations. Handles emergencies calmly and quickly.

Staff on-site in the residential community may serve as essential employees as determined by your manager.

McDonald Observatory is located approximately 6800 feet above sea level. Environmental conditions can be unpredictable, and temperatures can range from -10F to +95F. Inclement winter weather can be expected, which requires being comfortable driving in wintry conditions on mountain grades.

Work Shift

Typically, 40-hour workweeks , including night and weekend work. Flexibility is essential, given that we operate 24 / 7 / 365.

Required to conductsome shifts of nightoperations.

Occasional interstate, intrastate, and international travel.

Required Materials

Letter of Interest

Resume / CV

Three letters from appropriate professional references which make the case that the nominee has an established record of independent research.

List three work references and their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor.

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers : You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you can multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for current university employees and contingent workers : As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left-hand navigation menu, and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled into your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

Employment Eligibility :

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion / transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility :

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks :

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer :

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer ,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency :

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification :

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify :

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following :

• E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]
• E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance :

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031 .

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.