Assistant Physical Plant Manager, McDonald Observatory

Job Posting Title:

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Hiring Department:

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Position Open To:

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

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FLSA Status:

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Earliest Start Date:

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Position Duration:

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Location:

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Job Details:

General Notes

This position is based at the McDonald Observatory, a major astronomical research observatory 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles from the UT Austin campus). Residence in the Observatory's residential community may be available. Position is considered an essential employee for emergency or critical response. This position reports to the Physical Plant Manager.

McDonald Observatory is located on 650 acres of open-range land in rural West Texas; the campus includes some 85 buildings, including 11 domes housing research telescopes, 5 domes housing outreach telescopes, 40 residential units, an 18-room lodging facility, and a roughly 12,000 sq. ft. public visitor center. In addition, McDonald Observatory owns and operates a small water system and a handful of wastewater systems, totaling roughly 180 connections and including both domestic and fire water. The campus is staffed by some 76 people spanning all operational areas (engineers, science staff, admin staff, public outreach staff, and facility staff), is visited by more than 90,000 public visitors annually, and hosts many dozens of researchers and engineers engaged in work at the facility over a year.

The observatory fosters an environment that emphasizes personal responsibility, continuous improvement, teamwork, innovation, and safety.

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage.   

• Retirement contributions: Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid vacation and sick time.

• Paid holidays.

• Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered.

Purpose

This position provides supervision and technical support for facilities maintenance, utilities, and custodial functions at McDonald Observatory. Develops, plans, and coordinates maintenance and custodial work for the entire facility (including research buildings, housing, roads, the Visitor Center, the Astronomers Lodge, and utility infrastructure). Supports the Physical Plant Manager by overseeing daily departmental operations.

Responsibilities

• Facilities Maintenance: Manages all staff-led renovation, repair, minor construction, and work-order response maintenance projects. Establishes, interprets, and implements plans, specifications, and standards for maintenance projects and oversees inspections of work. Provides facility infrastructure oversight, in coordination with the Physical Plant Manager, for all McDonald Observatory campus units. Establishes (with other managers) and executes facility preventive maintenance programs. Allocates staffing resources and schedules to support facilities maintenance needs. Assists with special projects as assigned.
• Utilities Operations: Works closely with the Physical Plant Manager, Utilities Supervisor, the University of Texas at Austin Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) staff, and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) staff to maintain a functional and compliant water and wastewater treatment operation at McDonald Observatory. Maintains necessary TCEQ certifications and provides technical assistance and leadership for all utilities operations. Works with the above to maintain state-required documentation and participates in investigations and audits.
• Custodial Services: Manages custodial services for McDonald Observatory campus operations. Ensures adequate staff coverage to maintain clean, functional work and public-facing areas. Sets standards and specifications for custodial staff, performs work area inspections, and assists staff in the field as needed. Ensures additional needs are met in support of special events (e.g., annual Board of Visitors meeting, Orion Festival, Spring Break) and may assign facilities maintenance staff to assist as needed.
• Management: Assists the Physical Plant Manager with budget prioritization and monitors all departmental expenditures. Processes and tracks procurement of materials, supplies, and tools; maintains state, university, and local inventory information. Acts as fleet manager for all McDonald Observatory vehicles, including maintaining fuel logs and supervising the fleet shop. Allocates staffing resources in collaboration with the Physical Plant Manager. Drives a university vehicle. Serves as acting manager as needed and is required to participate in the emergency response team.
• Supervision: Provides daily supervision of all Physical Plant teams (facilities, utilities, and custodial). Oversees recruitment and hiring for all Physical Plant teams, working closely with the Physical Plant Manager and, as needed, the Superintendent and the department's Business Officer. Manages employee performance issues and assists supervisors with annual employee appraisals. Provides technical training to staff, including fire and life safety and operational health and safety training. Expected to serve as an in-field supervisor, working with teams on their jobs.

Required Qualifications

• Diploma or GED.
• Professionally recognized certifications in facilities management, construction management, or a related field (e.g., FMP, PMP, Master Tradesman).
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience, with three (3) years supervisory experience, in commercial/institutional construction/utilities/facilities maintenance.
• Use of the tools and equipment common to the particular trades.
• Experience in technical trades (e.g.., electrical, HVAC, plumbing, carpentry, general construction) and familiarity with the tools of those trades.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills, including conflict management and staff performance correction skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to task switch and multitask.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex mechanical systems and understand process control systems.
• Ability to manage a team well and deliver projects on time.
• Proficient computer literacy skills, especially with office management tools (e.g., spreadsheets, word processing).
• Demonstrable good judgement. 
• Regular and punctual attendance.
• Competencies: Conflict Management, Decision Making and Critical Thinking, Effective Communication, Planning: Tactical, Strategic, Problem Solving, Relationship Management, Service Excellence.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in business and fiscal management. 
• Experience with university facilities maintenance, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of UT or State systems (e.g., Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)), policies, and/or procedures. 
• Project management experience. 
• Particularly familiarity with project scheduling, budgeting, and stakeholder management. 
• Experience apprenticing others in a technical trade. 
• Current Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or ability to obtain/renew.

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

$70,000 + depending on experience and qualifications

Working Conditions

• Position is located at the McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis, Texas. If you do not live in the surrounding areas, you will need to relocate. Uniforms and/or personal protection equipment (furnished)
• Essential personnel expected to be available as needed outside of normal hours and during university closures.
• Work in all weather conditions and in extreme temperatures.
• Work at nighttime in remote locations.
• Work around standard office conditions. Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
• Lift, pushes, and pulls up to 50 pounds.
• Climbing of stairs. Climbing of ladders.
• May require working extended hours.
• Work around heavy equipment and cryogens (telescopes and related instrumentation).
• Exposure to shop and construction site hazards associated with the trades.  May include exposure to extreme temperatures, mechanical and electrical hazards, high-pressure and high-speed equipment, confined spaces, noise, fumes, heights, dust, and other weather conditions.
• Work around chemical fumes, bio-hazards, and around hazardous chemicals.
• Work around electrical and mechanical hazards.
• Work around standard office conditions. Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation and use of a computer.
• Use of manual dexterity.
• Use of approved safety equipment is required.
• McDonald Observatory is located at approx. 6900 ft. above sea level. Environmental conditions can be unpredictable; temperatures can range from -10˚F and +95˚F.
• Inclement winter weather can be expected, which requires comfortable driving in wintry conditions on mountain grades.

Work Shift

• Standard business hours, Monday-Friday, between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Requires rotational weekend work
• Occasional after-hours and holiday work
• Occasional travel required
• Required to respond to emergency or non-emergency situations

Required Materials

• Letter of interest
• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Please mark "yes" on the application for required materials. Failure to attach all additional materials listed may affect candidates' consideration for the position.

Application Process

• External Applicants who are NOT 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 will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.
• 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 questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

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Background Checks:

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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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.