Item 3.E-December 2, 2011
ADMINISTRATIVE FACULTY POSITION DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE
To expedite and facilitate the PDQ review process, please send the PDQ and Org Chart electronically to
marshag@unr.edu for discussion and for initial review before routing PDQ for approval signatures.
Questions - call UNR Faculty HR at 682-6114
INSTRUCTIONS: See http://www.unr.edu/vpaf/hr/compensation/placement.html for complete instructions.
Incumbent(s) Name (if applicable): Gabriel Plank
Position #(s): 17475
Current Title: Programmer/Analyst, Seismic Network
Current Range: 3
(JCC:77646;3J;CM5502;CC101;E)
Department: Seismology Laboratory / MSESE
College/Division: College of Science
Account #(s): 1320-114-11ER; 11GA
Action Proposed: (check all that apply)
( ) New position: Proposed Range:
Proposed Title:
(X ) Title Change, Proposed Title: Manager, NSL Data Center
(X ) Proposed Reassignment from Range 3
to Range 4
( ) Revised PDQ only (no change in range or title)
( ) Line of Progression (show titles below)
Range:
JCC (Current
or new HR
assigned):
I certify that the statements in this description are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.
____________________________________________________________
Employee’s Signature
Gabriel Plank
__________________
Date
I/we have reviewed the statements in this form and they accurately reflect the job assignments.
______________________________/______________________________
__________________
Kenneth Smith, Mgr, Seismic NW / Graham Kent
Date
Immediate Supervisor’s Signature
Prof/Director, Seismology Lab
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Russell Fields, Director, MSESE / Jeff Thompson, Dean, College of Science
Date
Director/Chair/Dean
Approved for Salary Placement Committee review.
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Pres / Vice Pres / Vice Prov Signature Jannet Vreeland
Date
Vice Provost and Secretary of University
Action Approved by the President (Completed by Faculty HR):
Position #: 17475
EEO Code:
3J
CUPA Code: CM5503
Exempt: Yes or No Census Code: 101
Job Class Code: 67155
Range: 4
Effective Date: 12/1/2011
Approved Title:
MANAGER, NEVADA SEISMOLOGY LAB (NSL) DATA CENTER
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Employee Signature
Date
(Employee signs and sends to HR for personnel file after PDQ has been “final” stamped for approval)
Rev: 12/1/2008
Position Description – Manager, NSL Data Center/Information Technology (IT)
Page 2
1. Summary Statement: State the major function(s) of the position and its role in the
university. Attach an organizational chart with positions, ranges, and names for the division
which reflects the position in it as well as those supervised in the department. (This section is
used for advertisement of the position.)
The Manager, Nevada Seismology Laboratory (NSL) Data Center oversees, manages, and improves
the computer systems, software applications, and operational facilities within the NSL Data Center, for
the benefit of the Nevada Seismic Network and its affiliated public, governmental, and educational
organizations. Functions include technical and administrative leadership in the areas of: system
management and planning; database management; data dissemination; application development;
facilities planning; and staff training and supervision. The Manager assists the NSL Associate Director
in coordinating practices and techniques with fellow seismic networks, Advanced National Seismic
Systems (ANSS) with U.S. Geological Services (USGS), and other research affiliates. The position
reports to the Director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory.
2. List the major responsibilities, including percentage of time devoted to each. Provide
enough detail to enable a person outside the department to understand the job (percentage
first with heading and then bulleted information).
40% - Mission-Critical Data and Applications
 Supervise the development and maintenance of the various relational databases and other
archives at NSL
 Ensure data quality and integrity are consistently maintained
 Supervise the development and maintenance of software systems and applications critical to
24/7 operations of the Nevada Seismic Network and its affiliated research and governmental
institutions, to include data acquisition software, earthquake notification systems, remote
systems controls, monitoring and diagnostic software, and advanced website applications
 Manage the process of facilities maintenance and upgrades, to include regular upgrades to
operating systems and firmware of all systems; hardware viability monitoring and replacement
as necessary; hardware acquisition and setup; generator, cooling, and redundant systems
testing; redundant systems design; server room organizational upkeep; and computer and
physical security
20% - Scientific Applications Development
 Manage the development of software applications for analysis and interpretation of data
 Ensure that software conforms to standards of reliability, adequacy to achieve objectives,
flexibility in performance, ease of maintenance, and time required for implementation
 Develop ways to integrate scientific software applications with NSL’s website and/or real-time
systems, and present output in an understandable way to the public; design applications that
are distributable and make them available to other institutions
20% - Software Systems Support and Outreach
 Develop new software that can be distributed to the public, to Incorporated Research Institute
for Seismology (IRIS), and to other research organizations, to help fulfill NSL’s mission of
education of the public in matters related to seismicity; encourage and assist research
scientists to present data over the Internet in an understandable way
 Provide guidance and recommendations to NSL management team, staff, and affiliated
organizations, with regard to efficient approaches to various data management issues
 Support the exchange of data regionally through inter-cooperative networks
 Develop requirements and manage the design of software or hardware solutions
Position Description – Manager, NSL Data Center/Information Technology (IT)
Page 3
10% - Data Center Services
 Manage and take part in the process of gathering data from NSL affiliates who wish to use
NSL’s data center for their research projects to include hardware setup
 Import and convert data
 Solicit agencies to gather meta-data, and ensure the proper formatting of that meta-data
 Manage proprietary data and disseminate data in an understandable and standard fashion
using fast, reliable, and secure systems
5% - Training and Supervision
 Provide and coordinate training for NSL staff
 Provide guidance and leadership for up-and-coming programmers and technical staff,
ensuring that they are following standards for development, toward the goal of operational
excellence
 Provide guidance and leadership for students and assist them with technical education where
appropriate
5% - Planning and Development
 Assist the management team to develop new sources of funding to include authoring
proposals, taking part in projects as PI or co-PI, writing and/or proofreading sections of grant
proposals where technical expertise is required, coordinating funding campaigns where
possible, creating maps, diagrams, and compiling statistical data for presentation
 Attend national meetings of seismic network operators and research scientists and proactively
make contacts with leading members of other networks and with ANSS/USGS administrators;
take part in ANSS workgroups where appropriate
3. Describe the level of freedom to take action and make decisions with or without
supervision and how the results of the work performed impact the department, division and/or
the university as a whole.
Level of Freedom:
The Manager is expected to oversee redundant data centers in Reno and Las Vegas (co-hosted at
Systems Computing Services). The incumbent is accountable for maintaining the systems and data
integrity of the division. Decision making, initiative and creativity are involved in ensuring reliability of
data centers, purchasing hardware, improving and enhancing systems and supervision. The Manager
represents the NSL in meetings with affiliated organizations, where activities and procedures of the
NSL Data Center and Nevada Seismic Network are under discussion. Such representation may
include speeches, presentations, participation in workgroups, and participation in social activities. The
Manager operates without supervision during these times. The incumbent must work independently
under minimal supervision and take initiative to set goals for improvements in seismic network
operations.
Impact:
Systems design and data management decisions made by this individual will impact the effectiveness
of the Seismology Lab as a research organization and a public service. Wise decisions could
positively affect funding amounts for the Nevada Seismic Network, as well as the entire university. In
completing the above tasks, the attention to detail and professionalism of the Manager is critical to the
credibility and reputation of NSL, and the university.
Position Description – Manager, NSL Data Center/Information Technology (IT)
Page 4
4. Describe the knowledge, skills (to include cognitive requirement and verbal and written
communication), and abilities (to include task complexity, problem solving, creativity and
innovation) essential to successful performance of this job (in bullet format).
Knowledge of:
 Operational requirements of Data Centers, including: Electrical and cooling requirements;
Backup systems; Continuity and contingency planning
 Earth sciences with a basic understanding of Seismology
 Hardware and software used in Unix-based computer systems
 Real-time data collection and processing, including familiarity with acquisition equipment,
telemetry systems, and software systems
 Scientific and/or technical programming for creative problem solving with large datasets.
 Programming in C, C++, Perl, PHP, Tcl/Tk, Java, Python, Fortran, Objective C, and a variety
of other languages
 Professional programming approaches to assure reliability of systems and components
 Version control management systems
 System administration, including: RAID configuration and management; server acquisition,
configuration, setup, and componentry; wide-spectrum administration of Linux, OSX, and
Solaris operating systems
 Report and presentation software, scientific visualization techniques
Skills:
 Strong personal initiative, ability to adapt to priorities, and sound judgment in solving data
management and data processing problems
 Creativity to set broad goals over one- to three-year spans and determination to make steady
progress toward those goals
 High-level strategic and long-range planning for information systems needs
 Effective interpersonal communications skills
 Organizational and supervisory skills, including the ability to manage a variety of projects
simultaneously
 Dedication to quality service as a work philosophy, and skill in devising methods to assure
quality in all products developed by and supported through NSL
Ability to:
 Transfer technical knowledge to staff in order to improve overall capabilities of the organization
 Devise and implement effective and lasting solutions to data management challenges
 Demonstrate an attitude of personal initiative and take responsibility for performance
 Analyze/troubleshoot complex hardware or software problems that may be intermittent or have
a non-definitive cause
 Find innovative ways of dealing with or working around a problem when there isn’t a definitive
solution or fix
 Supervise development and timely implementation of software applications for real-time data
collection systems
 Support the efficient utilization of large geophysical data sets within a research environment
Position Description – Manager, NSL Data Center/Information Technology (IT)
Page 5
5. Describe the type of personal contacts encountered in performing the duties of the job.
Explain the nature and purpose of these contacts: i.e., to provide services, to resolve
problems, to negotiate.
Internal
Seismology Lab faculty and staff
Students
External
National Seismic Network
Operators
Funding Agents
Systems Computing Services
(SCS)
Reason for Contact
To work with and understand project needs and priorities as well
as work flow and requirements for data center improvements; to
support critical link between data environment and needs of team;
to analyze work flow, develop requirements for applications, and
help set priorities and goals
To assist in understanding fundamental programming concepts,
data processing and archival, and principles and functions of
software applications
Reason for Contact
To effectively interact with and understand their approaches to
data management and software issues and to adapt appropriate
solutions to the NSL systems
To communicate the needs of NSL on particular projects; to help
them understand data center operations and concepts and how
NSL’s expertise can be leveraged
To co-locate the data center at SCS’ Las Vegas facility
6. Indicate the minimum qualifications that are necessary in filling this position should it
become vacant. Please keep in mind the duties/responsibilities of the position rather than the
qualifications of the incumbent.
a.
Minimum educational level, including appropriate field, if any.
Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution
b.
Minimum type and amount of work experience, in addition to the above required
education necessary for a person entering this position.
Bachelor’s Degree and five years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree and three
years of relevant experience, or a PhD and one year of relevant experience
Preferred Licenses or Certifications: None
c.
Indicate any license or certificate required for this position.
None