Item 9.A-Oct. 15, 2010
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): Kristina Kruse
Position #(s): 16678
Current Title: Manager, Operations (Nevada Genomics Center)
Current Range: 3
(JCC:77047;3B;CM9509;CC161;E)
Department: Nevada Genomics Center
College/Division: College of Agriculture,
Biotechnology and Natural Resources
Account #(s): 1206-152-0316
Action Proposed: (check all that apply)
( ) New position: Proposed Range:
Proposed Title:
( ) Title Change, Proposed Title:
( ) Proposed Reassignment from Range
to Range
(X) 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
__________________
Date
I/we have reviewed the statements in this form and they accurately reflect the job assignments.
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Immediate Supervisor’s Signature
Esmail Zanjani
Date
Prof/Chair, Animal Biotechnology / Dir, NV Genomics Ctr
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Director/Chair/Dean
Ron Pardini
Date
Interim Dean, CABNR
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 #: 16678
EEO Code: 3B
CUPA Code: CM9509
Exempt: Yes or No Census Code: 161
Job Class Code: 77047
Range: 3
Effective Date:
Approved Title:
MANAGER, OPERATIONS (NEVADA GENOME 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, Operations (Nevada, Genomics Center)
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 Genomics Center, is responsible for the training and education of the staff and
clients of the Center in the molecular biology techniques required for the use of the equipment housed
within the Center. The incumbent manages the Center’s budget and billing of recharge services. The
incumbent works closely with UNR faculty in their investigations of new equipment and technologies
that they are considering as common use equipment to be housed in the Center. The incumbent
develops new protocols and techniques to be used in the Center. The Manager supervises the work
and job assignments of Center’s staff and ensures quality assurance on work produced for clients.
The incumbent is responsible for operation and maintenance of all Center instruments and equipment.
The Manager reports to the Director of the Center, which is located in the College of Agriculture,
Biotechnology and Natural Resources (CABNR) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).
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).
30% - Administrative Duties
 Set rates for services and prepare budget and annual fiscal year budget requests
 Prepare monthly billing statements and maintain recharge and outside sales accounts
 Prepare monthly invoices and IPOs
 Run monthly credit card charges and make deposits
 Maintain databases of services and operating costs
 Maintain Center’s website and server
 Form contacts with potential clients and maintain a database of all clients
 Prepare MOUA and maintain lab SOP and Lab Safety surveys
 Order supplies and prepare Payment Net reports
10% - Training and Education
 Train clients in experimental design, sample set-up and submission, and the use of software in
analysis of data, and assist in troubleshooting
 Answer questions from clients on any aspect of the services offered and provide quotes for
services
 Conduct tours of the Genomics Center
10% - Research Proposal Preparation and Negotiation
 Research new instruments which may potentially be added to the Center
 Assist UNR faculty for the purpose of acquiring new instrumentation including: communicate
with company sales representative regarding new equipment being launched, bring sales
representative to campus to present the new platforms, determine equipment capabilities,
survey campus faculty for interest and foreseeable use of the equipment, and work with faculty
in grant preparation.
 Set policies on use of equipment by students and researchers
 Review potential new services to be offered, determine feasibility, and set prices to be charged
for the services
 Develop new protocols and experimental techniques to be used in the Center
 Learn new software programs to enable additional services to be offered
Position Description – Manager, Operations (Nevada, Genomics Center)
Page 3
20% - Staff and Work Supervision and Quality Assurance
 Train Center staff in the use of equipment, software, and in the molecular biology techniques
used by the Center
 Organize and monitor job work flow on a daily basis such that all clients receive their data in a
timely manner
 Supervise and evaluate work of Center staff
 Monitor quality control of the data produced
 Prepare employee evaluations
 Maintain leave records for Center staff
20% - Sample Processing
 Plasmid preparation
 PCR amplicon purification
 DNA and RNA quantitation
 Sequencing sample and plate set-up and processing
 Fragment analysis sample set-up and processing
10% - Equipment Operation and Maintenance
 Oversee the operation and maintenance of all equipment for efficient operation and
preparation of samples to be analyzed on the equipment
 Investigate, trouble-shoot, and resolve instrument failures and problems
 Negotiate annual service contracts for equipment
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 individual works with the Director of the Center on decisions associated with the position, but also
completes duties with considerable latitude of independence in decision-making and initiative. The
individual is expected to provide leadership in the Center for the staff and performance of the
responsibilities of the position. The individual is expected to troubleshooting techniques when
instruments or chemistries fail.
Impact:
The quality of data produced by the Genomics Center is crucial to its continued success. The services
offered are extremely costly to the researchers and they require good data from the samples that they
entrust to the Center. Any decisions which adversely affect quality control therefore are deleterious to
the Center and quality data is essential to the continued life of the Center. In a recharge situation, the
more clients, the lower the costs to everyone; thus the quality of data is also essential to keeping and
acquiring more clients from outside the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) system.
The value of instruments in the Genomics Center is in the region of $800,000 and the cost of reagents
required in their operations is extremely expensive. Downtime on any of the instruments is expensive
in terms of wasted time and loss of clients. Assisting clients with experimental design and sample
preparation leads to better data and increased confidence in the Center and staff.
Position Description – Manager, Operations (Nevada, Genomics Center)
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:
 Underlying scientific principles on which the services are based
 Current available technology and equipment used in the genomics field
 Budget management
 Research methodologies – research design and data collection and analysis – both qualitative
and quantitative
Skills:
 Proficiency in use of a personal computer and current software applications including but not
limited to Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and email) and operating
systems and programs
 Strong organizational skills to control the order and workflow of samples and services and
complete in a timely manner
Ability to:
 Work with a large number of clients and students and give them as much time and help as
they need
 Understand, operate and troubleshoot problems with complex, fragile and expensive
equipment
 Form good working relationships with diverse groups including company representatives,
technical support personnel, service engineers, field specialists, and UNR and NSHE
employees
 Maintain confidentiality of information
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
UNR Campus Labs staff and
students
Controller’s office, Purchasing,
Receiving, EH&S
Reason for Contact
To provide training, experimental design, sample preparation,
sample submission using the lab server, and analysis of data
To provide rate calculations, budget request forms, journal
vouchers, purchase orders, blanket purchase requests, payment
net reports, MOUA applications, lab safety surveys, and chemical
inventory information
External
NSHE Principal Investigators
Reason for Contact
To provide training, experimental design, sample preparation,
sample submission using the lab server, and analysis of data
To provide services in locations in the U.S., Puerto Rico, South
America, Australia, and Europe to answer questions from the best
way to ship samples to troubleshooting problems with samples
and data analysis
To negotiate prices for supplies and new instruments; negotiate
service contract pricing; and arrange for service calls and
preventative maintenance
Off campus labs
Sales Representatives, service
engineers, field specialists, and
technical support personnel
Position Description – Manager, Operations (Nevada, Genomics Center)
Page 5
6. Indicate the minimum qualifications which 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 with major or emphasis in
molecular biology
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 four years or a Master’s Degree and two years of related
professional experience
Preferred Licenses or Certifications: None
c.
Indicate any license or certificate required for this position.
None