Item 2.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): Kenneth D. Smith
Position #(s): 11415
Current Title: Research Associate Professor/Manager,
Current Range: 0(III)
Seismology Network (JCC:78351;2H;AC-III-STP;CC220;E)
Department: Seismology Department / Mackay
College/Division: College of Science
School of Earth Science and Engineering
Account #(s): 1104-114-1101 and grants
Action Proposed: (check all that apply)
( ) New position: Proposed Range:
Proposed Title:
(X) Title Change, Proposed Title: Associate Director, Nevada Seismology Laboratory (NSL)
(X) Proposed Reassignment from Range (AC) III to Range 5
( ) Revised PDQ only (no change in range or title)
JCC (Current
( ) Line of Progression (show titles below)
or new HR
Range:
assigned):
I certify that the statements in this description are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.
____________________________________________________________
Employee’s Signature
Smith, Kenneth D.
__________________
Date
I/we have reviewed the statements in this form and they accurately reflect the job assignments.
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Graham M. Kent, Prof/Dir, Seismology Lab / Russell Fields, Director, MSESE
Date
Immediate Supervisor’s Signature
____________________________________________________________
Director/Chair/Dean
Jeffrey S. Thompson, Dean, College of Science
__________________
Date
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 #: 11415
EEO Code: 3B
CUPA Code: CM9509
Exempt: Yes or No Census Code: 176
Job Class Code: 67150
Range: 5
Effective Date: 12/1/2011
Approved Title:
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, NEVADA SEISMOLOGY LABORATORY
____________________________________________________________
__________________
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 – Associate Director, Nevada Seismology Laboratory (NSL)
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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 Associate Director, Nevada Seismological Laboratory (NSL) serves under the direction of the
Director of NSL and the Dean of the College of Science (COS). The Associate Director directs,
manages, and secures funding for operations of the Nevada regional earthquake monitoring network.
The Associate Director manages contracts, finances, personnel, 24/7 operational performance
standards, and oversees seismicity and seismotectonic undergraduate and graduate research as it
applies to seismic network systems and data. The Associate Director has accountability for all
seismic network facilities and regulatory compliance (i.e., remote communications, data center
infrastructure facilities and data holdings, land use permitting, etc.). A major function of this position is
effective collaboration and cooperation with state and local governments, granting agencies, National
Laboratories, and the other state seismic monitoring networks that constitute the Advanced National
Seismic Network (ANSS; the nation’s integrated seismic system managed by the U.S. Geological
Survey). Incumbent is responsible for negotiations, planning, budgeting, and implementation of all
modernization and Federal Communication Commission (FCC) spectrum relocation activities related
to the NSN communications network.
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% - Seismic Network Management and Administration
 Manages all aspects of the NSN 24/7 operations, earthquake response capabilities, and
technology development/implementation
 Manages field technical staff, computer systems, software development staff, and earthquake
analysis group
 Meets U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) seismic network operational performance standards
 Assures optimal 24/7 system performance; requires significant off-hours coordination
 Coordinates earthquake response activities with national and state agencies
 Reports to the USGS, State of Nevada, and Nevada legislative contingent following damaging
and/or potentially damaging earthquakes and earthquake activity that impacts Nevada public
safety
 Coordinates activities with NSL Director and Dean to ensure goals and mission of the
department, college, and university are met
 Ensure land use authority is established from the representative agency for seismograph and
communications infrastructure
 Ensure FCC licenses are in effect for all radio and communications links that require licensing
 Negotiate all FCC frequency relocation compensation and contracts with appropriate federal
and private entities under NSHE oversight
40% - Resource Development and Management
 Secures funding through federal agencies for improvements and expansion of the seismic
network to meet public safety needs of the State of Nevada
 Negotiates FCC mandated spectrum relocation activities with private and federal agencies;
budgeting, planning and implementation of spectrum relocation projects
 Coordinates Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) monitoring and research projects with
NNSS management and National Laboratories
Position Description – Associate Director, Nevada Seismology Laboratory (NSL)
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Seeks funding opportunities to further the objectives and missions of NSL and the university
and meet operational standards as set forth by the USGS
Identifies software and technology development initiatives for earthquake monitoring
Implements improvements/modernization to the communications systems to maintain a stateof-the-art network infrastructure
Ensures seismic network data is available to NSL research staff, undergraduate and graduate
students, and the global seismic research community
20% - Public Safety
 Interacts with media following significant earthquakes
 Interacts with Nevada Division of Emergency Management (NDEM) on earthquake issues and
following significant earthquakes, providing the most up-to-date information
 Maintain real-time displays of Nevada earthquake activity at the NDEM facility for quickresponse and effective interaction with state agencies
 Produce reports and updates on current activity for distribution in press releases and updates
to NSL public information web pages
 Conduct outreach activities for the Nevada ShakeOut, K12 classrooms, and requested
presentations
 Maintains a prominent status with the Nevada Earthquake Safety Council
 Coordinate with the Director of NSL, report findings and assessments on significant
earthquakes and earthquake activity to the USGS, the State, and Nevada legislative
contingent
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 Nevada Seismic Network (NSN) serves as a first-response public safety component of the
national and state emergency management structure, requiring 24/7 oversight for earthquake
response and operations. The network consists of an integrated remote seismograph network, digital
microwave and communications backbone, automatic national reporting/messaging software systems,
and local UNR Data Center facility. The Associate Director acts independently with a high level of
autonomy in day-to-day operations. The incumbent works closely with the Director of NSL to direct
resources for earthquake response or system operations to maintain an effective 24/7 operation. The
Associate Director interacts directly with USGS national management, National Laboratory program
managers, and operations/communications management at the NNSS. The Associate Director is
authorized to negotiate for the university in FCC spectrum relocation compensation activities. The
Associate Director interacts freely with the earthquake safety structure of Nevada to develop initiatives
and facilitate communications to private and public entities regarding earthquake preparedness and
hazard mitigation.
Impact:
The success of the NSN in a statewide emergency reflects on the reputation of the university and its
ability to provide for the citizens of Nevada. Effective data center operations and continual
modernization of remote seismographs and communications systems translate to high quality data
sets for graduate research and for research conducted by seismologists around the world. If the
NSN is not effective in 24/7 operation and earthquake response, the department, college and
university are adversely affected. Effective earthquake response can reduce loss of life during a
major earthquake disaster.
Position Description – Associate Director, Nevada Seismology Laboratory (NSL)
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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:
 Seismic data logging systems and seismic sensors
 Analog and digital microwave and radio communications systems
 Real-time data management software systems
 NNSA (National Nuclear Security Agency) research as related to non-proliferation and the
Control Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
 Software development, computer networking, and data archiving technologies
 Higher education research funding policies, procedures and protocols
 Public purchasing and contract law
 Preparation and management of financial planning, accounting and/or budgeting and fiscal
management
 Research methodologies – research design, data analysis, and program evaluation
Skills:
 Grant writing for network operations and earthquake research
 Verbal and written communication skills to include presentation skills (development and
delivery)
 Software development and team oriented software development efforts
 Manage concurrent research activities in conjunction with 24/7 earthquake response duties
 Coordinate deliverables and expenditures on numerous contracts that may be in force at any
particular time
 Developing and sustaining effective relationships with faculty, staff, colleagues, government
and community members in an increasingly diverse environment
 Coordinate and implement instrument deployments following significant earthquakes
Ability to:
 Communicate and negotiate
 Create research opportunities for NSL staff scientists
 Adapt the statewide microwave backbone for other scientific investigations conducted within
the College of Science
 Assure a 24/7 earthquake response capability for the Nevada region; maintain USGS seismic
network performance standards
 Develop policies and implement systems to assure Continuity of Operations of the NSN
consistent with USGS standards for network operations
 Coordinate off-hours earthquake and emergency response with the NSL network operations
group
 Support other ANSS networks with 24/7 real-time data feeds; in particular, in support of the
State of California (California Integrated Seismic Network – CISN)
 Initiate major software development and technology implementation initiatives to improve
earthquake response and research capabilities
 Hire technical and support staff when necessary to meet contract and mission objectives
 Coordinate equipment usage and staff contributions to major NSL research projects
 Operate NSN as a statewide resource for all Nevada earth scientists and public entities
 Contribute to the mitigation of earthquake hazards in the Nevada and eastern California region
Position Description – Associate Director, Nevada Seismology Laboratory (NSL)
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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 Faculty
UNR Administration and Dean
External
Granting Agencies
Department of Energy /
Department of Defense
National Earthquake Response
Statewide Emergency Response
- Governor’s Office, State of
Nevada Division of Emergency
Management, Nevada
legislators, local emergency
managers
Private Industry (geothermal)
Reason for Contact
To continually interact with NSL Director in developing faculty
opportunities for teaching, research, and outreach in earthquake
To ensure granting agency and institutional goals are met
Reason for Contact
To initiate and maintain communication with current and granting
agencies and other potential funding sources
To maintain open communication with agency representatives and
project managers to ensure NSL is an effective partner in national
non-proliferation research and experiments that apply NSN data
To maintain an effective national presence in the earthquake
monitoring community and to establish standards and applications
that can be adapted at a national level to reduce earthquake risk
To provide earthquake information following damaging
earthquakes or unusual seismic activity that may pose a threat to
public safety
To interact with industry professionals interested in micro
seismicity (induced seismicity is a result of geothermal production
and exploration) monitoring for resource development or private
companies in the event of significant triggered seismic events near
geothermal production facilities
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.
Doctoral Degree from a regionally accredited institution in earthquake science
b.
Minimum type and amount of work experience, in addition to the above
required education necessary for a person entering this position.
Doctoral Degree and four years of experience in a seismic network environment to
include conducting earthquake research
Preferred Licenses or Certifications: None
c.
Indicate any license or certificate required for this position.
None