Facilities Operations Specialist
Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
Location(s): Hilo, Hawaii
Salary Range: $111119 - $144457 Per Year
Job Summary: This is the position of Operations Manager, within the Radio & Geoastronomy (R&G) Division, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), at the Submillimeter Array (SMA) facilities in Hawaii. The Submillimeter Array (SMA) is an array of eight 6-meter diameter radio telescopes operating throughout the 1.3 mm and 0.86 mm atmospheric windows (190-380 GHz) located in Hawaii.
Major Duties:
- Duties listed are at full performance grade GS-13 level. As Operations Manager, participates in the management of the day-to-day operations of the Observatory and the maintenance of its facilities to ensure the safety of staff, visitors, and the SMA telescopes and scientific instrumentation; prevent deterioration; and support the overall scientific mission. Provides directions to administrative and skilled trades employees in the absence of the SMA Director. Incumbent plan, organize, and administer comprehensive facility programs. Oversee facilityrelated projects, including budget development, contract management, and compliance with safety and environmental regulations. Develop long range plans for facility upgrades, preventive maintenance, and capital improvements. Collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies, contractors, and internal leadership to align facility operations with broader mission goals. Ensure compliance with deferral regulations, environmental standards, and safety protocols. Lead complex facility projects, including design reviews, cost estimations, and contractor coordination. Monitor progress and alignment with agency goals and timelines. Develop and manage budgets for construction, maintenance, and operations. Coordinate funding and resource allocation for preventive and corrective maintenance. Advise senior management on facility related policies, initiatives, and long-term planning. Develop high level recommendations to improve operational efficiency and asset stewardship. Precision in inspecting facilities,identifying maintenance needs, ensuring compliance. Provides technical expertise and guidance on facility design, development, and maintenance, including state-of-the-art systems and equipment. Serves as the COTR (Contracting Officers' Technical Representative) for facilities repair/renovation projects to ensure the timeliness and the quality of work performed by contractors and their compliance with contract terms. This includes monitoring the work or service performed by the outside contractor, advising the contractor of deficiencies in performance, verifying completion of work, approving payments, and coordinating with the SI/SAO Contracting Officers as appropriate to resolve contractor performance or other issues. Works with staff from SI's Office of Planning, Design, and Construction (OPDC) and SI's Office of Facilities Management and Reliability (OFMR) for SI funded projects to ensure that all documentation requirements are met. Supports construction projects' oversight in other areas as requested. Serves as Safety Officer for SMA-Hawaii facilities. Designs and implements an overall safety program-- including relevant training --for staff, visitors, and volunteers; and serves as technical advisor on safety issues related to SMA operations. Serves as the SMA-Hawaii interface with SAO Cambridge and SI OSHEM. Develops safety related aspects of annual SMA-Hawaii budget request. Assures compliance with all certifications, safety, fire prevention, and SI/SAO security program requirements. As assigned by the SMA Director, performs periodic onsite surveys of several types of construction work in progress at SMA-Hawaii facilities, and reviews project plans and inspects both in-process and completed work performed both by SMA-Hawaii staff and contractors to determine compliance with applicable Institution and occupational safety standards. Prepares and presents comprehensive reports—both oral and written--in assigned areas. Compliance, Safety, and Regulatory Management Ensures facilities operations comply with federal regulations, including OSHA, NFPA, EPA, ASHRAE, NEC, and agencyspecific policies. Develops and implements safety protocols,emergency response procedures, and risk mitigation strategies for facility operations. Conducts audits, inspections, and compliance reviews; prepares reports and corrective action plans for leadership. Serves as a subjectmatter expert during internal and external audits. Stakeholder Engagement & Advisory Services Advises senior leadership on facility operations risks, priorities, and strategic investments. Represents the organization in meetings, working groups, and interagency forums on facilities operations and asset management. Communicates complex technical information to nontechnical stakeholders, ensuring shared understanding of operational impacts and requirements. Build collaborative relationships with internal customers, external partners, and regulatory authorities. Performs other related duties
Qualifications: Specialized Experience: One year of directly related experience (Federal or other) equivalent to GS-12 in the federal service. Specialized experience would include activities such as such as having had an essential role in a facilities' management team for a multi-use facility, developing and implementing a facility safety plan, or obtaining certification and serving as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) for an infrastructure maintenance or construction project. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website. Important Note: The review of your resume will determine your final rating and should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
How to Apply: Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note: You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you). Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages. You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process; OR You may manually fax required documents. Faxes are received by an automated system, not a physical fax machine. Documents that are faxed as part of the application process must be sent with the system generated cover sheet by the closing date. Documents faxed without the system generated coversheet are not retrievable and cannot be considered as part of the application package. The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.
Application Deadline: 2026-05-15