Facilities Management Specialist - 135268

UC San Diego is a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public institution, recognized as one of the top 15 research universities worldwide. The University fosters a culture of collaboration that sparks innovative discoveries that advance society and drive economic impact. Physics is a prominent, highly ranked, and research-intensive department at UC San Diego, with 400+ employees, annual expenditures of roughly $50M, annual course enrollment greater than 22K, and over 130K square feet of space in 5 campus buildings. Research and instructional activity occurs over an unusually broad range of disciplinary areas, including: astrophysics & cosmology, atomic/molecular physics, biophysics, condensed matter physics, controlled fusion & plasma physics, elementary particle physics, nanoscience, and nonlinear dynamics.

Research activity occurs both on-campus and in multiple off-campus locations, including: U.S. National Laboratories such as Argonne, Lawrence Livermore, and LANL (Los Alamos National Lab); observatories throughout the world; Antarctica; Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (LNGS) in Italy; PandaX experiment at China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL); the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Switzerland; also to include the currently constructed Simons Observatory in the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile. Research collaborations frequently involve other U.S. and international universities, National Labs; research institutes such as The Scripps Research Institute and the Salk Institute; and/or companies such as SAIC and General Atomics. Sponsored research activities are funded by 40-50 different funding agencies, including NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, and AFOSR.

Instruction occurs at multiple levels. With approximately 175 students, the doctoral program has a flexible and broad-based curriculum which leads to a Ph.D. in Physics or a Ph.D. in Physics with a Specialization in Biophysics. With nearly 500 Physics majors, the undergraduate major program is one of the most productive in the nation. Students may obtain B.S. degrees with optional specializations in Astrophysics, Biophysics, Computational Physics, Earth Sciences, or Materials Physics, or B.A. degrees with an optional specialization in Secondary Education. A unique 5-year contiguous program leading to a B.S./M.S. in Materials Physics is also available. Lower division courses allow students to satisfy their general education requirements and serve as foundational courses for students majoring in the sciences and engineering.

The Facilities Management Specialist implements and coordinates building management procedures and space planning activities for the Physics Department. Working with School of Physical Sciences Dean's office and alongside the Chemistry and Biochemistry Facilities team, supports broader facilities needs for the School of Physical Sciences.

Oversees various facilities-related operation activities including renovations, remodels, and space upgrades to support instructional, research, and administrative needs within the Physics Department. Provides support in designing laboratory layouts for newly recruited faculty, managing space allocation to optimize efficiency, and ensuring compliance with campus space policies. Collaborates with internal and external agencies, including Capital Program Management, Facilities Management, Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), and external contractors, to execute approved renovations and facility maintenance projects. At the School of Physical Sciences level, supports broader facilities needs, working with leadership and departmental staff to develop cost-effective renovation strategies while advocating for the School's priorities in campus-wide planning efforts.

Responsible for maintaining the safety and security of departmental facilities for the Physics Department including overseeing building access control, coordinating with campus police and EH&S on security matters, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, implementing the department's Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and serves as part of the campus emergency response team, addressing urgent situations such as fires, floods, and other facility emergencies.

Further responsibilities include managing facilities-related recharge operations, such as Helium and Nitrogen services, ensuring cost-effective resource allocation and maintaining accurate operational records. Involves budgeting and long-term planning for facilities-related projects, advising department leadership on strategic initiatives, and providing work direction to staff. Incumbent coordinates work crew activities, providing input on hiring and performance evaluations, and ensures minimal disruption to building occupants during construction or maintenance activities.

• The incumbent must be able to work evenings and weekends, as necessary, to ensure appropriate administrative and technical support is available outside of standard business hours.

• Demonstrated knowledge of design of astronomy, astrophysics, biochemistry, physics, and related research building systems and their operation. Thorough knowledge in the areas of building space planning, codes, capacity, security, fire safety, organization and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences.

• Experience and extensive knowledge of Scientific laboratories and specialized scientific equipment. Extensive knowledge of basic plumbing, carpentry, electrical and machinist skills, and proven ability to conceive creative laboratory designs and layouts.

• Knowledge of architectural or engineering concepts.

• Demonstrated experience and skill to interpret and analyze complex data and resource materials. Skill to develop design concepts based on specific physics and biophysics disciplines needed for research and teaching laboratories.

• Experience managing renovations, remodels, and space upgrades in academic, lab, or institutional settings; coordination with contractors and campus facilities units.

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in identifying and effectively coordinating resources to meet program needs. Proven skill to develop realistic cost estimates and operating budgets.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively one-on-one or in group settings, taking into account differences in social, cultural, professional, and educational backgrounds. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing and interact effectively with diverse interest groups, including faculty, staff, campus administrators, contractors and vendors.

• Thorough interpersonal skills including good service orientation and effective problem solving. Demonstrated understanding of the importance of ensuring an equitable, inclusive, and diverse working environment, with the ability to work as a part of a diverse and collaborative team. Demonstrated competency and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

• Thorough and effective skills to multi-task and prioritize daily activities effectively. Demonstrated ability to work independently, and to use sound judgment, tact, and diplomacy; skill to meet changing and conflicting deadlines.

• Ability to recognize the impact of campus policy on operations at the Department and School level, and the ability to work as a team member on campus study groups to develop policies that are effective and efficient.

• Proven skill to perform quantitative and qualitative analysis and use the results to develop problem solutions. Ability to analyze long range needs at the Department and School level, to analyze resource requirements and sources, and to develop and implement plans for accomplishing goals.

• Skill to operate a personal computer and demonstrated knowledge of databases, general computer applications, and programs including word processing and spreadsheets. Willingness and ability to update and increase computer skills and knowledge as needed.

• Demonstrated experience and skill to teach/train staff in all aspects of job duties and responsibilities and assess staff capabilities and workloads and redistribute when necessary.

• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.

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