FIRO Operations Manager

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment : Apply by 05/22/2026 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Reassignment Applicants : Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Climate, Atmospheric Science, and Physical Oceanography (CASPO) department is part of SIO's Oceans and Atmosphere (O&A) Section, which also includes the Marine Physical Laboratory (MPL) department. CASPO is home to more than 50 Principal Investigators (PIs), their staff, numerous postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, visiting researchers and volunteers. CASPO Business Office oversees approximately $35 million in annual research expenditures, with most of the funding coming from federal and state agencies. CASPO scientists operate a number of high-profile research units, such as the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) and the Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate and the Environment (CAICE), as well as engineering facilities that fabricate a variety of specialized ocean research instruments (the Instrument Development Group and the Lagrangian Drifter Laboratory).

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) Operations Manager provides leadership and direction by ensuring the execution of program research goals. The FIRO Operations Manager provides critical support to senior leaders and coordinates internal collaborations, external partnerships, communications, and outreach related to program research and implementation.

The Operations Manager will develop detailed tasks, oversee day-to-day activities of the team, and regularly interface and coordinate with the individual FIRO project managers and team leads to track progress, schedules, budgets, and deliverables; address challenges and issues; and routinely report status to the CW3E Executive Team. The FIRO Operations Manager will ensure all FIRO deliverables are being met, coordinate across projects and support FIRO project managers and coordinators. Additionally, the program manager will lead the planning of FIRO meetings such as the annual workshop, technical workshops, FIRO training activities and FIRO colloquia with FIRO partners as appropriate. The FIRO Operation Manager will facilitate Steering Committee meetings and track action items with the support of the FIRO project coordinators. The FIRO Operations Manager will ensure important FIRO documents, like the viability assessments, workplans, and the annual research report, are of high standard, which requires coordinating and working with FIRO partners. The FIRO Operations manager will track opportunities and potential issues and work through these with CW3E executive team. A strong understanding of the science and forecasting that underpin the FIRO program is essential to effectively support its mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience to supervise effectively. Skills and knowledge of personnel practices and policies. Demonstrated experience and skill to routinely monitor production and quality of work being produced by staff, to assess staff capabilities and workloads and redistribute when necessary, and to teach/train staff in all aspects of job duties/responsibilities. Demonstrated ability to self-motivate staff and effectively communicate instructions.

• Advanced knowledge of common organizational- or research-specific and other computer application programs.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with all levels of staff and influence, both verbally and in writing. Proven ability to take scientific/technical language and make it widely accessible to a range of audiences.

• Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality.

• Advanced project management skills.

• Thorough knowledge of organizational or initiative processes, protocols and procedures.

• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes. This includes tracking multiple projects with various internal staff and external partners involved.

• Advanced knowledge of applicable policy analysis techniques.

• Advanced analytical / problem-solving skills.

• Ability to facilitate and moderate meetings of various sizes.

• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with internal staff and external partners.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Significant travel is required between 20-40% of the time.

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

• Must have access to reliable transportation.

• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $88,000 - $161,600 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $42.15 - $77.39

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).