A. Chief of Operations (OPS)
B. Assistant Chief of Operations (AOPS)
C. Other OPS Positions
III. The OPS Station
IV. Areas of Responsibility
A. Sensors
B. Transporters
C. Environmental systems
D. Power and Resource Distribution
E. Communications
F. Replicators and waste reclamation/recycling
0. Introduction
“As (A)OPS you should not only make sure you don't accidentally fly the ship into a supernova… but you have to make sure the crew doesn't run out on coffee creamer as well”
This quote is reflecting the fact that Operations is a big department and that the people in operations have to manage a lot, from the largest and most important things to small uncomplicate ones, even though the actual flying of the ship is part of CONN.
I. Overview
Aboard Federation starships and starbases, OPS is an abbreviation for Operations. The OPS Department has to coordinate the daily routine operations of the ship. Everything from who's scheduled in which conference room at what time, to which re-supply freighters are inbound, to assigning personnel quarters, to scheduling and coordinating non-tactical repairs with engineering, to nearly anything that requires resource allocation.
If someone, for example, wants to start a new bar on the base, or build a new astrometrics lab on your ship, then the Operations Department will have to arrange the space for it, to make sure the new systems will be getting enough power, etc.
The OPS Department also manages the base's external and internal sensors. In this respect, they are literally, the "eyes and ears" of the ship, monitoring the local air space for, well, anything that demands attention.
TAC/SEC should take note of this -- Operations are the ones keeping an eye on things outside (and usually inside, as well). Operations themselves should take note of the fact that it is Tactical/Security who determines the threats.
Another way to look at the OPS position would be a "Navy Shift Supervisor" (or as it used to be called "Officer of the Watch") or the Army's analogous "Officer of the Day" (OD). In these cases, senior, and sometimes junior, officers are placed on a rotating duty roster. This person would then be "in charge" of things for that day. When minor hell breaks loose, following the chain of command, one calls the OD. If the problem's large enough, the OD will then notify the CO.
This same follows for the OPS officer (except for the rotating roster bit). The OPS or the AOPS should normally be the first ranking, command officer contacted in time of trouble, and not the FO or CO. These two will have enough responsibilities already, in most cases. The OPS officer can then gather the necessary info and brief the FO or CO much more efficiently using this summary. (Not that the CO and FO don't want to know what's going wrong at the station at all times, but such informational overload could easily be overwhelming).
Now, all this being said, some COs and FOs would rather have a more active hand in things and prefer to be notified directly. An "open-door" policy is a service-wide standard in today's military. It certainly appears to be that way in the 24th century. Some COs and FOs prefer to micromanage (which works well aboard starships, where all stations are present on the bridge). Also since we're all playing either senior officers or major characters who are frequently on a firstname basis with the CO and FO, these military protocol rules can and are often bent, for the sake of better FF plots and posts.
II. Position Descriptions
A. Chief of Operations (OPS)
The Chief of Operations, usually known as OPS, is the bridge officer responsible for coordination of the various departmental tasks aboard the ship.
The Chief of Operations is in charge of monitoring the status of the ship, he acts as the CO's "eyes and ears". It is his/her job to make sure that the ship runs smoothly and to arrange for solutions (maintenance or otherwise) when it doesn't. This keeps the crew from "running to the CO whenever their toilets back-up". On a station the size of a small city (up to 400,000 people) or on a starship, a lot of minor things can and will go wrong. The CO and FO can't physically be everywhere at once and simply don't have time to address each and every one of them. Major problems, yes. But the minor ones can be summarized for later reading.
This is why usually the OPS officer is often a good choice for the 2O position. It's already in the OPS "job description" to decide the severity of daily problems, how best to deal with them, and whether or not said problems are significant enough to warrant troubling the CO or FO about them.
B. Assistant Chief of Operations (AOPS)
The Assistant Chief Operations Officer is the second-in-command of the Operations Department, and can assume the role of Chief Operations Officer on a temporary or permanent basis if so needed.
C. Other OPS Positions
Operations Officer (OO)
The Chief Operations Officer cannot man the bridge at all times. Extra personnel are needed to relieve and maintain ship operations. The Operations Officers are thus assistants to the Chief, fulfilling his/her duties when required, and assuming the Operations consoles if required at any time.
Environmental Operator (EOPS)
This officer is in control of the environmental systems. Each deck has its own complete set of independent environmental systems. It encludes gravity generation, atmosphere processing, auxilliary power generation, water distribution, reserves for food replicators, and waste reclamation.
Transporter Chief (TC)
The Transporter Chief is present in the transporterroom during his shift. His job is to make sure the transporter will be working correctly and to beam persons and/or objects aboard or off the ship/base when he is ordered to do so.
Quartermaster (QM)
The Quartermaster is the one who goes about the allocation of space on a starship. He/She tells, for example, new crew or visitors which quarters are available for them or where a new astrometrics lab can be build.
III. The OPS Station
On most ships, the OPS Console is on the left, in front of the Captain's Chair. However, there are bridge designs where this is not the case, for example the OPS Console on an Intrepid-class vessel is on the left, behind the Captain's Chair. (Note: Both lefts are when watching the viewscreen).
IV. Area's of Responsibility
A. Sensors
The OPS officer is in control of both internal and external sensors. Please note that both Science and Tactical also might use them. Although the sensors are the responsibility of OPS, Tactical uses them to determine threats.
B. Transporters
Transporters can be controlled from the transporterroom itself, as is usually done by a transporterchief present there. But the transporters can also be accessed and controlled from another location. In normal situations the only other location from where transporters are controlled is the bridge. When being done so, then this is part of the job of the operations manager. Each standard transporter aboard a starship/-base can transport up to 6 people with maximum safety, and up to 20 in emergencies.
C. Environmental systems
Lifesupport, just like all other systems, is under supervision of the operations manager. No need to tell you all that lifesupport is one of the most important systems on a starship/-base.
D. Power and Resource Distribution
One of the most important parts of the job is making sure that all systems on the ship have enough power available. We don't want to think about what happens when we are under attack and we can't raise our shields because someone is playing a holonovel.
It is the job of the operations manager to set priorities and decide to which systems power is going and how much.
But not only power distribution is part of the job, distribution of free space also is. For example, if there is only space for one thing, which of the two who you give the space? A bar (while there are already a lot of them aboard), or a new astrometrics lab which will double sensor effectivity.
E. Communications
Also part of the job is handling incoming and outgoing communications.
(On most ships this can also be handled by the STC. It depends on the ships configuration).
F. Replicators and waste reclamation/recycling
They are in charge of repairing and maintaining of all replicators and recyling facilities on the ship.
