About W.M. Keck Observatory: Located on Hawaii's Maunakea, W.M. Keck Observatory offers astronomers a unique vantage point to explore the universe, all while respecting the deep cultural significance of this site to the indigenous Native Hawaiian community. Our twin telescopes are at the forefront of astronomical research and provide invaluable insights into the cosmos. At Keck, we are committed to service, stewardship, and community engagement. Join us and become an integral part of our mission.
A Day in the Life of an Administrative Assistant
- Schedule appointments, organize calendars, and manage phone calls and emails for supervisors and managers
- Prepare and manage documents and electronic submissions in line with observatory policies and procedures.
- Compile and prepare reports
- Plan meetings and take detailed, accurate minutes
- Review and optimize administrative procedures٫ including the implementation of new templates and filing systems
- Serve as the receptionist
- Support meetings using video conferencing, communications applications, and other productivity tools
- Coordinate travel arrangements, prepare itineraries, complete, and submit travel expense documents, and support event planning
Required Qualifications
- Associate’s degree in office administration or relevant professional experience
- Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience as an Office or Administrative Assistant
- Troubleshoot problems
- Use Microsoft Office 365 Suite
- Use cloud-based office applications such as SharePoint and Slack
- Use Adobe Acrobat and e-signing tools
- Explore, learn, and adapt to rapidly evolving technology
- Acquire knowledge quickly to anticipate staff’s needs
- Apply initiative and works independently and collaboratively with staff
- Problem solves, to negotiate, and ability in conflict resolution
- Process and analyze information clearly and take instructions to create efficient actions
About
At the W. M. Keck Observatory, we approach our work with wonder about the mysteries of the universe and with deep respect and care for Maunakea – a mountain revered in Hawaiʻi and unlike any other in the world. For more than three decades, astronomers using Keck Observatory’s twin 10-meter telescopes have vastly expanded our understanding of the cosmos through astonishing findings about our solar system, exoplanets, supermassive black holes, the evolution of the universe, and more. We are dedicated to the values of service and stewardship, while advancing the frontiers of astronomy, sharing our discoveries, and inspiring the imagination of all.
Skills Required
- Associate's degree in office administration or relevant professional experience
- Five years of progressively responsible experience as an office or administrative assistant
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 Suite
- Experience using cloud-based office applications such as SharePoint and Slack
- Experience using Adobe Acrobat and e-signing tools
- Ability to troubleshoot problems
- Ability to learn and adapt to rapidly evolving technology
- Ability to acquire knowledge quickly and anticipate staff needs
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Problem-solving, negotiation, and conflict-resolution abilities
- Ability to process and analyze information clearly and follow instructions to create efficient actions
What We Do
The W. M. Keck Observatory telescopes are among the most scientifically productive on Earth. The two 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes atop Maunakea on the Island of Hawaiʻi feature a suite of advanced instruments including imagers, multi-object spectrographs, high-resolution spectrographs, integral-field spectrometers, and world-leading laser guide star adaptive optics systems. Keck Observatory is a private 501(c) 3 non-profit organization operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. We wish to recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Maunakea has always had within the Native Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from this mountain






