Chief operations officer (Star Trek)

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In the fictional Star Trek universe, the chief operations officer is the head position of the operations, or Ops, department of a Starfleet outpost, starbase, or starship. According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, this position is responsible for allocating resources efficiently, thereby ensuring mission objectives are not compromised. Many minor functions are carried out automatically, but direct staff management is required during periods of increased activity or criticality. A station operations chief has the duties of both a starship operations manager and chief engineer.

This position is typically held by a senior enlisted officer or a line officer. In Star Trek: The Next Generation, the android Lieutenant Commander Data fulfills this role (a posting also known as Operations Manager) on the USS Enterprise; in Star Trek: Voyager, Ensign Harry Kim serves this function. In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the enlisted Miles O'Brien is the Chief of Operations.