New York State Department of Civil Service Announces Examinations Open to All Qualified Individuals

Forest Ranger 1

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $1,200 annual downstate adjustment.

Back To Top

Minimum Qualifications

On or before November 17, 2007, you must have:

1. A bachelor's or higher level degree including or supplemented by 30 semester credit hours in environmental/life science;** OR
2. An associate's or higher level degree in forestry, forest technology, forest management, natural resource management, forest recreation, forest engineering, or environmental engineering; OR
3. An associate's or higher level degree including or supplemented by 18 semester credit hours in environmental/life science** AND one of the following:

1. Two years of qualifying technical/professional work experience in the natural resource management field; or
2. Two years of active United States military service with an honorable discharge.

** For the purposes of this examination, environmental/life science includes: forestry, forest management, forest recreation, forest resources technology, forest fire management, forest engineering, environmental engineering, environmental education, fish or wildlife biology, fish or wildlife management, and environmental science. Environmental/life science does not include: physics, geology, chemistry, engineering (except as noted), mathematics, human biology, medical biology, or social sciences. Examples of experience that will not qualify as forestry experience are: lawn mowing, landscaping, tree and brush trimming, pesticide application, sawing firewood, farm hand and other types of experience that are categorized as laborer or maintenance work in a garden shop, park, or forestry setting. If you expect to meet the education requirements by August 31, 2008, you can be admitted to the written test but you cannot be considered for appointment until you submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirement to the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Notes

1. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
2. If you qualify under option 1 or 3 of the "Minimum Qualifications" you must submit a list of qualifying courses with your application. Include the course title, name of college or university, number of semester credit hours for each course, and date (or expected date) of completion. Applications submitted under this option without a list of relevant courses WILL NOT be approved. A copy of a college transcript is acceptable.
3. Your degree or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. If your degree or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to the Examination Information Desk of the Department of Civil Service for a list of acceptable companies who provide this service. You must pay the required evaluation fee. If you are applying on the Internet, you must mail the independent verification of equivalency to the New York State Department of Civil Service, Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, Albany, New York 12239, Attention: S2CMH.
4. Appointment to these positions will require the use of Personal Protective Equipment, including a respirator. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) conducts a Medical Monitoring Program for employee safety purposes in which you will be required to participate. The Medical Monitoring Program is an OSHA requirement for employees who may be exposed to toxic or hazardous substances and it is a critical part of DEC's Employee Health and Safety Program. The Medical Monitoring Program may include a baseline physical examination with periodic follow-up physical exams.
5. Forest Rangers 1 are police officers and must be qualified to hold such office in accordance with state law. U.S. citizenship and New York State residency are required at the time of appointment.
6. These positions require extensive travel within a designated area of assignment. You must possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter.
7. You must be legally eligible to carry firearms. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor may bar appointment.
8. If you are considered for appointment, your physical skills and abilities will be evaluated through tests of strength, agility, flexibility, endurance, and swimming. These physical skills and abilities tests will be conducted by the Department of Environmental Conservation. To obtain a statement of the requirements of these tests, write to the Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Forest Protection and Fire Management, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-2560.
9. Fingerprints and Fees: Fingerprinting is required prior to appointment. You will be required to pay the processing fee.
10. Physical/Medical Requirements: Your physical and medical condition will be evaluated to ensure that you are able to satisfactorily perform the duties of this position with or without reasonable accommodation. You are responsible for payment of the clinical laboratory fee associated with this required medical exam. The physical/medical standards include: Vision: Distant visual acuity should be correctable to better than, or equal to 20/30 (Snellen) in each eye; if correction is required, binocular visual acuity not less than 20/40 without correction. Binocular peripheral vision should not be less than 170 degrees. Color Vision: You must have satisfactory color vision perception. Hearing: The average hearing level (HL) for the 3 test frequencies of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz will not exceed 25 dB in either ear, and no single hearing level will exceed 30 dB at any of these 3 test frequencies in either ear. Hearing loss at 3000 Hz will not exceed 40 dB HL in either ear. To obtain a complete statement of the physical and medical standards, write to the Medical Review Unit, NYS Department of Civil Service, 55 Mohawk Street, Suite 201, Cohoes, NY 12047. Appointees to this position may be required to undergo periodic medical examinations to reassess their ability to perform the essential duties of the position.
11. Drug Testing: Prior to appointment, you will be required to participate in a drug screening test and are responsible for the clinical lab fee. Failure to meet the standards may result in your disqualification.
12. Psychological Evaluation: Prior to appointment, you will be required to participate in a psychological evaluation to determine your fitness to perform the essential duties of the position.
13. Background Investigation: Because of the nature of the position there is an investigative screening that may include a thorough character investigation. All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case is determined on its own merits and consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws.

The Positions

These positions exist in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and are located throughout New York State.

Back To Top

Duties

As a Forest Ranger 1, you would be required to participate in a formal 26-week residential training program. Upon successful completion, you would work in an assigned patrol district, and elsewhere throughout the State for emergencies and special assignments. You would be required to work out of your home and the location of your residence must be within your assigned patrol area and be acceptable to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Forest Rangers perform a wide variety of duties related to overseeing the care, custody, and control of DEC administered lands through interpretive interaction and law enforcement. They educate the public concerning the proper use of public lands and resources; visit schools, fire departments, and organizations to promote resource protection; teach nationally and state-certified courses to other agencies, volunteer groups, and fire departments concerning search and rescue, wildland fire suppression, and wilderness safety and etiquette; and foster and develop volunteer assistance from the local communities to support the Department's wildland firefighting and search operations. They conduct search and rescue operations for lost or injured persons in the wild and remote areas of New York State; conduct wildland fire management operations including wildfire suppression in New York State and when requested for national firefighting efforts; provide emergency incident management; and ensure compliance on a variety of DEC natural resource laws, rules, and regulations. At times you will be expected to work long and irregular hours, you must also take and maintain OSHA Health and Safety Training and be respirator "fit-tested" on an annual basis. You may also directly supervise volunteers and seasonal Assistant Forest Rangers and Wildland Firefighters. As a Forest Ranger 1, you would be a sworn Police Officer, authorized to enforce New York State Laws, Rules, and Regulations pursuant to conditions prescribed by the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Criminal Procedure Law. You would be required to carry firearms and complete necessary annual training for State certification.

Back To Top

Subject of Examination

There will be a written test which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Memory for facts and information - These questions test for the ability to remember facts and information presented in written form. You will be given 5 minutes to read and study the information in the Memory Booklet. After the 5-minute period, the Memory Booklet will be taken away. You will then be required to answer questions about the material that was presented in the Memory Booklet.
2. Preparing written material in a police setting - These questions test for the ability to prepare the types of reports that police officers write. You will be presented with a page of notes followed by several questions. Each question will consist of four restatements of the information given in the notes. From each set of four, you must choose the version that presents the information most clearly and accurately.
3. Reading, understanding, and interpreting written information - These questions test for the ability to read, understand, and interpret the kinds of written information that police officers are required to read during their formal training period and on the job.
4. Applying written information (rules, regulations, policies, procedures, directives, etc.) in police situations - These questions test for the ability to apply written rules in given situations similar to those typically experienced by police officers.
5. Wilderness management and outdoor recreation, tree and plant identification, map interpretation and surveying - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices of outdoor recreation on forest lands and management for public recreational use and other purposes; identification and characteristics of trees and other plants found in New York State forests; and understanding and interpreting maps and surveying fundamentals.
6. Natural resources ecology including conservation of soil, water, air and wildlife resources - These questions test for basic practical knowledge of fish, wildlife, and other natural resources; outdoor recreation; forestry; and environmental awareness.

The rating key for this examination will be established by the New York State Civil Service Commission prior to the date of the test, upon recommendation of a committee of police experts (for subject areas 1-4) and a committee of Forest Ranger experts (for subject areas 5-6) who will review all the questions for appropriateness and the key answers for correctness. There will be no review of the questions by candidates. This police expert committee was selected with the assistance and endorsement of the Police Conference of New York, Inc., the New York State Association of PBA's, Inc., and the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc. The Forest Ranger committee was selected with the assistance and endorsement of the Division of Forest Protection & Fire Management of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits to your final passing score.

Test Guide: A Guide to the written test for Forest Ranger 1 is available. You may request a copy of the Test Guide by e-mail at examinfo@cs.state.ny.us or by calling the Exams Information Desk at the Department of Civil Service in the Albany area at 518 457 6216 or outside of the Albany area toll free at 1-877-697-5627.

Back To Top

How To Apply

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

In addition, it is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to enjoy equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their applications. Further information is available from the Special Arrangements Unit of the Department of Civil Service at 518-457-2487 [press 2, then press 2] in the Albany area, toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2], or via TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) at 518-457-8480.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1].

Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

With the exception of written tests announced by New York City, if you have applied to take a written test announced by a local jurisdiction (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1], no later than two weeks before the test date, to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center.

S2/TC1 CMH-jms
Issued: 8/31/07

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

Back To Top