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

Plant Utilities Assistant

Scheduled Test Dates	Application Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
September 9, 2017	July 26, 2017

For Promotion in State Departments, Facilities, and Agencies

1. Within Promotion Units
2. Within Entire Departments
3. To Other Departments

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Minimum Qualifications to Participate in this Examination

On or before the date of filing your application, you must be a qualified employee of New York State and have nine months of permanent competitive, non-competitive or labor service AND:

Either 1. one year of satisfactory hands-on experience in the operation and maintenance of boilers and/or auxiliary equipment or HVAC equipment in commercial, industrial or institutional facilities. (Experience limited to residential applications is NOT considered qualifying);

Or 2. a high school diploma or GED and successful completion of four trades courses in any combination of the following trades: electrical, refrigeration, boiler operation and maintenance, plumbing, and HVAC. Each trades course must include a minimum of 30 to 45 classroom/lab hours in order to be considered qualifying;

Or 3. successful completion of 12 college semester credit hours in any combination of the following course areas: heating ventilation and air conditioning, electrical circuits, fluid mechanics, technical communications, thermal dynamics, utility refrigeration mechanics, blueprint reading and sketching, physics, boiler and steam systems, industrial electricity, electric utility systems, plant operation and maintenance, industrial instrumentation and control, industrial safety, and environmental air quality;

Or 4. completion of an approved certificate program** in HVAC or related area that is a minimum of one year in duration;

Or 5. completion of an approved certificate program** in HVAC or related area which is less than one year in duration and post certificate experience, which combined equals one year.

The following military experience is considered examples of qualifying experience:

U.S. Air Force: Graduate of heating, HVAC, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration apprenticeship program.

U.S. Coast Guard: Must have been an enlisted machinery technician (MK) with the U.S. Coast Guard OR possession of a certificate as a Marine Engineer issued by the United States Coast Guard.

U.S. Army: Must have been an enlisted power generation equipment repairer with the U.S. Army.

U.S. Navy: Must have been an enlisted gas turbine systems technician, submarine nuclear propulsion plant operator reactor control, utilities man, machinist mate, or engineman with the U.S. Navy.

U.S. Merchant Marine: Must have a merchant mariner's document (MMD) and be a qualified member of the engine department (QMED) as an oiler, fireman/watertender, refrigerating engineer or engineman.

** Certification program must be accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology or recognized by the NYSED Bureau of Proprietary Schools.

Important: As this examination is offered both open-competitively and transitionally, verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination. If you do not receive a number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT received by the Department Of Civil Service. No late applications will be accepted after the filing deadline has passed.

Qualifying Experience for Appointment from the Eligible List

After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

Notes

1. Applicants who have completed college-level, accredited military or industrial training should contact the Excelsior College, University of the State of New York, 7 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY 12203-5159, at 1-518-464-8500, ext. 27 or their website at www.excelsior.edu for information about the Full Service Credit Bank service which can issue a college transcript, which this department will review for compliance with the minimum education requirement for this examination.
2. Your degree and/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 and/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 NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S2SER.
3. An open-competitive examination is being held at the same time as this transition examination. Agencies have the option of making appointments from either list. If you meet the requirements for the open-competitive as well as the transition examination, you may wish to apply for both.
4. In accordance with Section 52.11 of the Civil Service Law, individuals serving permanently in the non-competitive or labor class in a qualifying title (including those serving under Section 55-b/55-c) who otherwise meet the requirements for taking this examination are eligible to compete in this transition examination.
5. This examination has special minimum qualifications in addition to the usual "time in service requirement." If you are filing on the Internet, please list all pertinent information online. If you are applying on examination application NYS-APP form, you must list all pertinent information on the application. Attach additional sheets if needed.

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Duties

As a Plant Utilities Assistant, you would assist in the operation, maintenance, and repair of mechanical and electrical equipment providing heat, hot water, ventilation, air conditioning and electrical distribution in a safe and efficient manner.

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Subject of Examination

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

1. Electrical and mechanical trades - These questions test for knowledge of the tools and procedures used in the electrical and mechanical trades involved in maintaining the equipment found in physical plants.
2. Operation and maintenance of related mechanical and electrical equipment - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in the operation, maintenance, and repair of the various types of mechanical and electrical equipment involved in the heating, hot water, ventilation, air-conditioning, and electrical distribution systems found in physical plants.
3. Operation, maintenance, and repair of steam and high temperature hot water generating and distribution systems - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in the operation, maintenance, and repair of steam and high temperature hot water generating and distribution systems, prime movers, and high voltage electrical equipment, including related mechanical and electrical power plant equipment.

If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any war-time veterans' credits to your final passing score.

Credit for Seniority

Seniority is credited at the rate of one credit for each five-year period (or fraction thereof) excluding the first year of service.

How to Apply

The filing deadline has passed. Applications are no longer being accepted.

DO NOT USE INTER-AGENCY MAIL. The NYS Department of Civil Service reserves the right to reject for lateness or to accept applications filed after the advertised filing period. All statements you make on your application are subject to investigation.

State agencies have an ongoing need for persons qualified for appointment to these positions. Generally, the Department of Civil Service schedules the written test twice a year. In general, all applications received up to six weeks before a scheduled test date will be processed for that test date. Applications received afterward will be retained for the next scheduled test date.

Retest Policy:

Qualified candidates may file as frequently as desired, but a new application is required each time. Appeal of ratings will not be allowed as the opportunity for retest exists.

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 employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

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

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 provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

New York State Residence Is Not Required For Most Positions

However, you must be eligible for employment in the United States.

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.

Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions 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. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm

Eligibility for Examination

To be considered a qualified employee eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in, or on leave from, the specified department or agency on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class, or in the non-competitive class or labor class if specifically noted on this announcement (or be on an appropriate preferred list), and have the specified time in the specified title or salary grade. You may not compete in a test for a title if you are permanently employed in that title (unless you are still on probation) or in a higher direct line of promotion.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

Do not bring cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices to the test site. The use of such devices at the test site in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas could result in your disqualification.

Continuous Recruitment/Eligible Lists

Candidates who meet the qualification and pass this examination will have their names placed on the eligible list in the order of final scores, regardless of the date on which they filed or took the test. Generally, the names of qualified candidates will remain on the eligible list for two years. Appeal of ratings will not be allowed as the opportunity for retest exists. The department of Civil Service reserves the right to terminate this special recruitment program.

S2/TC3 ICC-vla
Reissued: 5/17

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.

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