ENGINEERING RESEARCH EDITOR SERIES

The Seal of the New York State Department of Civil Service

NEW YORK STATE
Department of Civil Service Announces
Examination Open to All Qualified Individuals

Written Test To Be Held

MARCH 27, 2004

Applications MUST Be
Postmarked
No Later Than

FEBRUARY 23, 2004

archived statement

This is an Archived Announcement.
The application filing date has passed.

Examination Number and Title		Salary Grade	Salary	Non-Refundable Processing Fee
24-305	ENGINEERING RESEARCH EDITOR TRAINEE 1	Equated To G-13	$30,845	$25
24-306	SENIOR ENGINEERING RESEARCH EDITOR	G-18	$40,850	$25
24-307	ASSOCIATE ENGINEERING RESEARCH EDITOR	G-23	$53,104	$30

Appointees in the New York City area (Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond [Staten Island], Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties) will receive an additional $1,200 annual location pay differential/downstate adjustment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: On or before March 27, 2004, you must have:

For Examination Number 24-305:

SUBSTITUTION: One year of experience in a position in which your primary duty was communicating technical information to peer technical audiences or translating technical information for non-technical audiences may be substituted for 3 of the semester credit hours, up to a maximum of 12 semester credit hours. Experience CANNOT be substituted for the bachelor's degree requirement.

For Examination Number 24-306:

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree including or supplemented by 24 semester credit hours, in natural, physical, environmental or applied science; engineering; or technical or scientific writing or editing. Up to six of the 24 semester credit hours may also be in advanced writing, communication, journalism or statistics. You must submit a list of qualifying courses with your application including the number of semester credit hours per course. Applications submitted without a course list WILL NOT be reviewed.
SUBSTITUTION: One year of experience in a position in which your primary duty was communicating technical information to peer technical audiences or translating technical information for non-technical audiences may be substituted for 3 of the semester credit hours, up to a maximum of 12 semester credit hours. Experience CANNOT be substituted for the bachelor's degree requirement.

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Two Years of experience in organizational public relations, newspaper or magazine writing, or electronic publishing.
SUBSTITUTION: A master's degree, or 30 graduate semester credit hours, in natural, physical, environmental or applied science; engineering; or technical or scientific writing or editing may be substituted for one year of GENERAL EXPERIENCE.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: The above GENERAL EXPERIENCE must have included:
• One year of Editorial and layout or electronic presentation work or website planning, development and content management

For Examination Number 24-307:

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Four Years of experience in organizational public relations, newspaper or magazine writing, or electronic publishing.
SUBSTITUTION: A master's degree, or 30 graduate semester credit hours, in natural, physical, environmental or applied science; engineering; or technical or scientific writing or editing may be substituted for one year of GENERAL EXPERIENCE.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: The above GENERAL EXPERIENCE must have included:
Two years of editorial and layout or electronic presentation work or website planning, development and content management

One year of supervision of professional staff; or ongoing responsibility for project management, including staff assignments, budgeting and scheduling.

Education cannot be substituted for the SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE.

Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.

New York State residence is not required.

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. This information is also available here.You must pay the required evaluation fee.

If you expect to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2004 and you meet the experience requirements, you can be admitted to the written test. If you pass, you must submit proof of completion of the educational requirements to the hiring authority at the time of the employment interview.

If eligible, you may compete in more than one examination by filing one application form listing the numbers and titles of the examinations in which you are interested. The appropriate processing fee must be filed for each examination.

THE POSITIONS: These positions exist at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the NYS Department of Public Service in Albany. There is currently one Senior Engineering Research Editor vacancy and one Associate Engineering Research Editor vacancy.

DUTIES: As an Engineering Research Editor Trainee 1, you would serve a two-year traineeship consisting of an intensive on-the-job training program in which, under the supervision of a Senior or Associate Engineering Research Editor, you would write, edit and prepare copy for a variety of formats (reports, technical papers for publication and/or spoken presentation, newsletters, articles, brochures and booklets, web pages, slide presentations and broadcast scripts) for diverse technical and/or non-technical audiences. You would gather information through written source research and interviews; identify and characterize audiences; and select illustrations and graphics. In addition, you might plan, coordinate and schedule print and web publications. You would work to develop the skills needed to cooperate satisfactorily with a variety of people. Upon successful completion of the 12 month training as an Engineering Research Editor Trainee 1, you would automatically be advanced to Engineering Research Editor Trainee 2, at a current salary of $32,659. Upon successful completion of the 12 month training as an Engineering Research Editor Trainee 2, you would be advanced to the full title of Senior Engineering Research Editor, without further examination, at a current salary of $40,850.

As a Senior Engineering Research Editor, you would apply the principles of good communication to meet the needs of your agency. You would translate scientific, engineering, planning and research data, and program and technical studies into form and style understandable by technical audiences in other fields and by the general public. You would explain, in technical or lay terms, as appropriate, the substance and import of highly technical programs and decisions, and edit and revise documents to assure accurate and clear communication of technical and program information. You would prepare and disseminate information about significant problems and programs in coordination with scientific, engineering and public affairs staff and program managers. You would write and edit copy and coordinate effective illustration for a variety of formats (reports, technical papers for publication and/or spoken presentation, newsletters, articles, brochures and booklets, web pages, slide presentations and broadcast scripts). You would oversee and occasionally implement formatting of information for print and electronic presentations, often acting as project manager for complex presentations.

As an Associate Engineering Research Editor, you would be responsible for broad management of print and/or electronic communication, including assigning work and managing workloads, budgets and schedules. You might be responsible for supervising staff in the performance of the duties described above for Senior Engineering Research Editor.

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:

For Examination Numbers 24-305, 24-306 and 24-307:

Editing technical material – These questions will test for the ability to edit engineering, planning and research data and technical studies into a form and style which is understandable by the target audience.

Preparing reports and official documents – These questions test for the ability to prepare reports and other official documents for use within and among governmental agencies, in legal or regulatory settings, or for dissemination to the public. Some questions test for a knowledge of grammar, usage, punctuation, and sentence structure. Others test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, to use the proper tone, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly.

Understanding and interpreting technical material – These questions will test candidates' ability to comprehend typical scientific and agency data and technical reports upon which editorial assignments might be based.

In addition to the above, for Examination Number 24-306:

Preparing information materials – These questions test candidates' knowledge of basic principles and practices of print and electronic publication. Topics may include such aspects as production terminology and practices, layout and design for print and the Internet, and incorporation of photographs and graphics into narrative material.

In addition to the above, for Examinatoin Number 24-307:

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.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

HOW TO APPLY: Use FORM OC-APP, APPLICATION FOR NYS EXAMINATIONS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Forms are available (by mail or in person) at these offices of the New York State Department of Civil Service: Building 1, State Campus, Albany, NY 12239; the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027; and the Edward A. Rath Building, 95 Franklin Street, Room 625, Buffalo, NY 14202, or by E mailing us at: examinfo@cs.state.ny.us You may also obtain application forms by visiting the Civil Service Career Information Center, Suite 108, North Concourse, Empire State Plaza, Albany. This office cannot handle mail requests. State employees may obtain examination applications at their agency or facility personnel or business office.

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) 457 5483 if taking the test in Albany; (518) 457-6556 for New York City Test Center; (518) 457 7022 for all other Test Centers.

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.

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 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) 457-3416 or TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) (518) 457-8480.

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) 457-7022 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/TB2 MEL-map Issued: 1/9/04

S2/TB2 MEL-map
Issued: 1/9/04