Dairy Product Specialist Trainee 1

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before December 11, 2010, you must have 120 college semester credit hours which must include 18 semester credit hours in specialized courses related to: environmental health; agricultural science; biological science; physics; chemistry; or production or processing of dairy or food products.

Substitution: Satisfactory full time experience in dairy products inspection, milk or food plant production, or milk or food plant quality control, may be used to substitute for a maximum of 60 college credits at the rate of one year of experience equaling 30 semester credit hours.

These positions require completion of a two-year traineeship. After successful completion of the first year of the traineeship, appointees will be advanced without further examination to the Trainee 2 level SG-14 (beginning salary of $41,170 effective April 1, 2010). Successful completion of the second year of the traineeship will result in permanent advancement to the Dairy Product Specialist 1, SG-18 level (beginning salary $51,268 effective April 1, 2010) without further examination. Candidates may be eligible for appointment directly to the Trainee 2 or full performance level. For more information See "Advanced Placement Possible with Education/Experience" below.

Advanced Placement Possible with Education/Experience: Appointees to these positions would serve a two-year traineeship. However, if you meet the minimum qualifications and have an additional year of experience in dairy products inspection, milk or food plant production, or milk or food plant quality control, you may be appointed to the Dairy Products Specialist Trainee 2. This will reduce the traineeship time by one year. You must inform the hiring agency of this additional experience at the time of interview.

Examples of Acceptable Experience: Dairy or food laboratory technician (e.g., butterfat testing or bacteriological analysis), certified industry milk inspector, milk or food plant manager (e.g., quality control, laboratory, or production), food processing equipment installer, food or dairy industry equipment cleaning consultant, mastitis control technician.

Examples of Unacceptable Experience: Dairy herd improvement cooperative supervisor (e.g., sampler), farm laborer, bulk-tank pick-up milk receiver, feed store operator, animal feed salesperson, or artificial inseminator.

Notes

1. 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 NYS 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, Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S1VXR.
2. If you pass the examination for No. 25-422 Dairy Products Specialist Trainee 1 (Spanish Language), you will be required to demonstrate your Spanish language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform properly the duties of the position. Only enough candidates to fill current vacancies will be called to the proficiency test.
3. If you expect to meet the educational requirements by December 30, 2010, 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 requirements to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
4. You MUST submit a listing of qualifying courses with your application, including the course title, name of college or university, number of semester credits per course, and the date of completion. DO NOT SEND TRANSCRIPTS.
5. These positions require extensive travel. Appointees must either possess at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter a valid driver's license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State, and have access to a motor vehicle when necessary, or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the regular transportation requirements in carrying out their field work responsibilities.
6. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
7. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

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Duties

As a Dairy Products Specialist Trainee 1 or Dairy Products Specialist Trainee 1 (Spanish Language), you would serve a two-year traineeship. During the formal training program you will, under close supervision, receive training in the duties performed by a Dairy Products Specialist 1, SG-18. Some of these duties involve conducting inspections and ratings of milk plants and farms in accordance with state and federal regulations to ensure the quality and safety of milk and milk products, and conducting sanitary inspections of dairy farms, milk processing plants, frozen dessert plants, dairy product manufacturers, and milk handlers.

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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 is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Evaluating conclusions in light of known facts - These questions will consist of a set of facts and a conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is proved by the facts, disproved by the facts or if the facts are not sufficient to prove or disprove the conclusion. The questions will not be specific to a particular field.
2. General science concepts related to the production and processing of dairy products - These questions test for knowledge in such areas as chemistry, microbiology, dairy science, and environmental sanitation as they relate to the production and processing of dairy products.
3. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
4. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test how well you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the selections.

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.

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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.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

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.

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.

S1/TB2 VXR-vla
Issued: 9/24/10

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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