New York State Department of Civil Service Announces Open-Competitive Examination Open to the Public

Public Health Inspector

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 October 20, 2012, you must have completed the college semester credit hours listed below AND have had one year of experience in environmental health protection, public health, or laboratory technology (medical, microbiological, or environmental).

Required semester credit hours:

Either: 12 semester credit hours in biology, chemistry, geology, hydrology, and/or physics;
Or: Six semester credit hours in the courses listed above AND six semester credit hours in science-based courses in one of the following applied sciences: environmental technology, sanitation technology, medical technology, public health, infection control, or food science.

You must submit a list of qualifying courses or a copy of your transcript. Include the name of the school, course title, number of semester credit hours and date completed for each course.

Substitution: Additional college semester credit hours beyond those required to meet the minimum qualifications may be substituted for the required experience at the rate of 15 semester credit hours equaling six months. Verification of your college coursework will be required at the time of employment interview.

Notes

1. At the end of the season, the names of seasonal Public Health Inspectors are placed on a seasonal re-employment list from which they will be considered for re-employment the next year without examination.
2. Examinations for Sanitarian Trainee, Exam No. 25-534, Public Health Sanitarian, Exam No. 25-535, and Senior Sanitarian, Exam No. 25-536 will be held on the same day. You may also apply for these examinations on the same application; the appropriate processing fee(s) must be paid.
3. New York State counties may also be holding tests for similar titles on the same day. If you plan to participate in multiple examinations scheduled for the same day, refer to the instructions under the "Additional Information" section of this announcement.
4. 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: S5HXC.
5. If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.
6. Travel Requirements: Appointment to certain positions requires extensive travel within a designated area of assignment. Appointees to these positions may be required to operate a motor vehicle or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the transportation needs of the job. If the position requires that you operate a motor vehicle, you must possess a driver's license valid in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter. Field work and travel expenses are reimbursed on a fixed schedule.
7. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
8. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the New York State Department of Health and are located in Canton, Geneva, Glens Falls, Herkimer, Hornell, Monticello, Oneonta, Saranac Lake, and Watertown. These are primarily seasonal summer positions.

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Duties

As a Public Health Inspector, you would make initial and follow-up inspections of food service establishments, public water systems, children's overnight and day camps, campgrounds, mobile home parks, hotels, motels, bungalow and cabin colonies, swimming pools, bathing beaches, recreational aquatic spray grounds, indoor tanning establishments, and migrant farm worker housing to help determine compliance with the State Sanitary Code. You would also make compliance checks of retail tobacco vendors to determine compliance with the requirements of the Public Health Law. You would inform the owners/operators of the facility being inspected of the observed deficiencies and the need to correct them. You may testify at hearings conducted by a Hearing Officer representing the Commissioner of Health. You would also prepare sketches, diagrams, and graphs necessary to evaluate data relating to a regulated facility, as well as answer routine correspondence regarding permits and violations.

Public Health Inspectors hired on a seasonal basis would inspect the regulated facility described above. In cases of minor deficiencies, you would advise the operator to make necessary corrections. In instances of repeat or more serious violations, you would refer the matter for appropriate administrative action. You would also make reports to your supervisor.

IMPORTANT: These positions require extensive field work. At the time of appointment, you will be required to demonstrate your capacity to meet the transportation needs involved in carrying out the work responsibilities.

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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. Basic principles of biology, chemistry, and general science - These questions test for knowledge of elementary concepts and principles in the fields of general science, biology, and chemistry.
2. Arithmetic reasoning - These questions test for the ability to apply proper reasoning to simple mathematical problems and to perform such elementary mathematical procedures as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and calculating percentages.
3. 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.
4. 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.

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

If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.

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 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.

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

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 [press 2, then press 2]. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2]. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

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

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

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.

S5/TC3 HXC-sac
Issued: 8/3/2012

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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