New York State of Opportunity

Program Research Specialist 3 Series

Written Test To Be Held
April 30, 2022
You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday to take your test. You cannot request or change your scheduled day.
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
March 16, 2022

 

Exams Included on This Announcement
Exam Number Exam Title Salary Salary Grade Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available)
26-742 Program Research Specialist 3 $79,325 SG-23 $40
26-855 Program Research Specialist 3 (Agricultural) $79,325 SG-23
26-856 Program Research Specialist 3 (Criminal Justice) $79,325 SG-23
26-857 Program Research Specialist 3 (Health Care Finance) $79,325 SG-23
26-858 Program Research Specialist 3 (Health Systems Analysis) $79,325 SG-23
26-859 Program Research Specialist 3 (Medical Assistance) $79,325 SG-23
26-860 Program Research Specialist 3 (Public Health) $79,325 SG-23
26-861 Program Research Specialist 3 (Human Services) $79,325 SG-23
26-862 Program Research Specialist 3 (Economics Finance) $79,325 SG-23
26-863 Program Research Specialist 3 (Transportation) $79,325 SG-23

Please be advised that effective December 1, 2021 the New York State Department of Civil Service will have a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination/testing policy for in-person examinations administered at a New York State test center. For more information, you can access the full policy on the Department of Civil Service website.

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to one of the following test sites to take this examination: Albany, Buffalo, Nyack, Port Jefferson, Poughkeepsie, Syracuse, and an additional downstate location. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

If you previously applied for this examination scheduled for May 16, 2020, which was postponed, you do NOT need to reapply. Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the qualifications to take the examination. Additional information will be sent to previous applicants via email.

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 **April 30, 2022, you must have a bachelor's degree including or supplemented by NINE semester credit hours in statistics, biostatistics, economics, econometrics, research methods, mathematics, data analysis, or data modeling PLUS THREE YEARS of professional* research experience in:

For No. 26-742: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of program operations.

For No. 26-855: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of agricultural topics, such as acreage, crop production, livestock, commodities pricing, milk production, milk receipts and utilization, milk prices and margins, or organization and structure of the industry.

For No. 26-856: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of criminal justice system topics, including crime; criminal justice trends; adult and youth case processing; incarceration; community supervision; recidivism; offender risk and/or reentry; correctional programming and impact of programming on crime factors; and/or performance indicators developed by State criminal justice agencies.

For No. 26-857: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of healthcare reimbursement mechanisms, funding methodology, health economics, healthcare financing, cost containment, or patient classification systems.

For No. 26-858: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of healthcare delivery systems, State and federal surveillance systems, health regulatory or policy analysis, or clinical outcomes.

For No. 26-859: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of Medicaid or other State or federal medical assistance programs.

For No. 26-860: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of public health topics, such as analysis of the causes, occurrence or control of diseases or other health conditions, health behaviors, and/or health care system utilization, including the impact of payment methodologies on population health.

For No. 26-861: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of social services programs, such as cash or nutrition assistance, child welfare, disease management, disease prevention, employment and unemployment services, labor market information, or workforce development.

For No. 26-862: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of rate setting methodology, aid formulas, grant distribution, aid payment schedules to educational institutions, taxation, real property tax levy, or Medicaid reimbursement.

For No. 26-863: the collection and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review and analysis of transportation topics, such as highway safety, traffic management, accident reduction, accident surveillance, mass transit, or motor carrier safety.

Substitution for ALL Titles: J.D. or master's degree may substitute for one year of the experience; a doctoral degree may substitute for two years of the experience.

*For purpose of these examinations professional research experience cannot be part of your degree requirements. You must clearly demonstrate how you meet the supplemental coursework and degree requirements for this examination. Include the name of the college or university, course title, date received, and number of semester credits received per course in the "coursework" section of the online application. If applying with a paper application, you may attach a copy of your transcripts for verification of coursework and degree requirements.

Experience limited to general, non-professional research tasks (for example, legal citation research, bibliographical research, or incidental research functions as part of a non-research job) will NOT be considered qualifying.

If you expect to meet the educational requirements by **September 30, 2022, 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 Appointing Authority at the time of the employment interview. Failure to meet the educational requirements by **September 30, 2022 may result in your removal from the eligible list.

Notes

  1. Your degree or college credit must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. 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. This information can also be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. 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, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S1KXH.
  2. A promotion examination is also being held for these positions. If you are eligible for appointment from a promotion list, you may not be appointed in your own agency from the list resulting from this examination open to the public.
  3. Although promotion examinations are being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as the result of these examinations open to the public.
  4. Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: In some agencies, the names of all prospective employees will be:

    • Checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s);
    • Investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). 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 will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws;

    and may be:

    • Screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees whose names appear on the SCR may be barred from appointment.

    You will be responsible for payment of all required fees.

  5. Medicaid and Medicare: In order to be eligible for appointment and to maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). If you are appointed and subsequently listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program), you may be terminated from your employment.
  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 following New York State Agencies: Department of Agriculture and Markets, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Department of Economic Development, Department of Education, Department of Financial Services, Department of Health, Department of Labor, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Taxation and Finance, Department of Transportation, Division of Criminal Justice Services, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Higher Education Services Corporation, Justice Center, NYS Gaming Commission, Office for the Aging, Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Office of Cannabis Management, Office of Children and Family Services, Office of Comptroller, Office of General Services, Office of Medicaid Inspector General, Office of Mental Health, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Office of Victim Services, State Insurance Fund, and Workers' Compensation Board

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Duties

As a Program Research Specialist 3, including parenthetics, you would independently perform research projects under minimal supervision, or be responsible for managing and directing research analysis and evaluation teams in support of complex program activities of an agency or major division of an agency.

SELECTIVE CERTIFICATION: Approved applicants will have an opportunity to complete an online education and experience questionnaire that will be used for all titles on this announcement. Information provided on the questionnaire is subject to verification and may be used to qualify candidates for positions requiring specific education and experience beyond the minimum qualifications. Approved applicants will receive, via email, information about the process of completing the online questionnaire and when it will be available. It is very important that you provide an up-to-date email address on your application as you will receive important communication via email. All approved candidates are encouraged to complete the questionnaire to maximize opportunities for appointment; only candidates who complete the questionnaire and receive a passing score on the written examination will be considered for positions being filled using selective certification. This questionnaire will NOT be scored and must be completed within the required time period specified in the email. Your final score for the Program Research Specialist examination is based only on the written test. Names of candidates who pass the examination, but do not complete this questionnaire, will appear on the general eligible list only.

CERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBLE LISTS: When filling vacancies, agencies will have two options. One option is to request a general certification of the eligible list. Or, if it is determined that specific education and experience, beyond the minimum qualifications, are required for a position; agencies have the option to request a selective certification of the eligible list (see above). The selective certification will filter the results of the written test based on the responses to the online questionnaire. The selective certification will contain only the names of candidates who meet the specialized requirements, ranked by score, in the same order of certification described above. Final scores are based on the results of the written test only.

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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. Understanding and Interpreting Tabular Material - These questions test your ability to understand, analyze, and use the internal logic of data presented in tabular form. You may be asked to perform tasks such as completing tables, drawing conclusions from them, analyzing data trends or interrelationships, and revising or combining data sets. The concepts of rate, ratio, and proportion are tested. Mathematical operations are simple, and computational speed is not a major factor in the test. You should bring with you a hand-held battery- or solar-powered calculator for use on this test. You will not be permitted to use the calculator function of your cell phone.
  2. 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.
  3. Descriptive and Inferential Statistics - These questions test for knowledge of statistical methods and techniques and their application. The questions will cover such areas as central tendency and variability, the normal distribution, hypothesis testing, statistical significance testing, probability, correlation and regression, parametric and nonparametric statistics, and analysis of variance. The questions are primarily conceptual, but you may be required to do some manipulation of data.
  4. Supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.
  5. Research and experimental design - These questions test for knowledge of the concepts and techniques involved in the collection and interpretation of data, and the design and implementation of research studies. The questions cover such areas as sampling theory and methods, survey methods, and research and experimental design concepts. You will not be required to do any substantial manipulation of data.

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

Note: The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets. Online tests may be administered using Remote Proctoring. The announcement will indicate if remote proctoring is being offered. Information on remote proctoring is available on our website at:www.cs.ny.gov/testing/remote-proctoring.cfm.

Admission to the Test: If approved, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil, online at a state test site using a State-provided Chromebook, or online at home on your personal equipment using Remote Proctoring Software. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

This announcement is for viewing purposes only.

Important: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. Any past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email FeeUnitMail@cs.ny.gov regarding inquiries about any past due fee. It is important that you 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 confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination.

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, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, 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. 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.

Other Accommodation

Individuals who apply to take an in-person Civil Service examination and who wish to request an exemption to the Department's COVID-19 vaccination/testing policy due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance, must check the box on the application under "Other Accommodations" and will be required to provide appropriate documentation. Candidates granted an exemption will be offered the opportunity to take the examination via Remote Proctoring - a secure, web-based test delivery method that uses professional test proctors and technology to monitor applicants using a web camera as they complete an examination.

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, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local 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: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S1/TB1 KXH-klr
Reissued: 3/2/22
**Revised Material: 3/2/22

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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