New York State of Opportunity

Land Surveyor

Written Test To Be Held
December 14, 2019
You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday.
Please refer to the information below.
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
October 30, 2019

 

Exams Included on This Announcement
Exam Number Exam Title Salary Salary Grade Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available)
26-768 Land Surveyor $62,726 SG-20 $40
26-769 Senior Land Surveyor $77,187 SG-24 $45
You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday to take your test. The Department of Civil Service reserves the right to administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets. Your admission notice will tell you whether your test will be administered online. You cannot request a day in advance or change your scheduled day.

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. 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. If you do not receive a confirmation 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.

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 14, 2019, you must have:

For No. 26-768: New York State Land Surveyor’s License with current registration.*

For No. 26-769: New York State Land Surveyor’s License with current registration* AND three years of post licensure experience in Land Surveying.

*You must indicate your land surveyor’s license number and registration information on your application by listing them in the “license or certification” section of the online/paper application.

Notes

  1. Appointees will be required to have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State or otherwise demonstrate your ability to meet the transportation needs of the job.
  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. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
  5. 5. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

Land Surveyor positions exist at the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Office of General Services, and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Senior Land Surveyor positions exist at the Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, the Office of General Services, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation.

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Duties

As a Land Surveyor, you would exercise professional judgment on complex highway or state land boundary determinations. You would assist in the establishment of standards and procedures utilized in your profession and in the pursuit of technological advances that would increase the efficiency of your operations. You would manage project priorities, staff, work schedules, and consultant services to deliver the land surveying program and ensure quality control of survey related products and data integrity. You would provide direct supervision and technical direction of field and/or office staff, and provide guidance and direction to survey consultants. You might assist the Attorney General’s Office in case preparation and you might testify as an expert witness. You would be required to sign and seal survey maps. You would prepare legal descriptions in reference to a deed(s).

As a Senior Land Surveyor, you would exercise independent professional judgment as a Department expert on complex highway or state land boundary determinations. You would establish standards and procedures utilized in your profession and pursue technological and procedural advances that would increase the efficiency of your operations. You might set policy for the use of photogrammetry, balancing and processing of field data, and interpretation of NYS Laws. You would manage the project schedule priorities and staff or consultant resources that are necessary to produce the land surveying program and ensure quality assurance of survey related products. You would provide administrative supervision, professional guidance, and technical direction to your staff. You would be required to sign and seal survey maps. You would assist the Attorney General’s Office in case preparation and you might testify as an expert witness.

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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: For Examination Numbers
26-76826-769
1. 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.XX
2. Terrestrial and geodetic surveying - These questions test for knowledge of the principles, practices, and computations used when performing surveys for land areas, control networks, and construction projects, including map projections, coordinate systems, datum, GPS, and their applications to land surveys; and procedures involved in surveys applicable to establishing control networks, project control, and the position and publication of terrain data.XX
3. Land surveying project oversight - These questions test for knowledge of the proper concepts, practices, and methods to use when overseeing the work of land surveyors, including proper adherence to contract documents, dealing with cost estimates, contractors and workers, land surveying procedures, and inspection record keeping. XX
4. Legal requirements related to property line boundaries, including title searches - These questions test for knowledge of the legal terminology, documents, and property description requirements involved in boundary and ownership issues related to real property and land acquisition.X
5. 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. X
6. Administrative supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in directing the activities of a large subordinate staff, including subordinate supervisors. Questions relate to the personal interactions between an upper level supervisor and his/her subordinate supervisors in the accomplishment of objectives. These questions cover such areas as assigning work to and coordinating the activities of several units, establishing and guiding staff development programs, evaluating the performance of subordinate supervisors, and maintaining relationships with other organizational sections. X
7. Administrative techniques and practices - These questions test for a knowledge of management techniques and practices used in directing or assisting in directing a program component or an organizational segment. Questions cover such areas as interpreting policies, making decisions based on the context of the position in the organization, coordinating programs or projects, communicating with employees or the public, planning employee training, and researching and evaluating areas of concern. X

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.

Important: The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies may communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your 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.

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.

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

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.

S2/TC3 LAK-dah
Issued: 09/27/2019

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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