Construction Specialist 1 (Transportation)

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.

Promotion examination open to all qualified employees of the New York State Department of Transportation.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before September 28, 2019, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Department of Transportation and have had three months of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service as a Principal Drafting Technician (General), Principal Drafting Technician (Structural), Principal Engineering Technician, Principal Engineering Technician (Soils), Mapping Technician 3, Mapping Technologist 1, Senior Engineering Materials Analyst, Senior Engineering Materials Chemist, Materials Testing Specialist 1, Engineering Geologist or Traffic Systems Technician 2.

Only the title or titles listed are qualifying

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before June 28, 2019, and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

Qualifying Experience for Appointment from the Eligible List

After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

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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 surveying and computerized drafting techniques - These questions test for elementary knowledge of the principles, terminology, computations, and proper practices involved in performing surveys of various construction projects and land areas, and the concepts, terminology, and proper procedures to use when creating technical drawings utilizing computerized drafting software.
2. Methods and materials used in the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges and other structures and facilities - These questions test for knowledge of the proper procedures, materials, and equipment used in the construction, reconstruction, and repair of various types of public works projects, including such typical construction work as roadways, bridges, excavations, embankments, drainage structures, retaining walls, and similar facilities.
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. Principles and practices of civil engineering and technology - These questions test for knowledge of technological and engineering concepts and their practical applications related to the construction, operation, and maintenance of public works projects, including roadways, bridges, buildings, water and sewage systems, and similar types of infrastructure.
5. Project planning, design, environmental impact, contracts and contract administration - These questions test for knowledge of the concepts, terminology, proper procedures, evaluation techniques, and computations used in the planning, design, and implementation of engineering projects and related contractual agreements, including scheduling and overseeing projects and/or contracts to completion, highway design, traffic studies, and environmental impact assessment.
6. 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.

If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' credits to your final passing score.

Credit for Seniority

Seniority is credited at the rate of one credit for each five-year period (or fraction thereof), excluding the first year of service.

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Duties

As a Construction Specialist 1 (Transportation), you would utilize strong empirical knowledge and extensive experience in performing complex civil engineering technical activities in the design, construction, inspection and evaluation of roads, bridges, airport structures, rail facilities, waterways, geotechnical features, materials, traffic and safety systems, and related structures and equipment. You would function as a construction project lead; ensure adherence to federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations; review the technical accuracy of plans and documentation in contracts and proposals; prepare cost estimates of materials and supplies for projects; gather and evaluate technical data; and prepare novel and difficult design models. You would also coordinate the activities of contractors, sub-contractors, utilities, local governments, and other affected parties to assure contract progress and scheduled completion, and make recommendations to engineering staff about revision of plans and specifications to meet field conditions or unexpected construction problems. You would also be responsible for ensuring the safety of inspection staff, contractor's employees, and the traveling public. In addition, you would also train and supervise subordinate engineering technicians and seasonal construction inspectors assigned to construction inspection.

Appointments to some positions requires the ability to perform all of the duties of the position including the ability to access all structures, which may include but is not limited to bridges, dams, and locks.

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

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.

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.

Eligibility for Examination

To be considered a qualified employee eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in, or on leave from, the specified department or agency on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class, or in the non-competitive class or labor class if specifically noted on this announcement (or be on an appropriate preferred list), and have the specified time in the specified title or salary grade. You may not compete in a test for a title if you are permanently employed in that title (unless you are still on probation) or in a higher direct line of promotion.

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 LJT-dah
Issued: 07/12/2019

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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