New York State of Opportunity

Chief Lock Operator

Written Test To Be Held
January 11, 2020
You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday.
Please refer to the information below.
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
November 26, 2019

 

Exams Included on This Announcement
Exam Number Exam Title Open to Employees of Salary Salary Grade Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available)
38-529 Chief Lock Operator Canal Corporation $39,416 Equated to SG-12 $10
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 Canal Corporation.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before January 11, 2020, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Canal Corporation and have had three months of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service as a Canal Structure Operator.

Only the title or titles listed are qualifying.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before October 11, 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.

NOTE: You must possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter. Some positions require a commercial driver's license (CDL).

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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. Electrical principles, machinery, tools, and wiring - These questions test for knowledge of basic electrical principles, the proper operation of electrical machinery, tools used in electrical work, and proper electrical wiring procedures.
  2. Mechanical principles, equipment, and tools - These questions test for knowledge of general mechanical principles and may include such areas as tool identification and typical use, operating characteristics of mechanical equipment, and proper maintenance of mechanical equipment.
  3. Customer service - These questions test for knowledge of techniques used to interact with other people, to gather and present information, and to provide assistance, advice and effective customer service in a courteous and professional manner. Questions will cover such topics as understanding and responding to people with diverse needs, perspectives, personalities, and levels of familiarity with agency operations, as well as acting in a way that both serves the public and reflects well on your agency.
  4. Construction, operation, maintenance, testing and repair of canal mechanical, hydraulic and electrical equipment - These questions test for knowledge of the characteristics and operating procedures of the canal locks, lift bridges and other structures on the New York State Canal System and the mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic principles involved in the testing, maintenance, and repair of the equipment used on these structures.
  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.

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 Chief Lock Operator, you would supervise assigned staff and be responsible for the operation and maintenance of a lock and all related machinery, equipment, and structures; operate a lock to permit passage of canal traffic; operate water control structures and movable dams to regulate water levels; be responsible for the upkeep of these and other structures, grounds, approaches, and lock houses; be responsible for performing administrative tasks associated with the collection of user fees; keep electronic records of canal traffic, hourly water level readings, incident reports, etc.; and be on 24-hour emergency call out. You might also operate and maintain small bridges and hand-operated structures connected with or adjacent to the lock and supervise the inspection of canal and banks for seepage, navigational hazards, and trespass. During the non-navigational season, you would be responsible for the preventive maintenance and reconditioning of all machinery and equipment and replacement installations as required and for keeping all entrance ways and exits of all structures clear of ice and snow. Appointees must have basic computer skills to operate project and maintenance tracking software program. This position requires frequent interaction with the public.

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.

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-rkv
Issued: 10/25/2019

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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