Open Competitive
WESTCHESTER COUNTY
CIVIL SERVICE CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES
County Service · Westchester Medical Center ·Towns · Villages · School Districts · Special Districts · Cities of Peekskill & Rye
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Applications Continuously Accepted Revised: 1/20/10 |
Exam #: 02-600 |
Exam Date: CONTINUOUSLY HELD DURING THE WEEK (Monday thru Friday) |
WATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR IIB/ TRAINEE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR/ TRAINEE
For Vacancies in Westchester County Government
A NON-REFUNDABLE $25.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. SEE APPLICATION FILING FEE STATEMENT ON LAST SECTION OF ANNOUNCEMENT.
Successful candidates in this examination will have their names interfiled (placed) on the continuous recruitment eligible list in the order of final scores. The names of candidates will remain on the eligible list for a period of one (1) year. Candidates who wish to retest in this title may do so after one (1) year.
The results from this written examination are used for appointment to applicable positions in Westchester County service.
IF INTERESTED, YOU MUST APPLY FOR THE FOLLOWING EXAMINATIONS AT THE SAME TIME, AS YOUR PARTICIPATION WILL BE LIMITED TO ONCE EVERY TWELVE MONTHS TO TAKE AN EXAMINATION FOR ANY ONE OR COMBINATION OF THESE TITLES:
02-600 Water Treatment Plant Operator IIB/Trainee (County)
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator/Trainee (County)
02-601 Water
Treatment Plant Operator/Trainee (Locals)
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator/Trainee
(Locals)
SALARY
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For Trainee
Positions: $39,485 - Starting
Salary |
For Operator
Positions:
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MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Possession of a high school or equivalency diploma and four years of work experience in the operation, maintenance or repair of mechanical equipment such as heating and ventilation systems or in any of the trades such as plumbing, electrical, pipe or steam fitting, masonry, carpentry.
SUBSTITUTION: Apprenticeship training or training gained by the successful completion of technical courses in mechanical equipment or in any of the trades at a school, institute or branch of the armed services may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to one year of the required experience.
*SPECIAL NOTE: Education beyond the secondary level must be from an institution recognized or accredited by the Board of Regents of the New York State Education Department as a post-secondary, degree-granting institution.
Note: The number of years of experience required in the minimum qualifications is based upon the presumption of full-time employment. Part-time experience will be prorated based on a 35 hour workweek.
ONLY EXPERIENCE GAINED AFTER ATTAINING THE MINIMUM EDUCATION LEVEL INDICATED IN THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN EVALUATING EXPERIENCE.
ALL CANDIDATES QUALIFYING BY POST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION MUST SUBMIT AN OFFICIAL (RAISED SEAL AND SIGNED BY REGISTRAR) TRANSCRIPT(S) TO THIS OFFICE BEFORE BEING APPROVED AND ADMITTED TO TAKE THIS EXAMINATION, UNLESS ALREADY ON FILE IN OUR OFFICE. IF IT IS ON FILE, PLEASE INDICATE THIS ON YOUR APPLICATION.
CANDIDATE’S OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN 60 DAYS OF FILING APPLICATION. IF NOT RECEIVED WITHIN 60 DAYS, YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED TO TAKE THIS EXAM AND MUST RE-FILE.
NOTE: If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.
ALL APPLICATIONS MUST HAVE COPIES OF THE APPROPRIATE LICENSE, CERTIFICATE OR REGISTRATION.
RESIDENCE
There are no residence requirements to participate in the examination, but preference in appointment may be given to eligibles that have been residents in the appointing jurisdiction for 30 days prior to the examination and at the effective date of appointment.
DUTIES
For Trainee Positions:
This is a trainee position involving responsibility for learning the duties and routines in the operation and maintenance of a water/wastewater treatment plant. The work is performed under immediate supervision of a qualified operator. Does related work as required.
For Operator Positions:
When assigned to a Wastewater Treatment Plant, incumbents operate, maintain and repair a secondary wastewater treatment plant and contributing pump stations; perform skilled work to control physical, chemical and biological wastewater treatment processes and may supervise lower level personnel on an assigned shift. When assigned to a Water Treatment Plant, incumbents operate and maintain a Type IIB water treatment plant and its distribution system which has facilities for the application of chemicals to the water, and perform journeyman level maintenance, repair, and installation work on water treatment plant equipment during an assigned shift. Does related work as required.
VACANCIES
A single eligible list will be established as a result of this examination and will be used to fill vacancies as they occur in the Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities. Candidates who are successful in this examination and who have the proper grade certificate required by the New York State Department of Health Sanitary Code (Grade I Certificate for Wastewater and Grade IIB for Water Treatment) as well as the required experience for the Operator will be certified for appointment at the Operator level. Other eligibles will be certified at the Trainee level and will be advanced to the Journey level without further examination upon satisfactory completion of the certificate requirements appropriate to the facility, as well as other traineeship requirements.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION
The written test may be in written form or it may be administered on a personal computer (PC). The type of test will be stated on the admission notice.
If administered on a (PC), the test will be held on a weekday. Candidates need no prior knowledge of computers in order to take the test. The test uses a simple point-and-click system that is thoroughly explained through an animated instruction program. Candidates will be given a sample test on which to practice before the actual test begins.
The weighted written test defined below will be used to determine candidate’s rank on the eligible list.
WRITTEN TEST is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:
1. Mechanical Aptitude - These questions test your ability to identify and understand how basic mechanical instruments such as motors and gears work.
2. Safety Practices - These questions test your knowledge of basic safety practices.
3. Tools and Reading of Scales and Gauges - These questions test your ability to recognize or identify basic tools and their common uses and to make accurate readings of various types of dials, scales and gauges.
4. Elementary Chemistry and General Science - These questions test your knowledge of basic processes and concepts in chemistry and general science.
5. Understanding and Interpreting Written Material - These questions test how well you comprehend written material.
6. Basic Mathematics - These questions test your ability to use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to solve basic arithmetic problems that might be encountered in water and wastewater treatment plant operations. Questions may also involve the use of fractions, decimals, averages, and percents.
In accordance with Section 23.2 of Civil Service Law, candidates may not review their examination papers and may not appeal their examination results. However, at the written request of a candidate, the accuracy of his/her score will be verified.
The New York State Department of Civil Service has published a Study Guide intended for candidate preparation for this particular examination. This Study Guide contains important test-related information as well as sample test questions similar to the questions that will be used in the written test.
The New York State Department of Civil Service is making a copy of this Study Guide and other related information available on its Website at http://www.cs.state.ny.us/testing/localtestguides.cfm (Remember to scroll down the page). In addition, a copy of this Study Guide can also be obtained from the Westchester County Department of Human Resources, Suite 100, 148 Martine Avenue, White Plains, New York 10601.
GENERAL NOTICE TO CANDIDATES FOR ALL CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS
1. The use of a quiet, hand-held, solar or battery powered calculator is RECOMMENDED. Devices with typewriter keyboards such as computers, spell-checkers, personal digital assistants, address books, language translators, dictionaries, or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials to the examination location.
2. ELIGIBLE LISTS - Successful candidates in this examination will have their name interfiled (placed) on the continuous recruitment eligible list in the order of final scores, regardless of the date on which they filed for or took the examination. The names of candidates will remain on the eligible list for a period of one (1) year, unless permanently appointed.
3. RETESTS - Candidates are barred from taking this examination series for twelve months from the last date on which they participated.
4. FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT - In accordance with Westchester County’s comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace Policy and Procedures, and commitment to maintain a safe, alcohol and drug- free work environment, you may be required to submit to a urinalysis and/or blood test.
5. FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT – If offered employment, you will be subject to the Westchester County Fingerprinting Policy under which your appointment may be conditioned on the results of a fingerprinting investigation.
6. This examination will be prepared and rated in accordance with Section 23(2) of the Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Law, rules and regulations dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations will apply to this examination.
7. Veterans and Veterans with Disabilities, who meet the criteria set forth in the Application for Examination, may be eligible for additional credits added to their earned scores if successful in examination. CREDITS MUST BE CLAIMED AT THE TIME OF FILING YOUR APPLICATION FOR EXAMINATION AND YOU MUST ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR DD214 SEPARATION PAPERS. If claiming credit as a Veteran with a disability, attach form 102. If these documents are not submitted within sixty days of filing your application, your claim will be denied. "Active duty members of the Armed Forces have the right to request veteran credits prior to discharge. If you are currently on active duty you should check the appropriate box on the application and attach a letter requesting the use of credits with documentation verifying your active duty status: i.e. copy of military ID, military orders, official documents indicating current service, etc." See our website section "Special Rights for Veterans" for details regarding the use of these credits.
8. In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty are entitled to receive an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has been established.
HOW TO APPLY
APPLICATION FILING FEE
A $25.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. THE FEE MUST ACCOMPANY YOUR APPLICATION(S). SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES WITH YOUR APPLICATION. WRITE THE EXAMINATION NUMBER(S) AND THE APPLICANT’S NAME ON THE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. CASH WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
APPLICATION FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE. IF YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM OR FAIL TO APPEAR FOR THE EXAMINATION, YOUR FEE IS NOT REFUNDED. THEREFORE, WE URGE YOU TO COMPARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS CAREFULLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION AND FILE ONLY FOR THOSE EXAMINATIONS FOR WHICH YOU ARE CLEARLY QUALIFIED.
IF YOUR APPLICATION IS RECEIVED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED FEE, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU. SHOULD YOU WISH TO REFILE WITH THE REQUIRED FEE, YOUR APPLICATION AND THE APPROPRIATE FEES MUST BE RTURNED TO THIS OFFICE
THE APPLICATION FILING FEE IS SUBJECT TO BEING INCREASED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.
APPLICATION FEE WAIVER: A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid or receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency. The fee may also be waived for those who are serving active military duty. Documentation proving eligibility must be submitted with each application. All claims for application fee waivers are subject to verification.
You may obtain application forms in person from the:
WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN RESOURCES
SUITE 100, MICHAELIAN OFFICE BUILDING
148 MARTINE AVENUE
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK 10601
NOTE: RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION - If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application.
APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES - If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application.
Candidates are responsible for reporting in writing, all changes in name and/or address directly to the “Recruitment and Selection Unit” at the above address. Please include examination number on all correspondence.
Candidates, who receive disqualification notices and wish to appeal such disqualification, must do so in writing.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. It is the policy of Westchester County to provide for and promote the equal opportunity of employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.