New York State Department of Civil Service Announces Open-Competitive Examination Open to the Public

Supervisor General Services Grounds Operations & Horticulture 1

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before December 1, 2012, you must have three years of grounds maintenance experience at a commercial or government facility which included landscaping and horticulture, fertilizing, and pesticide application techniques and formulas. One year of this experience must include supervisory experience and responsibility for coordinating work force scheduling, snow plowing and snow removal operations, paved surface repairs, and the scheduling of preventative maintenance and repairs of heavy equipment and specialized grounds equipment.

Substitution: College study in horticulture, landscape design, nursery management, or turf management may be substituted for up to two years of the non-supervisory experience at the rate of thirty semester credit hours equaling one year of experience.

Important: As the processing fee is non-refundable, 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.

Notes

1. Your degree or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. 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. You must pay the required evaluation fee. If you are applying on the Internet, you must mail the independent verification of equivalency to the NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S2LAK.
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. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
4. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist at the Office of General Services in Albany.

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Duties

As a Supervisor of General Services Grounds, Operations and Horticulture 1, you would supervise grounds crews engaged in the planting, maintenance, and care of trees, shrubs, flowers, and lawns. You would supervise crews responsible for paved surface repairs, snow removal from roads, walkways, and parking areas at various state facilities and may supervise the maintenance of reflecting pools, skating rinks, children???s playgrounds, parks, and intricate hedges. You would supervise the procurement of grounds maintenance supplies and materials and may oversee the operation of a central stockroom; and assist in training grounds personnel in proper grounds maintenance procedures and heavy equipment operation.

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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. Scheduling work and equipment - These questions test for knowledge of work scheduling principles and for the ability to arrange work and equipment assignments in a manner that will achieve work goals while staying within scheduling criteria. This may include setting up vacation and work schedules, taking into consideration such factors as seniority, work skills, duty hours and shift coverage.
2. 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.
3. Grounds maintenance, including turf, trees and shrubs - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in grounds maintenance and may include such areas as turf grass planting, fertilizing, and maintenance, tree and shrub selection, planting, transplanting, trimming and maintenance, snow and ice control and safe operating practices involved when performing grounds maintenance activities.
4. Principles and practices of horticulture - These questions test for a knowledge of the basic principles and practices of horticulture. The topics may include planting; feeding; propagating; cultivating; maintaining trees, shrubs, plants, and lawns; and recognizing and controlling plant pests and diseases.

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.

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How To Apply

If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.

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 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, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record 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 [press 2, then press 2]. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2]. 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, call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1].

Multiple 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: http://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-vla
Issued: 9/14/2012

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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