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

Horticultural Inspector Trainee 1

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 March 18, 2017, you must have a bachelor???s degree including or supplemented by 24 semester credit hours in courses related to: horticulture, forestry, plant pathology, botany, entomology, environmental studies/plant science, or a biological science primarily related to the scientific study of plants and plant pests. Such biological sciences include, agriculture, agronomy, dendrology, field crops, floriculture, fruit science, greenhouse production, landscape management/production, nursery production/management, olericulture, plant biology, plant breeding, plant pathology, pomology, sod production, turfgrass management, vegetable crops and viticulture.

The following courses are NOT QUALIFYING for the specialized 24 credit hours: biological sciences focusing on human health, medical entomology, human genetics or human physiology, lab technology, wildlife, science, or chemistry.

Substitution: Satisfactory experience in horticulture may substitute for up to 60 college credits, at the rate of one year of experience equaling 30 semester credit hours.

These positions require completion of a two-year traineeship. After successful completion of the first year of the traineeship, appointees will be advanced without further examination to the Trainee 2 level SG-14 (beginning salary $42,833 effective April 15, 2015). Successful completion of the second year of the traineeship will result in permanent advancement to the Horticultural Inspector 1, SG-18 level (beginning salary $53,339 effective April 1, 2015) without further examination. Candidates may be eligible for appointment directly to the Trainee 2 or full performance level. For more information see ???Advanced Placement Possible with Education/Experience??? below.

Advanced Placement Possible with Experience: Appointees to these positions would serve a two-year traineeship. However, if you meet the minimum qualifications and have an additional year of experience in horticulture production, plant pest management, landscape installation and maintenance, cooperative extension education to commercial greenhouse/nursery industry, fruit or vegetable farm products inspection, or horticultural inspection you may be appointed to the Horticultural Inspector Trainee 2. This will reduce the traineeship time by one year. You must inform the hiring agency of this additional experience at the time of interview.

If you meet the minimum qualifications and have an additional two years of experience in horticulture production, plant pest management, landscape installation and maintenance, cooperative extension education to commercial greenhouse/nursery industry, fruit or vegetable farm products inspection, or horticultural inspection you may be appointed directly to the Horticultural Inspector 1 SG-18.

Examples of Acceptable Experience: Employment as a horticulturist in a commercial nursery or greenhouse, as a plant pest or disease control specialist, as a landscaper involved in residential and/or commercial site development, as a cooperative extension agent engaged in educating the commercial greenhouse/nursery industry, as an Assistant Horticultural Inspector and as a grading inspector of fruit and vegetable farm products or other regulatory position where similar duties were performed.

Examples of Unacceptable Experience: landscape designer, food service or inspection, urban pest extermination (i.e., rodents, roaches, ants, bats, carpenter ants) or dairy related is NOT qualifying.

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. This information can also be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. 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: S1VXR.
2. Travel Requirements: Appointment to certain positions requires extensive travel within a designated area of assignment. Appointees to these positions may be required to operate a motor vehicle or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the transportation needs of the job. If the position requires that you operate a motor vehicle, you must possess a driver's license valid in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter. Field work and travel expenses are reimbursed on a fixed schedule.
3. If you expect to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2017, you can be admitted to the written test but you cannot be considered for appointment until you submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirements to the New York State Department of Civil Service.
4. These positions may involve working outdoors in all types of weather including cold, snow, heat, humidity, rain and other inclement conditions.
5. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
6. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets at various locations throughout the state.

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Duties

As a Horticultural Inspector Trainee, you would serve a two-year traineeship. During the formal training program you would, under close supervision, receive training in the performance of the duties of a Horticultural Inspector. Upon satisfactory completion of the traineeship, you would advance, without further examination to the position of Horticultural Inspector 1.

As a Horticultural Inspector 1, you would be assigned to a region and would be responsible for the inspection of plants and plant products to prevent and/or control the movement of injurious insect pests, plant diseases and invasive plant species. You would also inspect, and obtain for laboratory analysis samples of seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural liming materials to prevent the sale of improperly labeled products. You would regularly meet with horticultural growers, retailers, and distributors to conduct inspections; explain inspection findings; implement corrective actions; and explain the provisions of the Agricultural and Markets Law. As a Horticultural Inspector 1, you would write phytosanitary certificates that meet the requirements of other states and countries receiving agricultural products grown in New York State. You would conduct insect and disease surveys that include maintaining and servicing insect traps as part of the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS). You would participate in survey work related to eradicating new pest introductions. You would conduct outreach and education activities for target audiences and/or general public to prevent, detect or eradicate plant pests, diseases and invasive plant species.

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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. Evaluating conclusions in light of known facts - These questions will consist of a set of facts and a conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is proved by the facts, disproved by the facts or if the facts are not sufficient to prove or disprove the conclusion. The questions will not be specific to a particular field.
2. Understanding and interpreting tabular material - These questions test your ability to understand, analyze, and use the internal logic of data presented in tabular form. You may be asked to perform tasks such as completing tables, drawing conclusions from them, analyzing data trends or interrelationships, and revising or combining data sets. The concepts of rate, ratio, and proportion are tested. Mathematical operations are simple, and computational speed is not a major factor in the test. You should bring with you a hand-held battery- or solar-powered calculator for use on this test. You will not be permitted to use the calculator function of your cell phone.
3. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test how well you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the selections.
4. 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.

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

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. 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, call 518-474 6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627.

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.

S1/TC3 VXR-vla
Issued: 12/30/2016

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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