New York State of Opportunity

Assistant Architect

Written Test To Be Held
May 12, 2018**
You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday.
Please refer to the information below.
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
March 28, 2018

 

Exams Included on This Announcement
Exam Number Exam Title Salary Salary Grade Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available)
26-486010 Assistant Architect $62,726 G-20 $40

*Salary effective 4/5/18

**Due to the size of the candidate population for this test date, you may be assigned to either Saturday, May 12, 2018, or Sunday, May 13, 2018, to take your test. Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. 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.

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 May 12, 2018, you must have:

Either 1. six years of architectural experience in design or drafting on buildings requiring multi-discipline trade involvement such as heating, plumbing, and electric. This experience must have been under the direction of a registered architect or professional engineer. Qualifying experience includes work performed on institutional, commercial, healthcare, academic, office, or residential buildings (excluding single family or duplex family homes). You must explain your level of involvement and type of building(s) worked on;

Or 2. an associate???s degree in architecture, architectural technology, construction technology, civil engineering technology, or drafting technology with an emphasis on architecture AND four years of architectural design or drafting experience under the direction of a registered architect or professional engineer. Qualifying experience includes work performed on institutional, commercial, healthcare, academic, office, or residential buildings (excluding single family or duplex family homes). You must explain your level of involvement and type of building(s) worked on;

Or 3. a four-year bachelor???s degree in architectural/structural engineering studies AND two years of architectural design or drafting experience under the direction of a registered architect or professional engineer. Qualifying experience includes work performed on institutional, commercial, healthcare, academic, office, or residential buildings (excluding single family or duplex family homes). You must explain your level of involvement and type of building(s) worked on;

Or 4. a five-year bachelor???s degree in architectural studies or a master???s degree in architectural studies AND one year of architectural design or drafting experience under the direction of a registered architect. Qualifying experience includes work performed on institutional, commercial, healthcare, academic, office or residential buildings (excluding single family or duplex family homes). You must explain your level of involvement and type of building(s) worked on;

Or 5. an Architect???s license, with current registration, from any state or territory of the United States.

Important: Travel may be required and could be extensive. Appointees to these positions are required to have a driver???s license valid in New York State to operate a motor vehicle or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the transportation needs of the job.

If you expect to meet the educational requirements by September 30, 2018, 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 requirement to the Appointing Authority at the time of the employment interview. Failure to meet the educational requirements by September 30, 2018 may result in your removal from the eligible list.

Notes

  1. If you are invited to interview for a position with this title, you may be required to bring to the interview a portfolio of drafting/design work you have done.
  2. Your degree 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 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: S2LAK.
  3. A transition examination is also being held for these positions.
  4. Although a transition examination is being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as the result of this examination open to the public.
  5. The agencies have the option of making appointments from either the list resulting from this examination open to the public or the list resulting from the transition examination. If you meet the requirements for both examinations, you may wish to file for both. The processing fee must be paid for this examination unless you are eligible for a fee waiver.
  6. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
  7. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the Office of General Services; Department of Education; Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Office for People With Developmental Disabilities; Thruway Authority; Division of Housing and Community Renewal; Department of Environmental Conservation; Department of Health; and the Office of Children and Family Services.

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Duties

As an Assistant Architect, under the supervision of a registered Architect, you will perform architectural work on building plans and designs. Duties may include: developing scale drawings, details, estimates, and specifications of large and complex building projects from sketches and studies; preparing and reviewing estimates and specifications; evaluating and reporting on-site and unit plans, specifications, details, or shop drawings of building construction and equipment; preparing plans and designs; evaluating designs for renovating or rehabilitating buildings and preparing illustrative material; and performing technical reviews of consultants??? drawings and related details for compliance with appropriate codes, laws, regulations and standards, as well as functional design features. In addition, you may consult with clients and sponsors by providing technical assistance and guidance on architectural matters. You may use various computer applications in the performance of your duties.

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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. Architectural drawings, including plans, elevations, sections, details and estimates - These questions test for the ability to read, analyze, and perform computations based on technical drawings of various types of buildings and related facilities. Knowledge of basic estimating techniques and how building construction materials are utilized on specified projects is required.
  2. Building construction methods and materials - These questions test for knowledge of the typical procedures and materials used in the construction and renovation of buildings and related facilities, and may include such components as structural members, roofs, walls, windows, doors, insulation, foundations, exterior features and site work.
  3. Principles of architectural design and methods of conserving energy in buildings - These questions test for knowledge of the techniques and standards involved in the professional architecture field and the proper construction and renovation procedures to use to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and related facilities.
  4. Knowledge and application of codes related to building design, construction and renovation - These questions are related to codes found in the current versions of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Construction Code, the National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) and American National Standards Institute (ICC/ANSI A117.1).
  5. Contract administration, contract documents, specifications and estimates - These questions test for knowledge of the concepts, proper procedures, terminology and computations involved in building construction projects, and for the ability to prepare and implement contract documents and specifications; to prepare and review quantity and cost estimates; and to plan, coordinate and oversee construction projects to completion.
  6. Principles and knowledge related to computer-assisted design and drafting (CADD) technology - These questions test for knowledge of the basic concepts, terminology and proper procedures to use when creating technical drawings utilizing computerized design and drafting software.
  7. 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

This announcement is for viewing purposes only.

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 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.

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, 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.

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: 02/23/2018

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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