Ulster
County Personnel Department
Civil Service Examination
Announcement
#45743 SCHOOL DISTRICT DATABASE
PROGRAM SPECIALIST
FILING
FEE $20.00
CONTINUOUS
RECRUITMENT OPEN-COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION
PLEASE
READ ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT CAREFULLY
LAST
DATE FOR FILING APPLICATIONS:
September 20, 2006
EXAMINATION
DATE: See Exam
Program Information Below.
EXAMINATION
PROGRAM INFORMATION:
1) Applications must be received in the
Ulster County Personnel Office or postmarked by the Last Filing Date of September
20, 2006 for the Fall Test. Applications
received or postmarked after September 20, 2006 will be held in our office for
the next scheduled test date in 2007. Announcements will be issued in January
2007 indicating the examination dates for that year. NOTE: Candidates
may participate in this examination every six (6) months.
2) Approved candidates will receive
information regarding the Training and Experience Questionnaire to be completed
via internet by a specified date.
3) An eligible list will be established
based on the scores received as a result of the Training and Experience portion
of the examination. Candidates are interfiled on the eligible list according to
score, regardless of the date the examination was taken. BEFORE candidates can
be certified to prospective hiring agencies, they must pass a QUALIFYING
(PASS/FAIL) PC-ADMINISTERED WRITTEN TEST. Candidates will be scheduled for this
portion of the examination at a later date as needed.
SALARY:
The starting salary varies by location.
MINIMUM
QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet the following
requirement(s) on or before the date of the examination:
Either:
A. Graduation from a New York State
registered or regionally accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s
Degree, which included or was supplemented by twenty four (24) credit hours in
Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems or
closely related field and three (3) years of experience in database
administration which includes developing and maintaining database programs; OR
B. Graduation from a New York State
registered or regionally accredited college or university with an Associate’s
Degree, which included or was supplemented by fifteen (15) credit hours in
Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems or
closely related field and five (5) years of experience in database
administration which includes developing and maintaining database programs; OR
C. Successful completion of fifteen (15)
credit hours in Computer Science, Information Technology, Management
Information Systems or closely related field offered by a technical training
institute, college or a corporate training program and six (6) years of
experience in database administration which includes developing and maintaining
database programs; OR
D. An equivalent combination of training
and experience as indicated above.
Special Requirement: Possession of a valid
Special Requirement
for appointment in School Districts including BOCES: In accordance with the Schools
Against Violence in Education (SAVE) legislation and by the Regulations of the
Commissioner of Education, candidates for employment in school districts must
obtain clearance for appointment from the State Education Department based upon
fingerprinting and a criminal history background check.
WHERE COLLEGE IS A REQUIREMENT, YOU
WILL BE EXPECTED TO SUBMIT COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS WITH YOUR APPLICATION OR YOU
WILL BE UNCONDITIONALLY DISQUALIFIED. IF
COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS ARE ALREADY ON FILE WITH OUR OFFICE, INDICATE THIS ON YOUR
APPLICATION. TRANSCRIPTS NEED NOT BE
OFFICIAL COPIES; HOWEVER, THEY MUST CONTAIN ALL INFORMATION NECESSARY TO
QUALIFY YOU FOR THIS POSITION.
NOTE: If your degree and/or college credit was
awarded by an educational institution outside of the
DISTINGUISHING
FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This position is responsible for the
development and maintenance of databases related to school district services
and programs. The work involves the
responsibility of installing and maintaining database software, monitoring the
operation and performance of database software, identifying and resolving
problems and maintaining security. An
incumbent is responsible for preparing and analyzing data and providing
technical support to users. The work is
performed under the general supervision of the School Administrator or
Technology Coordinator with leeway allowed for exercising independent judgement
in carrying out details of the work. Supervision is not a function of this
class. Does related work as required.
SUBJECT
OF EXAMINATION:
The
examination will consist of two parts: a rated evaluation of training and
experience and a qualifying PC-administered test. You must pass the evaluation of training and
experience in order to take the qualifying PC-administered test. You must pass both tests in order to be
considered for appointment. Only your
rating on the evaluation of training and experience will be considered when
computing final scores.
Rated
Evaluation of Training and Experience
You
will complete a questionnaire that asks for specific information on your
information technology education (formal degrees, IT-related training courses,
certifications) and experience. You will also be asked to briefly describe
a significant achievement in each of the
job’s areas and to provide the name and contact information for someone who can
verify your information. The information
you provide about your experience will be rated against the following areas:
Computer
Programming
Help
Desk
User
Support
Business/Systems
Analysis
Web
Site Development
Qualifying
pc-administered written test will be designed to test for knowledge, skills
and/or abilities in such areas as:
Qualifying
Multiple-Choice Test of Logical Reasoning and Interpreting Instructions for
Computer-Related Positions:
These
questions test for ability to reason logically and interpret instructions in a
computer-related context. They cover
verbal and quantitative reasoning, flowchart interpretation and applying
written directions. The verbal and
quantitative reasoning questions include logical implications (e.g., if A and
B, then C) and relations (e.g., greater than).
Knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division is
necessary, but neither mathematical sophistication nor computational speed is
needed. The flowchart interpretation
questions require prior knowledge of flowchart conventions. The interpreting instructions questions
provide the instructions and specific rules for applying them. All the information needed to answer the
questions is presented with the questions.
Qualifying
Simulation Test on Working Effectively with Others to Solve Job-Related
Problems:
This
test requires candidates to assume the role of a staff member in an Information
Technology work group who is working with colleagues during a time of change in
policy or procedure, in a particular agency.
During the test, candidates will be required to deal with obstacles within
the working environment, which includes peer relations and the demands of
handling multiple tasks. Candidates will
be required to demonstrate the ability to be flexible, creative and persistent
as a team player. They will also need to
demonstrate the ability to cooperate, show initiative, and establish positive
working relationships with peers and administrators.
Qualifying
Simulation Test of User Support and Training:
The
test requires candidates to assume the role of a staff member in a Help Desk
support unit. Candidates will be
presented with a users problem. During
the course of handling the problem, candidates will be required to: demonstrate
communication skills, apply troubleshooting practices and tools, determine the
appropriate level of training needed by the user, and educate the user on the
proper use of computers.
Qualifying
test scores may be banked and applied to future examination for titles that
require the same test plan.
RETEST POLICY – QUALIFYING TEST:
Candidates who fail
the Qualifying portion of the examination may apply for a retest.
Candidates may be retested six (6) months after the first qualifying test.
WAIVER POLICY – QUALIFYING TEST: If a candidate has previously passed
an IT Qualifying Test prepared by the New York State Department of Civil
Service and using the same test plan as announced, the qualifying test may be
waived. A candidate requesting such a waiver must submit verifiable evidence of
passing the qualifying test, including the name of the Civil Service agency
that administered the test and the test date.
CANDIDATES
WHO RECEIVE A GRADE OF 70 OR HIGHER WILL APPEAR ON THE APPROPRIATE ELIGIBLE
LIST. THEIR NAME WILL BE INTERFILED
ACCORDING TO GRADE AND WILL REMAIN ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST FOR TWO (2) YEARS.
CALCULATORS: “Unless specifically prohibited,
candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, solar or battery powered
calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, ‘Spell-Checkers’, ‘Personal
Digital Assistants’, ‘Address Book’, ‘Language Translators’, ‘Dictionaries’ and
any similar devices are prohibited.” For security reasons, candidates will not
be permitted to access the calculator on the computer provided for the test.
*FEES*:
Send your check or money order for twenty dollars ($20.00) (made payable
to
EXCEPTION TO FEE REQUIREMENT:
An exception to the processing fee will be made for persons receiving
Supplemental Social Security payments or public assistance (Safety Net
Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families), provided Foster Care or
certified Workforce Investment Act of 1998 eligible through a state or local
social service agency, and for those who are unemployed and primarily
responsible for the support of a household.
Individuals wishing to claim this waiver of fee on the basis of
Supplemental Social Security, Safety Net Assistance or Temporary Assistance to
Needy Families, must certify on their application, under number 20 Remarks,
that they are receiving public assistance and must indicate the type of
assistance they are receiving, the agency providing the assistance and their
case numbers. Persons claiming this waiver through Foster Care or Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 Certification must specify the program and name of their
contact agency. Such claims are subject
to later verification and, if not supported by appropriate documentation, are
grounds for barring appointment.
Applications may be obtained at the
For
those applications submitted in person on the last file date, please submit no
later than 4:30 PM. All applications must be in our office no later than 5:00
PM on the last file date. Applications postmarked by the last file date will
also be accepted.
This
examination is being prepared and rated by the New York State Department of
Civil Service in accordance with Section 23‑2 of the Civil Service
Law. The provisions of the New York
State Civil Service Rules and Regulations dealing with the rating of
examinations will apply to this test.
SPECIAL
NOTE:
All public agencies are required by law to provide full and equal
opportunities for minorities, women and to people with disabilities. All
qualified candidates are encouraged to compete without regard to race, creed or
national origin. Applicants requesting special testing arrangements as a
Saturday Sabbath Observer, alternate test date candidate (in accordance with
Alternate Test Date Policy), or an active member of the military away from the
area on the scheduled test date must clearly indicate this fact on the
application. All such requests must be supported by appropriate documentation.
VETERANS: Non-disabled and disabled veterans
who wish to claim additional credits must request a Veterans Credits
application from our office. This form must be completed and submitted along with
a war service (DD214) form prior to the establishment of the resulting
eligible list. Veterans credits may only be added to a passing score and may
only be used for appointment once. Candidates currently in the armed
forces may apply for and be conditionally granted veteran’s credits. Any candidate who applies for such credits
must provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credits. You
may not claim additional Veterans Credits after the eligible list has been
established. It is the candidate’s responsibility to request the Veterans
Credits application forms and submit these forms and any required supporting
paperwork before the eligible list is established.
ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR CHILDREN OF
FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY:
In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of
firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be 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 of this matter 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.
APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE
EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN
EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON SAME DATE: If you have applied for any other Civil
Service examinations for employment with New York State or any other local
government jurisdiction, you must make arrangements to take all the
examinations at one test site.
If you have applied for both State
and Local government examinations, you must make arrangements to take
all your examinations at the State examination center by calling (518)
457‑7022 no later than two weeks before the test date.
If you have applied for other local
government examinations, call or write to each Civil Service Agency to make
arrangements. You must make your request
for these arrangements no later than two weeks before the date of the
examinations. You must notify all local
government civil service agencies with whom you have filed an application of
the test site at which you wish to take your examination(s). For this examination call (845) 340‑
3531 OR write to Ulster County Personnel Department,
*If candidates have not received
notification of this examination within four (4) days of the examination, they
should contact this office immediately.
#45743
ISSUED:
June 27, 2006