NOTICE OF EXAMINATION

The Amsterdam CivilService Commission announces the Open-Competitive Exam for:

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator/Trainee

Exam # 20216                                                 Cityof Amsterdam

                       Date of Examination:                        December 4, 2021

                       Last Filing Date:                                November, 8,2021

Vacancies:      The eligible list will be used for anyWastewater Treatment Plant Operator/Trainee opening in the City of Amsterdam.

Starting Salary:         Operator $23.22    Trainee $21.12

General Statementof Duties:          

Operator -        The work involves responsibility on anassigned shift for operating and maintaining a Wastewater Treatment Plantutilizing an activated sludge process. Employee performs related work as required.

Trainee -          This is a trainee position, whichinvolves responsibility for assisting in the operation and maintaining aWastewater Treatment Plant, by aiding a certified operator.  Employee performs related work as required.

Residence Requirements:     None, but preference may be given to Cityof Amsterdam

residents.  Must live in City of Amsterdam for a periodof at least one (1) month

immediatelypreceding the date of the written test.

Minimum Qualifications:      Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator

Either;

1. Graduation     from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by     the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with an AAS degree in     a New York State Department Conservation approved curriculum; or
2. Graduation     from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by     the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with an AAS degree,     and eighteen (18) months operating experience at a Wastewater Treatment     Plant; or
3. Graduation     from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by     the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with an AA degree     with

thirty (30) credit hours of mathand/or science, eighteen (18) months operating experience at a WastewaterTreatment Plant; or

4. Graduation     from High School or possession of a High School equivalency diploma and three     (3) years operating experience at a wastewater treatment plant; and

Satisfactory completion of anappropriate curse of instruction approved by the Commissioner, Department ofenvironmental Conservation and eighteen (18) months operating experience at anactivated sludge wastewater treatment plant with a point score of 56 orgreater, and the ability to perform necessary tests.

Special Requirement; Possessionof a current Grade 3A Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator certificate issued bythe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, or otherauthorizing agency in New York State at the time of appointment.

Wastewater Treatment Trainee:

Graduation from high school orpossession of a New York State High School equivalency diploma.

Subject of Examination:

Written testdesigned to test for knowledge, skills, and/or ability 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.

Those eligible for Waste Water Treatment Plant Operatorwill have their names certified for appointment before those eligible for WasteWater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee. If candidates originally placed on the eligible list as Waste Water TreatmentPlant Operator Trainee, acquire the training or experience necessary to meetthe minimum qualifications for Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator during thelife of the list, they may submit a copy of their Waste Water Plant Operatorcertificate, issued by the New York State Department of Health.  Once approved, the candidate can be certifiedas a Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator at the Grade stated on thecertification.

A Guide for the Written Test for Water and Wastewater Treatment PlantOperator/Trainee Series is available at the New York Statewebsite:www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm . Candidates not having access toa computer or the internet may request copy of the test guide from themunicipal civil service office conducting this examination using the contactinformation found elsewhere on this announcement.

Note:   Calculators are recommended

NOTICE OFEXAMINATION

Application:

Application forms may be obtained at the Civil ServiceOffice in Amsterdam City Hall between the hours of 8:30 A.M – 12:00 P.M or bysending a stamped self-addressed legal envelope to:

           AmsterdamCivil Service Commission, City Hall, 61 Church St. Amsterdam, NY  12010

Applications received post-marked after the filing datedeadline will not be accepted. The applicant should make sure every question on the application isanswered and that the application is complete in all respects.  All statements made by candidates in theirapplication are subject to verification. This department does not acknowledge receipt of the applications.  Candidates will be notified of thedisposition of their application. Candidates will be notified by letter, of when and where to appear totake the written test.  If candidateshave not received a notice to appear for the written test three (3) days priorto the exam date, they should call our office at (518)841-4341.

Do not interpret a noticeto appear for, or actual participation in, the examination as an indication thatyou fully meet the announced requirements. Depending on the time availablebefore an examination, applicants may be admitted on the basis of statementsmade on the application or conditionally admitted without prior review of theapplication. Under these circumstances, candidates not meeting the requirementswill be disqualified and notified of such disqualification. Candidatessubsequently disqualified after taking the test will not be notified of theirscore.

Application Fees:

A $10.00 non-refundable application fee is required for eachseparately numbered examination for which you apply.  The required fee must accompany yourapplication.  Send certified check ormoney-order payable to CITY OF AMSTERDAM and write the examination number(s).  Do not send cash.  As no refund will be made, you are urged tocompare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission andfile only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.  

Sabbath Observers/Disabled Candidates/MilitaryMembers:

Applicants whose religious beliefs or military serviceprevent their taking examinations on the scheduled date and disabled candidateswho require special accommodations to take the test should indicate the needfor special arrangements on their application. Candidates who are called to military service after filing anapplication should send requests for an alternate test date to the AmsterdamCivil Service Commission as soon as possible before the test date.

Veteran’s Credit:

Veterans or disabled veterans who are eligible foradditional credit must submit an application for veteran’s credit with theirapplication for examination or by the date of the establishment of theresulting Eligible List.  Applicationsfor veteran’s credit are available from this office.  Any candidate who applies for such creditmust provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credit.  No credit may be granted after the establishmentof the eligible list.  It is theresponsibility of the candidate to provide appropriate documentary proofindicating that the service was in time of war, as defined in Section 86 ofCivil Service Law, and that the candidate received an honor discharge or wasreleased under honorable conditions in order to be certified at a scoreincluding veteran’s credit.

Alternate Test Date:

Alternative test dates may be arranged upon review of thecircumstances according to the Alternate Test Date policy established by thisdepartment.  Under specific circumstancesan alternate test date may be arranged. Your request with written documentation must be received in this officeno later than two (2) weeks preceding the examination.

If any emergency prevents you from appearing for theexamination, please notify this office (841-4362) no later than 9:00 A.M on theMonday following the test date, (Tuesday if Monday is a legal holiday)providing verifiable documentation of the reason.  A determination will be made as to if youwill be scheduled for an alternate test date.

Multiple Exam Takers:         If you have applied for both State andlocal government examinations, you must notify Amsterdam Civil Service of yourintent to take both a State and a local government examination.  When taking both a State and a localgovernment examination you will be required to take all your examinations at a stateexamination center.  You will be advisedby letter when and where to report for your examination.

Ifyou have applied for other local examinations examination, call or write toeach Civil Service Agency to make arrangements no later than two weeks beforethe date of examination, as to which test site you will be taking theexamination.

Change of Address:

It is the responsibility of the candidate to notify theAmsterdam Civil Service of any change in name or address.  No attempt will be made to locate candidateswho have moved.

Application FeeWaiver:

A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you areunemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household.  In addition, a waiver of application fee willbe allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receivingSupplemental Security Income Payments, or Public Assistance (TemporaryAssistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) orare certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligiblethrough a State or Local Social Service Agency. All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification.  If you can verify eligibility for applicationfee waiver, complete a “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification:form and submit it with your application by the close of business on theapplication deadline as listed on the examination announcement.

City of Amsterdam/An Equal Opportunity Employer

                                                                                                                        10/1/21

Gary McNeil, Chairman                                              CommissionersMary Anne Semkiw & Lynn Kot

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