Plant Utilities Engineer 1 – New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

Job Description

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking a Plant Utilities Engineer 1, G-14 to work at the Great New York State Fair. This position is responsible for the operation, repair, and maintenance of a variety of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, and mechanical equipment on the fairgrounds. The incumbent may supervise lower-level staff including Plant Utilities Assistants, Facility Operations Assistants, and contractors, and may assume responsibility for physical operations on off hours.

This position is located at the New York State Fairgrounds at 581 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse, NY. We offer a professional and comfortable working environment with ample free parking. The Plant Utilities Engineer 1 is a Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) represented position in the competitive jurisdictional class. This full-time, permanent position is in the CSEA salary grade 14 with a salary starting at $51,711 with excellent benefits. Benefits include but are not limited to Health, Dental, and Vision coverage, NYS Pension Plan membership, and ample paid time off.

Department Summary:

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, through its various divisions and programs, promotes New York agriculture and its high-quality and diverse products, fosters agricultural environmental stewardship, and safeguards the State’s food supply, land, and livestock to ensure the viability and growth of New York’s agriculture industries.

If you would like to work for a premier agency focused on enhancing the quality of life for the people of New York State by supporting production of agriculture; ensuring safe, nutritious, and accessible food supply; providing economic opportunities for farm and rural residents, then the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is for you.

To learn more about our agency and our mission, please visit https://www.agriculture.ny.gov/.

Division of the State Fair:

The New York State Fair and Fairgrounds are used to promote and highlight New York State and its agriculture, commerce, arts, and sciences to residents of the State of New York. As part of this mission, the New York State Fair provides an educational forum for agriculture and commerce; enhances the image of New York’s agriculture and commerce; provides affordable, quality entertainment and educational opportunities for the people of New York; contributes to the efforts of the State, industry, associations and private businesses in the promotion and marketing of agriculture and agri-business.

The annual State Fair, held for 13 days ending on Labor Day, preserves and enhances the agricultural legacy of the State of New York and promotes current and future agricultural awareness. The State Fair hosts statewide competitions in the breeding and showing of horses and livestock and the production of quality wine, vegetables, fruit, honey, maple syrup, flowers, forage, and grain. Likewise, the Fair also hosts competitions for the youth of New York State that include horses, livestock, horticulture, robotics, dogs, sports, talent, and general economics. In total, the Fair averages 38,000 entries into the various competitions during the 13 days of the Fair, where over 2,000 youth and 9,500 head of livestock will call the Fairgrounds home.

The Fair’s priority is attracting people to this unique tourism asset, which is the nation’s first and oldest State Fair, attracting over 1.2 million people each year and bringing 180 events year-round.

Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Operates, maintains, and repairs steam and hot water boilers, water supply and return systems, electronic and pneumatic combustion and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control systems, refrigeration systems and forced or induced draft fan systems
• Performs maintenance and repair on various water and sewage pumps
• Cleans, maintains, and repairs HVAC systems and equipment, calibrates controls, performs air testing and chemical treatment, and replaces air filters
• Responds to mechanical, electrical, or plumbing calls; troubleshoots and coordinates necessary repairs
• Troubleshoots problems; and identifies and replaces faulty equipment and devices
• Identifies, recommends, and develops energy conservation projects and initiatives
• May handle various types of hazardous materials; and respond to incidents having potential environmental impact and/or safety concerns
• May operate high or low voltage electrical distribution systems, steam, diesel and gas turbine generators, transformers and switch gears, load centers, motor control centers, panel boards, emergency power and lighting distribution systems, motor generator sets, and uninterrupted power supply systems
• May supervise contractors and subordinate staff
• Responsible for the purchase, inventory and reclaiming of all refrigerant gasses as required by EPA Regulations
• Will be required to maintain, repair and handle equipment that contains refrigerant and follow all EPA Regulations regarding refrigerant handling

The selected candidate will be required to have a Section 608 Technician Certification and will be required to update their certification as new standards are set forth by the EPA.

Appointment Process and Minimum Qualifications:

The Plant Utilities Engineer 1 is a competitive class position within the NYS Civil Service Merit System. Competitive class positions are those for which is it practicable to determine the merit and fitness of applicants by competitive examination. This position is filled through a Civil Service Continuous Recruitment Exam. To be considered for this position you must sign up for this exam.

Continuous Recruitment Examination: Candidates that are eligible and interested in being considered for appointment through the continuous recruitment examination process must fill out the exam application and questionnaire at the following link: https://www.cs.ny.gov/extdocs/pdf/20-450&20-451.pdf . The completed application and questionnaire must be mailed to the below address. Once applicants submit these items, their questionnaire will be scored, and the applicant will be placed on the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Plant Utilities Engineer 1 eligible list. To be appointed to this position, applicants must be reachable on the eligible list.

More information regarding the exam and how to apply can be found on the NYS Civil Service website here: https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/oc-cr/decentralized/20-450.cfm. If you are interested in this position, please also submit a copy of your current resume and a cover letter. The deadline to apply is Feburary 13, 2023.

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS
MAIL THE COMPLETED APPLICATION TO THE FOLLOWING LOCATION:
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
Human Resources
10B Airline Drive
Albany, NY 12235
(518) 457-3216

Continuous Recruitment Examination Eligibility: To be eligible to apply for the continuous recruitment examination, you must meet one of the qualifications listed below on or before the date of filing your application and questionnaire:

Either 1. Graduate of heating, HVAC, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration apprenticeship program from the U.S. Air Force;
Or 2. Must have been an enlisted machinery technician (MK) with the U.S. Coast Guard OR possession of a certificate as a Marine Engineer issued by the U.S. Coast Guard;
Or 3. Must have been an enlisted power generation equipment repairer with the U.S. Army;
Or 4. Must have been an enlisted gas turbine systems technician, submarine nuclear propulsion plant operator reactor control, utilities man, machinist mate, or engineman with the U.S. Navy;
Or 5. Must have a Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD) and have been a qualified member of the engine department (QMED) as an oiler, fireman/water tender, refrigerating engineer or engineman with the U.S. Merchant Marine;
Or 6. Completion of a New York State Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program for stationary engineers, plant maintenance (plumber/steamfitter), HVAC Mechanic or plant maintenance (refrigeration/AC) (See Note #1);
Or 7. Possession of a High-Pressure Boiler Operating Engineer License or Stationary Engineer License;
Or 8. A bachelor’s degree in Facilities Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Marine Engineering;
Or 9. Four years of full-time hands-on experience in the maintenance and operation of commercial, industrial, institutional facility, computer applications of digital energy platforms and building analytics and/or performing diagnosis, repair of HVAC systems or boilers or auxiliary equipment;
Or 10. Four years of full-time hands-on experience in a residential setting performing diagnosis, operation, maintenance repair of HVAC systems or boilers or auxiliary equipment;
Or 11. An associate’s degree in HVAC AND two years of qualifying experience as described in EITHER qualification #9 or #10 above;
Or 12. Completion of an HVAC certificate or diploma from a BOCES program (900 hours) OR completion of an approved certificate in HVAC, electrical, refrigeration, boiler operations and maintenance, or plumbing from an accredited technical school or technology college (See Note #2) AND two years of qualifying experience as described in EITHER qualification #9 or #10 above.

How to Apply:

Employees that are eligible and interested in being considered for appointment to this position must use this link to apply: https://fs30.formsite.com/zMiW7u/5daykmjljv/index.html . You must also submit your resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcripts within the online application. Applications are due by February 13, 2023.

If you have any questions, please contact Deborah Leo in Human Resources at (518) 457-3216

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $51,711.00 – $62,806.00 per year

Benefits:
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:
• 8 hour shift

Work Location: One location