Residence Requirements:

RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS:  CANDIDATES MUST HAVE BEEN LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY FOR AT LEAST ONE MONTH IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE WRITTEN TEST AND MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT. There is one present vacancy at the Erie County Department of Public Works.

Examples of Duties:

A Scanner Accuracy Examiner checks retail establishment price scanners for accuracy and conformance to legal standards and inspects establishments for conformance to item pricing laws and regulations;

Tests establishments for price accuracy and item pricing;

Inspects scanning and related devices for accuracy and signs of tampering;

Confers with store personnel and issues directives to correct violations;

Keeps accurate records and prepares detailed reports of work performed;

Assists in presenting evidence at public hearings and legal proceedings;

Performs other duties as directed, consistent with the mission of the Bureau of Weights and Measurers.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before the date of the written test:

A) Completion of a minimum of 60 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a major in law enforcement, computer science, mathematics, or
electronics and two (2) years experience in record preparation, inventory control, wholesale/retail food related industries or a position involving customer relations; or:

B) Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and four (4) years experience in record preparation, inventory control, wholesale/retail food related industries or a
position involving customer relations; or:

C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (a) and (b).

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:
Candidates must possess a valid New York State driver’s license and a reliable vehicle.

Notes:

1. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting the experience requirements. 2. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

Notice to Candidates: Transcripts will now be accepted by the Department of Personnel ONLY at time of application.
All subsequent transcripts must be submitted at time of interview.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However,candidates may find information in the publication "How to take a written test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm

Subjects of Examination:

SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and /or abilities in the following areas:

1. Inspection and interviewing techniques

These questions test your ability to select the proper course of action in situations which might occur during routine inspections. Question topics may cover, but will not be limited to, such areas as interviewing, gathering information and evidence, maintaining proper attitude, and handling irregularities and violations with integrity and sound judgment. Some questions may be in a situational format while others may deal with the proper principles and practices of inspection.

2. 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.

3. Determining the accuracy of scales

These questions are designed to test a candidate's ability to determine if weighing scales are reading accurately and, if not, the extent of error associated with each scale. The candidate is shown a test load and given the weights of single units in the load and must calculate the total weight of the test load. The candidate is also shown two separate scale readings and must determine if either or both readings are fast or slow and by how much.

Knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division will be necessary. Specific knowledge of weights and scales is not required.

4. Understanding and interpreting written material

These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic. 

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:  It is recommended that candidates use a quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculator.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, "Spell Checkers", “Personal Digital Assistants", "Address Books", "Language Translators", "Dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited.  You may not bring books or other reference materials.

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.