Senior Information Systems Specialist

Modified: October 5, 2016 7:29am

COUNTY OF ERIE - DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL
invites applications for the position of:

Senior Information Systems Specialist

#62-880 - Open Competitive (open to the public)

Salary: $54,219 - $70,626 Annually
Opening Date: October 5, 2016
Closing Date: November 2, 2016
Application fee: $20.00

Residence Requirements:

RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS: THERE ARE NO RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EXAMINATION.  There is one vacancy at the Erie County Medical Center Corporation.

Examples of Duties:

Senior Information Systems Specialist plans, directs, coordinates and maintains information systems; 

Assists in the installation, maintenance and customization of vendor supplied information systems, including but not limited to, software, hardware, networks and communications;

Assists in the coordination of equipment upgrades and problem resolutions with vendors;

Supervises lower level clerical and/or technical employees by coordinating plans, functions and schedules, making assignments and evaluating performance;

Trains lower level employees;

Confers with and advises subordinates on administrative policies and procedures, technical problems and methods;

Interfaces with outside vendors/contractors;

Reviews new systems and proposed or requested changes to existing applications;

Makes recommendations to management regarding hardware/software to achieve improved information systems and methods of implementation of same;

Assists in planning changes to existing information systems staff, equipment and organization;

Maintains records, prepares reports and documentation;

Performs additional work related to the administrative, managerial and hands-on technical operations of the information systems, as assigned;

Works "flex shifts" as required;

Works shifts as may be assigned, scheduled or in support of operations.

Qualifications:

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

A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Master’s Degree in Information Systems, Computer Science or a closely related field which included twenty-four (24) semester credit hours in Information Systems or Computer Science and three (3) years of experience in information system operations or computer hardware and software experience, at least two (2) years of which included administrative (see Note 1)  or supervisory (see Note 2) experience; or:

B) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, Computer Science or a closely related field which included twenty-four (24) semester credit hours in Information Systems or Computer Science and five (5) years of experience in information system operations or computer hardware and software experience, at least two (2) years of which included administrative (see Note 1)  or supervisory (see Note 2) experience; or:

C) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration or Health Science which included twenty-four (24) semester credit hours in Information Systems or Computer Science and six (6) years of experience in information system operations, at least two (2) years of which included administrative (see Note 1)  or supervisory (see Note 2) experience; or:

D) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A), (B) and (C).

Notes:

NOTES: 1. *Administrative experience is defined as the responsible planning, management and control functions of an organization or organizational unit including the development and/or approval of operating policy and procedures 2. **Supervision – Responsible direction and control of subordinate employees.  This involves the assignment of work, approval of work, training, evaluation and discipline of employees.  The supervisory aspects must be an integral part of the job, not incidental or occasional.     3. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements. 4. 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.

Examination date:

December 10, 2016

Applications Must Be Postmarked or Hand Delivered By:

November 2, 2016


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: www.cs.ny.gov/testing/localtestguides.cfm


Subjects of Examination:

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

1. Data processing concepts and terminology

These questions are designed to test for knowledge of computer characteristics and operations that is relevant for computer programming and analysis. They may cover, but not necessarily be confined to, basic terminology of data processing, data entry, data access, and data communications; basic characteristics of storage media and data bases; types of data processing (e.g., time-sharing), the functions of operating systems, and hierarchies of computer memory.

2. Principles of networked communications

These questions test for basic concepts and terminology of data communications. They cover such subjects as data communications, types of networks, modems, security, protocols, topologies, transmission media, wiring, installation and troubleshooting. The questions are general in scope and are not specific to any vendor or system.

3. 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.

4. Project management

These questions are designed to test for techniques and concepts of project management. They may cover, but not necessarily be confined to, management of systems development, management by objectives, project scheduling and control techniques (e.g., PERT), characteristics of organizations and of the systems life cycle, and the development of data processing standards.

5. Supervision

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

6. Systems analysis and design

These questions test for techniques and concepts of computer systems analysis and design. They cover such subjects as feasibility and applications studies, systems development tools and software, the systems life cycle, types of systems (e.g., client/server, Web-based), controls, and systems documentation, testing, and implementation.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:  Unless otherwise noted, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculators.  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.