Notice of Examination

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR READING THIS ENTIRE NOTICE
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.

WHAT THE JOB INVOLVES:

Urban Park Rangers, under supervision, patrol the City parks and park facilities; provide educational and recreational services through programs, tours, field trips and activities; perform crowd control functions; enforce compliance with City park rules and regulations and health and sanitary codes; issue summonses; make arrests; provide safety services to the public; respond to and perform animal and wildlife rescues; serve as staff assistants to immediate supervisors; serve as dispatchers and communications operators; operate motor vehicles; and staff public nature and visitor center facilities. All Urban Park Rangers perform related work.

Special Working Conditions:

Urban Park Rangers may be required to work various shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Some of the physical activities performed by Urban Park Rangers and environmental conditions experienced are: driving a motor vehicle, riding a horse or bike, or walking to patrol the parks for long periods of time; standing at a post for long periods of time, in all kinds of weather, while performing crowd control; picking up and moving barricades and light towers; confiscating and removing equipment such as vendors’ carts; pursuing, capturing and arresting violators of rules and laws; performing animal rescues; changing flat tires on patrol vehicles; opening and closing parks by securing, moving and lifting gates; lifting canoes; administering CPR and other medical services; and dispatching and answering calls in a computerized communications center.
(This is a brief description of what you might do in this position and does not include all the duties of this position.)

THE SALARY:

The current minimum salary is $48,114 per annum. This rate is subject to change.

HOW TO QUALIFY:

You may be given the test before we verify your qualifications. You are responsible for determining whether or not you meet the education and experience requirements for this examination prior to submitting your application. If you are found "Not Qualified," your application fee will not be refunded. (For more information see Exam Site Admission section.)

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

1. An associate degree or completion of 60 semester credits from an accredited college or university; or
2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and one year of full-time satisfactory experience in one of the following: law or code enforcement; security; ecology; or as an environmental instructor or ranger in a park, recreation or ranger program, cultural institution or accredited school; or
3. A satisfactory combination of education and experience that is equivalent to “1” or “2” above. College education may be substituted for the required experience in “2” above on the basis of 5 semester credits for 1 month of experience. Experience working as a clerk or secretary is not acceptable.

The education requirement must be met by June 30, 2024. The experience requirement must be met by the last day of the Application Period (June 25, 2024).

The high school diploma or its educational equivalent must be approved by a State's Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization. The college or university must be accredited by regional, national, professional, or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U.S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

If you were educated outside the United States, you must have your foreign education evaluated to determine its equivalence to education obtained in the United States. This is required only if you need credit for your foreign education in this examination. For more information see the Foreign Education Evaluation Guide in the Required Information section.

During the Education and Experience Exam (EEE), you may answer questions about your experience. If your experience was on a part-time basis working less than 35 hours per week, you will need to convert your part-time experience to full-time experience using the formula below. Once you have determined your full-time experience equivalent, use this amount to answer questions about your experience.

(number of hours worked per week/35) x (number of months worked)
For example, if you worked at a job for 21 hours per week for 12 months, you would make the following calculation: 21/35 x 12 = 7.2 months.

You have until midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period (June 25, 2024) to clearly specify in detail all of your relevant education and experience and Final Submit your Education and Experience Exam in the Online Application System (OASys). Once you Final Submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys, you will not be permitted to submit new or additional information on your Education and Experience Exam online.

If you do not Final Submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys by midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period (June 25, 2024), your examination will be considered incomplete, you will not receive a score, you will not be invited to subsequent portions of this examination (if applicable), and your application fee will not be refunded.

You will not receive credit for education which you obtain after June 30, 2024 or experience which you obtain after the end of the Application Period (June 25, 2024).

Special Patrolman Requirement:

At the time of appointment, you must meet the following qualifications for Special Patrolman status (a status given by the New York City Police Department pursuant to Title 38, Chapter 13 of Title 13 of The Rules of the City of New York):

• be twenty-one years of age or older,
• a citizen of the United States,
• a resident of New York City, unless exempted by law,
• if discharged from military service, the discharge must not have been dishonorable,
• be of good moral character, and
• have no record of convictions for any felony or serious offense as enumerated in §265.00 (17) of the New York State Penal Law. An applicant with any conviction who has a Certificate of Good Conduct providing relief from that conviction may be eligible for appointment. An applicant with a misdemeanor conviction or violation for a serious offense enumerated in Penal Law §265.00
  (17), who has a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities providing relief from that conviction, may also be eligible for appointment.

All candidates who are appointed will undergo a background check conducted by the New York City Police Department to verify the above qualifications, including character. Any individual appointed who fails to successfully pass this background check will be terminated from the position.

Driver License Requirement: At the time of appointment, you must possess a motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York. If you have moving violations, license suspension(s) or an accident record, you may be disqualified. This license must be maintained for the duration of your employment.

Medical and Psychological Assessment: Medical and psychological guidelines have been established for the position of Urban Park Ranger. You will be examined to determine whether you can perform the essential functions of an Urban Park Ranger. Additionally, you will be expected to continue to perform the essential functions of an Urban Park Ranger throughout your career, and may, therefore, be medically and psychologically tested periodically throughout your career. Where appropriate, a reasonable accommodation will be provided for a person with a disability to enable him or her to take these medical and psychological examinations, and/or to perform the essential functions of the job.

The Protection Of People With Special Needs Act: Article 20 of the NYS Executive Law and Article 11 of the NYS Social Services Law require an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate selected for employment to a position with the potential for regular and substantial contact with vulnerable persons with special needs has been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse and neglect through a check of the Staff Exclusion List maintained by the NYS Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Candidates who have substantiated/indicated cases on file with the Staff Exclusion List will not be hired or assigned to such a position.

Prison Rape Elimination Act: Appointment into positions at certain agencies may be subject to the Federal Regulations of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), 28 C.F.R. Sections 115.17 and 115.317 On Hiring and Promotion. As per PREA, these agencies will not hire or promote anyone who may have contact with inmates, detainees, and/or residents, and who has engaged in sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1997); or who has been convicted or civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged or attempted to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse.

Drug Screening Requirement: You must pass a drug screening in order to be appointed.

Residency: Pursuant to New York State Public Officers Law, you must be a resident of the City of New York at the time of appointment. However, if you have two years of employment with the City of New York, you may be a resident of Nassau, Westchester, Suffolk, Orange, Rockland or Putnam counties.

English Requirement: You must be able to understand and be understood in English.

Proof of Identity: Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, you must be able to prove your identity and your right to obtain employment in the United States prior to employment with the City of New York.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you believe you meet the requirements in the "How to Qualify" section, apply using the Online Application System (OASys) at www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs. Follow the onscreen application instructions for electronically submitting your application, payment, and completing any required information. A unique and valid email address is required to apply online. Several internet service providers, including but not limited to Google, Yahoo!, AOL, Outlook.com, and Mail.com offer free email addresses. All new OASys accounts require verification before a candidate can apply to ensure the accuracy of candidate information. Verification is instantaneous for most accounts and you will receive a confirmation email with instructions to activate your account. For any account creation issues, you will receive onscreen prompts to contact DCAS. This review may require up to two (2) business days to be reviewed and resolved. Please keep this information and the application period deadline in mind when creating your account.

The following methods of payment are acceptable: major credit card, bank card associated with a bank account, or a prepaid debit card with a credit card logo which you may purchase online or at various retail outlets. If you are receiving or participating in certain forms of public assistance/benefits/programs, or are a veteran, you may qualify to have the application fee waived. For more information on eligibility for a fee waiver and documentation requirements visit the Fee Waiver FAQ on the Online Application System at: https://a856-exams.nyc.gov/OASysWeb/Home/faq. Effective January 2020, the Online Application System is no longer supported on Windows 7 or earlier versions of Windows operating systems.

You may come to the DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Centers to apply for this examination online.

The centers will be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM:

• Manhattan
  2 Lafayette Street, 17th Floor
  New York, NY 10007
• Brooklyn 
  210 Joralemon Street, 4th Floor 
  Brooklyn, NY 11201
• Queens 
  118-35 Queens Boulevard, 5th Floor
  Forest Hills, NY 11375
• Staten Island 
  135 Canal Street, 3rd Floor 
  Staten Island, NY 10304
• Bronx
  1932 Arthur Avenue, 2nd Floor
  Bronx, NY 10457

The DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Centers will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

You must complete the entire application by midnight, Eastern Time, of the last day of the application period. If you have questions about applying for this examination, you may contact DCAS at OASys@dcas.nyc.gov.

Special Circumstances Guide: This guide is located on the DCAS website at https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/pdf_c_special_circumstances_guide.pdf and
available at the DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Centers. This guide gives important information about requesting an alternate test date because of religious observance or a special test accommodation for disability, claiming Veterans' or Legacy credit, and notifying DCAS of a change in your mailing address. Follow all instructions on the Special Circumstances Guide that pertain to you when you complete your "Application for Examination."

REQUIRED INFORMATION:

1. Application for Examination: Follow the online instructions, including those relating to the payment of fee and, if applicable, those found in the Special Circumstances Guide.
2. Education and Experience Exam: Fill out all the required sections displayed onscreen (if applicable). You will have until midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period (June 25, 2024) to clearly specify in detail all of your relevant education and experience on your Education and Experience Exam and submit it in the Online Application System (OASys).
   If you do not Final Submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys by midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period (June 25, 2024), your examination will be considered incomplete, you will not receive a score, you will not be invited to subsequent portions of this examination (if applicable), and your application fee will not be refunded.
3. Foreign Education Evaluation Guide (Required only if you need credit for your foreign education in this examination): If you were educated outside the United States, you must have your foreign education evaluated to determine its equivalence to education obtained in the United States. The services that are approved to make this evaluation are listed on the Foreign Education Evaluation Guide which is located on the DCAS website at https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/foreigneducation.pdf. When you contact the evaluation service, ask for a "document-by-document" (general) evaluation of your foreign education. You must have one of these services submit its evaluation of your foreign education directly to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services no later than eight weeks from the last day of the Application Period (June 25, 2024).

THE TEST:

You will be given a qualifying multiple-choice test and a competitive Education and Experience Exam. The qualifying multiple-choice test will be given at a computer terminal. You must achieve a score of at least 70% to pass the qualifying multiple-choice test. Only the candidates who pass the qualifying multiple- choice test will have their Education and Experience Exam rated. You must achieve a score of at least 70% on the Education and Experience Exam for your name to appear on the eligible list of candidates. Your score on the Education and Experience Exam will determine 100% of your final score.

Qualifying Multiple-Choice Test:

The qualifying multiple-choice test is designed to assess the extent to which candidates have certain abilities determined to be important to the performance of the tasks of an Urban Park Ranger.

The test may include questions requiring the use of any of the following abilities:

Written Comprehension: understanding written sentences and paragraphs. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability when reviewing an incident report.

Written Expression: using English words or sentences in writing so that others will understand. Example:

An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability when recording the details of an incident.

Deductive Reasoning: applying general rules to specific problems to come up with logical answers. It involves deciding if an answer makes sense. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability when deciding if an individual is in violation of laws, rules, and regulations and what enforcement action to take.

Inductive Reasoning: combining separate pieces of information or specific answers to problems to form general rules or conclusions; thinking of possible reasons for why things go together. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability to interpret the intentions of guidelines and protocols, and how they relate to an incident.

Information Ordering: following correctly a rule or set of rules or actions in a certain order. The rule or set of rules used must be given. The things or actions to be put in order can include numbers, letters, words, pictures, procedures, sentences, and mathematical or logical operations. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability when deciding the next appropriate action to take when confronting a disorderly individual.

Memorization: remembering information, such as words, numbers, pictures and procedures. Pieces of information can be remembered by themselves or with other pieces of information. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability to recall the details and features of local flora and fauna.

Number Facility: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing quickly and correctly. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability to calculate time on patrol and miles driven in patrol vehicles.

Problem Sensitivity: being able to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. It includes being able to identify the whole problem as well as elements of the problem. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability to choose the appropriate action when attending to an individual who is in need of medical assistance.

Spatial Orientation: determining where you are in relation to the location of some object or where the object is in relation to you. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability when using park roads and structures to convey exact locations within the park.

Time Sharing: the ability to shift back and forth between two or more sources of information. Example: An Urban Park Ranger may use this ability when writing a summons and educating the individual on the rules and regulations.

Visualization: imagining how something would look when it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged. It requires the forming of mental images of how patterns or objects would look after certain changes, such as unfolding or rotation. One has to predict how an object, set of objects, or pattern will appear after the changes have been carried out. Example: An Urban Park Ranger might use this ability when comparing a photo of a lost child to facial characteristics of a child within the park.

Certain questions may need to be answered on the basis of documents or other information supplied to the candidates on the date of the multiple-choice exam.

CHANGE OF MAILING ADDRESS, EMAIL ADDRESS, AND/OR TELEPHONE NUMBER:

It is critical that you promptly notify DCAS of any change to your mailing address, email address and/or phone number. If we do not have your correct mailing address, email address and/or phone number, you will not receive information about your exam(s), consideration for appointment and/or important information that may require a response by a specified deadline. If you need to update your Mailing Address, Email Address, and/or Telephone Number, read below:

• City  Employees  -  update  this  information  in  NYCAPS  Employee  Self-Service  (ESS) at www.nyc.gov/ess
• All Others - update this information on your Profile page in the Online Application System (OASys) by logging into your OASys account and navigating to your Dashboard, then your Profile tab
  at www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs
• Submit a written request by email at OASys@dcas.nyc.gov, by fax (646) 500-7190, or by regular mail: DCAS, 1 Centre Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10007. Your written request must include your full name, social security number, exam title(s), exam number(s), previous mailing and/or email address, and your new mailing and/or email address, and/or new telephone number.
  

CHANGE OF NAME AND/OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Use the Data Correction Form and follow all instructions for changing your name and/or social security number with DCAS. The following link will provide you with the DCAS Data Correction
Form: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/dp148a.pdf.

THE TEST RESULTS:

If you pass the Education and Experience Exam, and pass the qualifying multiple-choice test, your name will be placed in final score order on eligible list, you will be given a list number, and you will be notified by email of your test results. The eligible list determines the order by which candidates will be considered for appointment. If you meet all requirements and conditions, you will be considered for appointment if your name is reached on the eligible list. Once a list has been established, it will typically remain active for four years. To learn more about the civil service system go to: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dcas/employment/civil- service-system.page.

If you believe that your test part was rated incorrectly, you may submit an appeal of your score to DCAS, Committee on Manifest Errors, through the Online Application System (OASys). Your appeal must give specific reasons why your score should be higher. Your appeal may result in a higher or lower rating.
To access the appeal portal of OASys, please log into your OASys account at www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs
and use the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Dashboard for the Appeals tab.
2. Click the NEW APPEAL button to create and submit your appeal.
3. Select the exam from the Exam drop-down list, and
4. Select the exam part from the Exam Part drop-down list.
5. Select the reason for your appeal from the Appeal Reason drop-down list (if applicable).
6. Enter the details of your appeal by providing specific reasons why your score should be higher.

Note: You may attach up to 5 documents to support your appeal by using the attachment functionality.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS:

Make-up Test:
You may apply for a make-up test if you cannot take the test on the regular test date(s) for any of the following reasons:

1. being ordered to military duty; or
2. compulsory attendance before a court or other public body or official having the power to compel attendance; or
3. on-the-job injury or illness caused by municipal employment where you are an officer or employee of the City; or
4. absence from the test within one week after the death of a spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent- in-law, sibling, child or child of a domestic partner where you are an officer or employee of the City; or
5. a clear error for which the Department of Citywide Administrative Services or the examining agency is responsible; or
6. a temporary disability; or
7. pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition.

To request a make-up test, contact Administration, Customer, and Exam Support (ACES) by mail at 1 Centre Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10007 or by email at testingaccommodations@dcas.nyc.gov, as soon as possible, and include documentation of the special circumstances that caused you to miss your test.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Investigation:
The position is subject to investigation before appointment. At the time of investigation, you will be required to pay an $75.00 fee for fingerprint screening. At the time of investigation and at the time of appointment, you must present originals or certified copies of all required documents and proof, including but not limited to proof of date and place of birth by transcript of record from a Bureau of Vital Statistics or other satisfactory evidence, naturalization papers if necessary, proof of any military service, and proof of meeting educational requirements, if applicable. You may be disqualified if your statements are found to be false, exaggerated, or misleading or if you fail to provide required documents. Investigation must be completed prior to appointment.

Probationary Period:
Among other requirements, you will be required to pass the Urban Park Service Training Academy academic and physical performance tests. All employees who do not successfully complete the Urban Park Service Training Academy tests given during the probationary period will be terminated.

Application Receipt:
You will be emailed a receipt immediately after you have applied for the examination. If you do not receive this receipt, check "Junk", "Trash", or "Spam" folders for the primary email linked to your Online Application System (OASys) account. If you are unable to locate the email, you can view a summary of the notification email to you on your OASys Dashboard, then Notifications. If you are still unable to find the email, please email DCAS via the Contact feature available in OASys with a description of the issue and include the exam number and your profile number located on your Profile page. While on your Profile page, check that the email addresses you provided are correct and/or updated.

PENALTY FOR MISREPRESENTATION:

Any intentional misrepresentation on the application or examination may result in disqualification, even after appointment, and may result in criminal prosecution.