Exam Code: 9TR86
Department: Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Exam Type: Departmental, Promotional
Bulletin Date: 8/16/2023
Final Filing Date: Continuous (cut-off dates for 2024: January 31, February 29, March 31, April 30, May 31, June 30, July 31, August 31, September 30, October 31, November 30, December 31)
Monthly Salary: $9,284.00 to $11,626.00

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INTRODUCTION
Caltrans is pleased to announce the posting of the Associate Chemical Testing Engineer examination. Employment from this examination may be offered in Sacramento County.

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EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Caltrans is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

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DRUG FREE STATEMENT
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. All applicants will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, as the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

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WHO SHOULD APPLY
This is a Departmental Promotional examination for Caltrans. Applicants must be:

1) A permanent civil service appointment with Caltrans as of the cut-off date in order to participate in the examination; or

2) Have been employed with Caltrans within the last three years, without a break in State civil service; or

3) A current or former employee of the Legislature for two or more years as defined in Government Code §18990; or

4) A current or former non-elected exempt employee of the Executive Branch for two or more consecutive years as defined in Government Code §18992; or

5) A person retired from the United States military, honorably discharged from active military duty with a service-connected disability, or honorably discharged from active duty as defined in Government Code §18991. Persons applying who qualify as a Veteran under Government Code Section 18991 must submit a copy of their DD214 with their Examination Application (STD. 678).

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications as stated on this announcement may apply for this examination.   Once you have taken the examination, you may not reapply for 12 months.  Candidates that are unsuccessful in the examination must wait six (6) months from the testing date before reapplying to take the examination.

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FILING INSTRUCTIONS
Candidates are required to submit a Standard State Application (STD.678)

Applications (STD 678) must be received or postmarked no later than the cut-off date. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.  E-mailed applications will NOT be accepted. THE EXAMINATION TITLE MUST BE INDICATED ON THE APPLICATION.

Caltrans does not accept resumes in lieu of the STD 678 State Application. Please send the required documents listed above in order for your examination to be processed in a timely manner, incomplete submissions may cause your examination to be delayed.

File by Mail
Attention: Caltrans Examination Services (MS 86)
P.O. Box 168036
Sacramento, CA 95816-8036

File in Person
Attention: Caltrans Examination Services (MS 86)
1727 30th Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95816-8036

*Any information submitted in your examination effort WILL NOT BE FORWARDED or be included in the determination of your qualifications for a position.

**Candidates are responsible for obtaining proof of mailing or submission of their application to Examination Services.

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POSITION STATEMENT
Under direction, to perform the more difficult or specialized chemical testing engineering work in the analysis of engineering construction materials and to assist in the supervision of a chemical testing laboratory; and to do other related work.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMITTANCE TO THE EXAMINATION
All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements for this examination by the cut-off date. Your signature on the application indicates that you read, understand, and possess the minimum qualifications required, and that the information provided is true and complete to the best of your knowledge.

All applications must include: “to” and “from” dates (month/day/year), time base, civil service or private sector titles, the duties performed, and an original signature. Applications received without this information will be rejected.

NOTE: Qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as “Either I,” “or II,” “or III,” etc. For example, candidates possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern I, and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern II, may be admitted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirements.

Click on the link below to review the California State Personnel Board class specification which contain the requirements for admittance to the exam:
Associate Chemical Testing Engineer Classification Specification

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MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Either I
Two years of experience performing the duties of an Assistant Chemical Testing Engineer in the California state service.

Or II
Experience: Four years of responsible chemical testing engineering experience, two years of which must have been in the chemical testing of construction materials.  (Graduate work in chemistry or chemical engineering may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on a year-for-year basis.) AND

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in chemistry or chemical engineering.  (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

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KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of:

1.  Principles of general chemistry
2.  General chemical laboratory testing procedures
3.  General chemical laboratory testing equipment (e.g., Ion chromatograph, Gas chromatograph, Analytical balance, Infrared spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction spectrometer, Auto-titration analyzer, Metal analyzer, Stereomicroscope system, Color spectrophotometer)
4.  Organic chemistry as it applies to the testing of roadway, highway, building construction, consumer products, and a wide variety of other materials
5.  Inorganic chemistry as it applies to the testing of highway, building construction, consumer products, and a wide variety of other materials
6.  Road and highway construction properties and testing procedures
7.  Limitations of testing procedures
8.  Chemical characteristics and properties of various road and highway construction materials
9.  Methods used to test road and highway construction test samples
10.  Equipment used in testing road and highway construction materials samples
11.  Materials used in road and highway construction
12.  The fundamentals of organic chemistry with laboratory skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis
13.  The fundamentals of inorganic chemistry with laboratory skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis
14.  Thermoplastics used in roadway and highway construction
15.  Paints used in roadway and highway construction
16.  Methods and techniques of laboratory analysis
17.  Hazards of laboratory and field activities
18.  Laboratory terminology
19.  Physics and mathematics
20.  Laboratory tests and control techniques
21.  The fundamentals of analytical instrumentation
22.  Appropriate health, safety, and environmental regulations to provide for safe laboratory practices
23.  Appropriate health, safety, and environmental regulations to provide for safe field practices
24.  Record keeping procedures
Ability to:

1.  Perform chemical testing work
2.  Conduct independent chemical research and investigational work to make recommendations related to the development of specifications
3.  Use laboratory equipment (e.g., Ion chromatograph, Gas chromatograph, Analytical balance, Infrared spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction spectrometer, Auto-titration analyzer, Metal analyzer, Stereomicroscope system, Color spectrophotometer)
4.  Use hand tools (e.g., beakers, tongs, droppers, graduated cylinders, funnels, tweezers)
5.  Set up, care for, and use laboratory equipment
6.  Base final decisions on laboratory test results,  specifications, and fit for purpose
7.  Prepare reports
8.  Analyze situations accurately and take effective action
9.  Utilize computer applications (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)
10.  Maintain clear and accurate records
11.  Use good verbal and written communication
12.  Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing
13.  Follow oral and written instructions
14.  Enter test sample information into a computer database
15.  Assess measurements for accuracy
16.  Maintain effective working relationships with others
17.  Exercise initiative and independent judgement
18.  Plan, assign and review the work of others.
19.  Conduct methodological research
20.  Apply general rules to specific problems to produce solutions
21.  Recognize problems in a testing environment
22.  Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions, including finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events
23.  Prepare solutions and chemical reagents
24.  Travel to worksites

Personal Characteristics:

1.  Work in adverse weather conditions and/or at extreme heights
2.  Lift and carry 40 pounds
3.  Utilize precision techniques and fine motor skills for precise measurements

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EXAMINATION INFORMATION
This examination will utilize an evaluation of each candidate’s experience and education compared to a standard developed from the class specification.  For this reason, it is especially important that each candidate take special care in accurately and completely filling out his or her application. List all experience relevant to the “Minimum Qualifications” shown on this announcement.  Supplementary information will be accepted, but read the “Minimum Qualifications” carefully to see what kind of information will be useful to the staff doing the evaluation.

This examination will consist of an Education & Experience Evaluation weighted 100%. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, a minimum score of 70% must be attained.

Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis.  Testing is considered continuous, as new test dates can be set at any time as the departmental needs warrant.

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VETERANS' PREFERENCE
Veterans' Preference will not be granted in the examination as it does not meet the requirements to qualify for Veterans' Preference.

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CAREER CREDITS
Career Credits will not be added to the final score of this examination.

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CONTACT INFORMATION
General questions on how to apply?  Click HERE for video tutorials.

For more information regarding this examination, please contact the Office of Examinations at (916) 227-7858 or email AskExams@dot.ca.gov

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GENERAL INFORMATION
For an examination without a written feature, it is the candidate's responsibility to contact the testing department three weeks after the cut-off date if he/she has not received his/her notice.

Applications are available at Standard State Application (STD 678), California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) offices, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and the testing department on this job bulletin.

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirement does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination will be compared with the performance of the others who take this test, and all candidates who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Caltrans reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be notified.

Candidates needing special testing arrangements due to a disability must complete an STD679 and submit with the requested examination materials.

General Qualifications: Candidates must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and the ability to work cooperatively with others; and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.  Eligibility lists may be abolished at anytime after one year, per Departmental needs.  It is the candidates responsibility to maintain eligibility throughout the hiring process.

If High School Equivalence is Required: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Educational Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the candidate is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.
If Veterans’ Preference is Warranted: Pursuant to Assembly Bill 372, Veterans’ Preference will be awarded as follows, starting January 1, 2014:

1.    Any veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran, who achieves a passing score in an open examination, shall be ranked in the top rank of the resulting eligibility list.
2.    Any veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released is not eligible for Veterans’ Preference.
3.    Veterans’ Preference is not granted once a person achieves permanent civil service status (Permanent State civil service status means the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This includes permanent intermittent, part-time, and full-time appointments. In addition, individuals who at any time achieved permanent State civil service status and subsequently resigned or were dismissed from State civil service are not eligible to receive Veterans’ Preference).

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans’ Preference are on the Veterans’ Preference Application (CalHR Form 1093).

If Career Credits is Warranted: In Open, Non-promotional examinations, Career Credits are granted to: 1) State employees with permanent civil service status, 2) full-time employees of the state who are exempt from State civil service pursuant to the provisions of Section 4 of Article VII of the California Constitution, and who meet all qualification requirement specified by the Board and have 12 consecutive months of service in an exempt position, and 3) individuals who have served one full year in, or are graduates of, the California Conservation Corps (eligibility shall expire 24 months after graduation from the California Conservation Corps). Three points are added to the final test score of those candidates who meet the above criteria, and who are successful in the examination. Such examinations cannot be for managerial positions described in Government Code Section 3513. Competitors not currently employed in State civil service who have mandatory reinstatement rights may also be eligible for career credits, but they must explain their service status in the appropriate section of the application Form 100-678. (Section 4 of Article VII of the California Constitution is posted at the State Personnel Board, 801 Capitol Mall and Sacramento).
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