Exam Code: 0TR01
Department: Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Exam Type: Departmental, Open
Bulletin Date: 1/18/2024
Final Filing Date: Continuous (Monthly cut-off dates for 2024: January 31, February 29, March 30, April 30, May 31, June 30, July 31, August 31, September 30, October 31, November 30, December 31)
Monthly Salary: $10,886.00 to $13,625.00

Question Title

Image
INTRODUCTION
Caltrans is pleased to announce the posting of the Senior Mechanical Engineer, Caltrans (Specialist) examination. Employment from this examination may be offered in Sacramento County.

Question Title

Image
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.

Question Title

Image
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.

Question Title

Image
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications as stated on this announcement may apply for this examination.  

Once you have list eligibility, you may not reapply for 12 months from your eligibility date. Candidates that are unsuccessful in the examination must wait six (6) months from the testing date before reapplying to take the examination.

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted into the examination. Part-time or full-time jobs, regardless of whether paid or volunteer positions, and inside or outside California state service will count toward experience.

Question Title

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

Caltrans does not accept resumes in lieu of the STD.678 State Application.

Applications (STD 678) must be received or postmarked no later than the cut-off date. FAXED OR E-MAILED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Applications postmarked after the cut-off date, personally delivered, or received via interoffice mail after 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date will be held for the next administration of the examination. THE EXAMINATION TITLE MUST BE INDICATED ON THE APPLICATION.
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

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

Question Title

Image
POSITION STATEMENT
Under direction, to supervise mechanical engineering work involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of storm drainage pumping plants, sewage lift stations, vehicular tunnels, movable bridges, roadside rests, highway maintenance stations, toll plazas, truck weigh and inspection stations, and other transportation-related facilities; and to do other related work.

Question Title

Image
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:
Senior Mechanical Engineer, Caltrans (Specialist) Classification Specification

Question Title

Image
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a Mechanical Engineer issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. (Candidates who submit proof that they have applied for registration will be admitted to the examination, but must possess a valid certificate of registration to be appointed.) and

Either I
Experience: One year of experience performing the duties of an Associate Mechanical Engineer, Caltrans, or Mechanical Engineer, Range D, in the California state service.

Or II
Experience: Five years of professional mechanical engineering experience, at least two years of which shall have been in design, construction, and maintenance work in several of the following fields: drainage pumping plants, sewage lift stations, vehicular tunnel ventilation systems, movable bridge machinery, roadside rests, highway maintenance stations, solar heating systems, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning. (The two years of specialized experience must be comparable in level of responsibility to that of an Associate Mechanical Engineer, Caltrans, or Mechanical Engineer, Range D, in the California state service.)

Question Title

Image
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of:

1. Preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates for the mechanical systems of transportation-related facilities.

2. Mechanical theory and practice.

3. Mechanical equipment.

4. Power distribution and control systems.

5. Various codes, safety orders, and regulations governing the design and installation of mechanical equipment.

6. Materials and maintenance of mechanical installations.

Ability to:

1. Prepare plans, specifications, and estimates for the mechanical systems of transportation-related facilities.

2. Coordinate the work of others.

3. Make construction and maintenance inspections.

4. Check drawings and specifications.

5. Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the work.

6. Analyze situations and adopt an effective course of action.

7. Prepare correspondence and reports.

Question Title

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

Candidates will be notified of their score approximately 4-6 weeks after the monthly cutoff date.

Question Title

Image
VETERANS' PREFERENCE
Veterans’ Preference will be applied to those competitors who are successful in this examination and who qualify for, and have requested, Veterans’ Preference through the California Department of Human Resources. Veterans who have achieved permanent civil service status are not eligible to receive Veterans’ Preference.

Question Title

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

Question Title

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

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

Question Title

Image
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 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 for Examinations Form (CalHR 1093).
( Privacy & Cookie Notice

T