Utility Specialist 2 (Telecommunications), Grade 21 (NY HELPS)

Minimum Qualifications: 

Non-Competitive (NY HELPS)*:

Candidates must have seven years of experience** repairing, maintaining, constructing, or testing one or more of the following: cable television, broadcast television, or high powered radio frequency or microwave transmission systems; or telephone local distribution or long line transmission systems, broadband telecommunications, or central office transmission and switching systems.

**Substitution: An associate degree may substitute for two years of specialized experience; bachelor's degree may substitute for four years of specialized experience; master's degree may substitute for five years of specialized experience; J.D. may substitute for six years of specialized experience; and Ph.D. may substitute for seven years of specialized experience. 

Duties Description:  

The Utility Specialist 2 (Telecommunications), Grade 21, will work in the Office of Telecommunications and perform duties that include, but are not limited to:

• Inspecting of utility poles, as necessary, and facilitating resolution of pole attachment disputes.
• Coordinating inspections of utility poles related to pole attachments and using the findings to make recommendations in dispute resolutions.
• Facilitating discussions with pole attaching entities and pole owners related to attachment disputes.
• Developing policy recommendations on pole attachments based on observations in the field and work with bole pole owners and attaching entities.
• Overseeing field investigations of underground telephone facility damage caused by excavation activity.
• Performing and supervising the performance of complex electronic tests on telephone, cable television, fiber optic, and other broadband telecommunications systems in the field at locations throughout the State.
• Performing and supervising physical inspections of telephone plant, cable television, and other telecommunications installations on public rights of way, commercial buildings, customer premises, and in utility access spaces for proper and safe installations to determine compliance with applicable regulations and safety codes.
• Supervising, training, and developing lower-level staff.

Additional Comments: 

*This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in an NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified. 

This position requires up to 65% travel and as such, it may require that you have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State or otherwise demonstrate an ability to perform the required field work if public transportation is not available.  You will be advised of this further at the employment interview.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The Department of Public Service is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by contacting the Designee for Reasonable Accommodations (DRA) and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator which can be found under the Accessibility Link on the Department’s webpage at www.dps.ny.gov.