Exam Bulletin - Associate Control Engineer

Department of Water Resources

Exam Code: EX-1543

Examination Plans Included:

  • ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER: $10,047.00 - $12,566.00 per Month

View the ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed exam. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the exam until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1543

For ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01543

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00103659 - ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER

Graduation from a four-year college curriculum with major work in electrical, electronic or computer engineering. Progressively responsible engineering experience on control system equipment comparable to that of the statewide water facilities, may be substituted for a college education on a year-for-year basis. and

Either 1

Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Control Engineer, Range B.

Or 2

Three years of professional control system, electronic or computer engineering experience in the field of control or process systems, including at least two years in the design, development and application of control systems utilizing complex electronic circuitry, combinations of electronic, electro-mechanical and hydraulic equipment, digital logic techniques, data transmission and interface equipment, at a level of responsibility comparable to that of a Control Engineer, Range B.

Position Description

00103659 - ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER

This is the full journey level. Under direction, incumbents conduct technical engineering studies related to the development of an automatic, computerized control system; assist in the design and preparation of plans and technical specifications of complex features of control systems; perform difficult engineering analysis of equipment for conformance with operational standards, design plans and specifications; conduct process computer evaluation and software modifications; assist in the design of operational logic; prepare testing, operation and maintenance procedures, manuals and training programs; direct simulated operational malfunctions and prepare preliminary design and program modifications; advise, assist and instruct operating and maintenance personnel in matters pertaining to automatic control systems; direct and assist technical personnel in performance of assigned tasks and prepare reports on projects.

Additional Desirable Qualifications

Possession of a certificate of registration as an Electrical or Control System Engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
  1. Engineering theory and practices, terminology and trends in control systems engineering, supervisory control and data acquisition of dynamic systems for industrial processes including: dynamic stability, feedback loops, economic and failure analyses, data handling, interfacing, digital logic, computer use and programming, designing, developing, testing, optimizing, maintenance, and modification of control systems similar to those used on the statewide water facilities.
Ability to:
  1. Analyze control requirements for flow processes.
  2. Design and develop control systems, determine operation criteria and select equipment.
  3. Integrate control systems with communication systems, develop and maintain software, develop test and maintenance procedures and interpret plans and specifications.
  4. Maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the course of work, and prepare clear and concise reports.

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Open eligible list for the ASSOCIATE CONTROL ENGINEER Classification will be established for:

  • Department of Water Resources

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Associate Control Engineer Training and Experience Exam Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

Tasks
  1. Providing support to field engineers and technicians in maintenance and repairs to ensure the reliability of protection and control systems.
  2. Investigating and analyzing protection and control systems for potential misoperations and taking appropriate corrective action as necessary. 
  3. Developing and implementing logic for protection and/or control using electromechanical, microprocessor relays, programmable logic controllers, and/or software tools in Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). 
  4. Understanding, evaluating, and adhering to the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) program and generally accepted Best Business Practices, where applicable, to electrical utility systems. 
  5. Developing Bill of Material (BOM) and equipment specifications for the installation of the control/protective systems equipment. 
  6. Managing protection and control settings for documentation and change control.
  7. Developing written plans and specifications documents (i.e., problem statements, requirements, design drawings, specifications, contract documents, commissioning plans, test plans, maintenance plans, and/or inspection/acceptance documents) for protection and control designs and retrofits. 
  8. Designing and documenting control/protective systems components that minimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). 
  9. Developing and supporting (i.e., implementing and/or executing) test plans to ensure that systems are tested to North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance standards. 
  10. Utilizing industry best practice and software tools to meet requirements of the electric grid operators for Supervisory Controls and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and grid stability. 
  11. Coordinating work with all partners and stakeholders to ensure their interests are addressed. 
  12. Developing demolition and construction drawings (i.e., As-built, Panel layout, Single-line, Three-line, Schematic and Connection Diagrams) for control/protective system replacement or retrofit projects. 
  13. Analyzing events to determine if protection and control system actions were appropriate for a given system condition. 
  14. Documenting evidence, communicating, and coordinating with different work groups to ensure that North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance requirements are adhered to and understood by all parties involved. 
  15. Providing engineering and software expertise to use programming software, utility software and testing tools to stage, simulate, test, troubleshoot, and communicate with intelligent electronic devices including Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), communication gateways, protocol converters, modems, and protective relays for pumping, generating, hydro-sites, and specialty sites (i.e., other industrial applications). 
  16. Collaborating and communicating with users to ensure that new policies and procedures related to control and protection systems best practices are understood and implemented. 
  17. Providing theoretical and/or hands-on training to other engineers, operators, and technicians in use of control and protection devices. 
  18. Analyzing the impact of changes to protection and control systems to ensure reliability that is compliant with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirements. 
  19. Mitigating the risk of cyber intrusion by testing, monitoring, and securing protection and control systems (i.e., Plant Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), networked protective devices, etc.) as required for North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance best practice. 
  20. Developing and/or reviewing protection and control system procedures to meet North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) Standards. 
  21. Implementing and following electrical utility compliance policies, plans and instructions and applying them to control and protective systems. 
  22. Creating and documenting change control processes to meet maintenance, compliance, and regulatory requirements. 
  23. Documenting work from high-level functional requirements through design specification, implementation, and testing. 
  24. Performing as the team lead and project manager on projects, overseeing work assignments, monitoring project status and expenditures to ensure projects meet defined deliverables on schedule and within budget. 
  25. Maintaining control system controllers, gateways, communications devices, and other associated equipment to ensure system reliability. 
  26. Identifying deficiencies, recommending improvements, and developing standards to improve existing protection and control systems. 
  27. Providing and updating regular reports to management as needed or requested to assure staff efforts are coordinated.

Testing Departments

  • Department of Water Resources

Contact Information

Technical questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

California Department of Human Resources
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@Calhr.ca.gov

Administrative questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of Water Resources
Department of Water Resources
P. O. Box 1079
Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 653-4838

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California 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.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because 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.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of Water Resources 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 applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, 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.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)