Technology Engineer Senior - Applications Specialty

Job Description

Under general direction, analyzes, plans, designs, implements, maintains, troubleshoots and enhances technology. Serves as the senior technical contributor for systems or platforms.

The 1043 Senior Technology Engineer is the advanced journey level in the Engineer series. The class is distinguished from the journey level 1042 Technology Engineer by the complexity and size of the systems or network supported. It is also distinguished from the Journey level by the amount of discretion exercised over technical issues, problems and resolutions, and that it possesses a significant level of specialized technical and functional expertise beyond that expected at the Journey level. This level is distinguished from the Principal level 1044 Technology Engineer – Principal in that Senior level exercises no or limited supervisory responsibilities or the lower technical leadership displayed. Positions at this level require highly specialized performance of their duties. The Senior level formulates recommendations consistent with directives, policies, standards and regulations. Work is judged primarily on overall results with great latitude in determining work methods and assignment requirements. The Senior has greater authority over assignments and decisions required to complete the work than lower level classifications.

The Technology Engineer series is distinguished from the Technology Analyst/Designer series as the Technology Engineers build, implement, and maintain core technology infrastructure, whereas the Technology Analyst/Designers analyze business needs, designs systems and services, and oversee implementation and ongoing improvement.

Supervision Exercised:
May provide supervision to subordinate Technology Engineer staff or other technical staff. May serve as the lead technical person in a work unit. May provide consultation and guidance to other Technology job families. Supervisory responsibilities are ancillary to the main intent and focus of the position.

Essential Duties:
1.    Leads in the configuration, maintenance, enhancement and support of platform services, APIs, integration services, commercial software packages, internally developed applications, and web services.
2.    Leads in the customization and addition of new features to platform services, commercial software packages, and internally developed applications, and system integrations according to end user requests.
3.    Leads the maintenance of day-to-day operations of various platform services and applications.
4.    Leads in designing and building platform capabilities, API services, and applications based on customer's requirements and specifications.
5.    Writes and performs tests for applications, fixes problems as they arise and assists with product launches.
6.    Provides technical support and helps to troubleshoot problems related to platform services and applications.
7.    Writes technical documentation and uses best software development and delivery practices regarding version control and testing.
8.    Performs software upgrades and assists in keeping track of software licensing.
9.    Assists with managing vender relationships including scoping of platform and application services and review of deliverables.

*This position may include additional duties as assigned.*

Qualifications

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Applications and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

Education:
An associate degree in computer science, computer engineering, information systems, or a closely-related field from an accredited college or university OR its equivalent in terms of total course credits/units [i.e., at least sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter credits/units with a minimum of twenty (20) semester or thirty (30) quarter credits/units in one of the fields above or a closely-related field].

Experience:
Three (3) years of experience analyzing, installing, configuring, enhancing, and/or maintaining the components of a system or platform.

Substitution:
One year of additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree.

Completion of the 1010 Information Systems Trainee Program may be substituted for the required degree.

Note: Any applicant whose application is deemed not qualified may reapply after one (1) month upon successfully meeting the minimum qualifications for the given specialty area.

Additional Department Specific Requirements
Positions with the San Francisco Airport
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance: Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to provide a complete employment history for the past ten (10) years and an explanation of all gaps in employment during that period. The past ten (10) years of the candidate's employment will be verified. In addition, candidates will be required to undergo a criminal history check, including FBI fingerprints, in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.

Customs Clearance: This position with the San Francisco Airport Commission requires that the incumbent be qualified for unescorted access to the San Francisco International Airport U.S. Customs Security Area. An application for a U.S. Custom Access Seal may be submitted to Customs ONLY after employment has commenced. Employment in this position requires that the incumbent submit an application for, successfully acquire and maintain a Customs Access Seal. Per Civil Service Commission Rule 110.9.1, every applicant must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for this examination. Failure to acquire or maintain customs access, a requirement for this position, may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission. Customs Access Seal requirements and procedures are located in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 19, Part 122, Sections 181 or 189.

Positions with the Sherriff’s Department
Security clearance issued by the Sheriff’s Department is required prior to appointment of positions with Jail Health Services and must be maintained for continued employment. Failure to demonstrate/show proof of security clearance may result in dismissal and/or termination of employment.

Positions with the Port
Positions with the San Francisco Port Commission require that incumbents are able to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) certificate as a condition of employment. Additionally, candidates must be insurable under the Port's automobile liability insurance policy. Insurability must be maintained throughout employment.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Selection Procedures
Preliminary Questionnaire:
Applicants are required to complete a Preliminary Questionnaire as part of the online application process. The purpose of the Preliminary Questionnaire is to allow candidates to self-certify their qualifications for the position.

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Tech Engineer – Applications Core Exam (Weight: 100%):
Candidates self-certifying meeting the Minimum Qualifications will be invited to participate in the online Tech Engineer – Applications Core Exam. Candidates will be sent a web link via email that will allow them to take the online Tech Engineer – Applications Core Exam that is designed to measure basic analytical and technical abilities associated with the target job, which may include but not be limited to:

•    Ability to develop web apps using programming tools (e.g., Drupal)
•    Ability to troubleshoot problems
•    Analytical thinking
•   Knowledge of the functions of the hardware & software components that comprise application systems
•    Knowledge of analysis and evaluation techniques to design, implement & troubleshoot systems
•    Knowledge of standard database platforms (e.g., SQL)
•    Ability to identify complex problems and implement solutions with minimal disruption

This computer-administered test can be taken at home or at a time and location of one’s convenience, but only within a two week period specified on the test notification. Candidates must have access to a computer and reliable internet connection to participate in this exam. The test consists of 25 questions and it must be completed within 60 minutes. Questions are presented one at a time on the computer screen. There is no penalty for guessing. Candidates may not return to questions presented earlier in the exam; they can only move forward. A passing score must be attained on this test in order to continue further in the selection process. Test questions and answers are not available for public inspection or review.  

Note: A passing score must be achieved on all examination components in order to be placed on the Eligible List. The hiring department may administer additional position-specific procedures to make final hiring decisions. Achieving a passing score in one class does not guarantee placement on eligible lists for the other classes. You must apply to each class you would like to be considered. There are different exams for each of the SF Civic Tech specialty areas (Applications, Networks, Security and Systems), and each class (1041, 1042, 1043 and 1044) has a different passing score for each exam. 

Candidates’ scores on the Tech Engineer – Applications Core Exam may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director.

Score Banking: Scores attained on the Tech Engineer – Applications Core Exam will be 'banked' for three years, starting from the date of the examination. This means that, during this three-year time period, candidates need not take this test again. Rather, if another announcement you applied to and are deemed qualified for requires the Tech Engineer – Applications Core Exam and is held within one year of your Tech Engineer – Applications Core Exam date your score will be automatically applied to that announcement. However, after one year, a candidate has the option to either (a) apply his/her test score to the other announcement or (b) re-take the test. Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the test and only in association with a candidate’s eligibility for another announcement to which the candidate has applied and is deemed qualified. If a candidate opts to re-test, the re-test score becomes the candidate’s official score since it is the most recent.

If a significant modification is made to this exam in the future, the application of “banked” scores may no longer be appropriate. In such a rare circumstance, candidates with “banked” scores would be required to re-take the exam sooner than the three-year period specified above should they apply to another job opportunity where the modified exam is used.

Additional Information

Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

Upon passing the exam, candidates will be placed on the eligible list for a period of 12 months.

Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the List.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city’s Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights
Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations.  [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.]

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4.  Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement.  Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at https://sf.gov/departments/civil-service-commission.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

How to Apply
All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. 

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110, San Francisco, CA.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues. 

Upon successful submission, applicants will receive a confirmation email from [email protected]. Keep this email for your records. If you do not receive it, your application was not submitted successfully.

Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst Melinda Miyagishima via email at[email protected]. Recruitment ID: REF11381W

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

Compensation: 159120 to 200226 (USD) (YEARLY)