NJ Civil Service Navigator

TECHNICAL ASSISTANT 1 PURCHASING

Code: 50042 State Competitive Range: A13 (FY2027)

Career Family: TECHNICAL ASSISTANT

Salary: $46,727.06 - $67,527.96/year FY2027 schedule (last updated 2026-05-08)

Technical Assistant 1 Purchasing sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's state civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.

The requirements come down to an associate's degree and 1 year of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2027 schedule runs $46,727 to $67,528, and state payroll currently lists 8 people in the title, led by Law and Public Safety.

How to apply

  • Exam

    This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.

  • Exam

    Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.

  • Agency posting

    Department of Law & Public Safety posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.

  • Agency posting

    Department of Corrections's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.

  • Agency posting

    Department of Human Services's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.

Pay ladder: Technical Assistant series

  1. Technical Assistant 1 — $50,990 – $73,902
  2. Technical Assistant 2 — $58,222 – $84,763
  3. Technical Assistant 3 — $66,592 – $97,354

Its top salary lands around the 13th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.

Rungs are ordered by FY2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.

Who employs this title

State payroll records show 8 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $54,191. The agencies employing the most are:

  • Law and Public Safety (4)
  • Corrections (3)
  • Human Services (1)

Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.

Definition

Under direction of a Technical Assistant 2 or other supervisory official, performs functions in support of purchasing operations; does related work as required.

Examples of work

  • Provides complex, direct, technical assistance to professional buying staff engaged in completing sophisticated procurements, special analytical projects, or investigations.
  • Prepares and distributes waiver documents, contract award notices, and bid proposals.
  • Solicits and documents vendor price quotations and recommends awards to the lowest responsive bidder.
  • Receives bid applications and compiles and maintains up-to-date bidders lists.
  • Reviews and accepts or recommends rejection of vendor bid proposals.
  • Maintains a list of key contract expiration dates for buying supervisors.
  • Assists in tabulating complex bid proposals from multiple vendors.
  • Monitors procurement transactions to ensure agency compliance with purchasing regulations and prompt payment of bills.
  • Collects background information for and assists in preparing simple commodity specifications.
  • Collects accurate purchasing production data as a basis for periodic management reports.
  • As required, schedules and participates in bidders' conferences and bid readings.
  • Prepares procurement related correspondence.
  • Coordinates the maintenance of essential contract, bid history, and/or waiver records and files.
  • May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Completion of sixty (60) semester hour credits at an accredited college.

Experience

One (1) year of paraprofessional or technical support experience in procurement/purchasing.

NOTE: Applicants who do not possess the required 60 semester hour credits may substitute additional experience as indicated above on a year-for-year basis.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

  • Knowledge of data collection, compilation, analysis, and interpretation techniques.
  • Knowledge of and familiarity with state/department policies and procedures.
  • Knowledge of purchasing methods, practices, routines and modern equipment applications.
  • Knowledge of basic statistical computation techniques.
  • Ability to gather, organize, analyze, interpret, and record factual procurement data.
  • Ability to comprehend state/department practices, policies, and procedures.
  • Ability to operate simple office machines.
  • Ability to prepare clear, concise, factual reports and correspondence.
  • Ability to maintain essential purchasing records and files.
  • Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
  • Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
  • Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.