If you are a current State of Maine employee, please submit your application through the internal application process using the Find Jobs report in PRISM. Seasonal employees who do not have PRISM access should apply through the State’s career page and indicate on the application that they have previously worked for the State.

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The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking an Environmental Specialist III to join our office in Presque Isle.

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III

Opening Date: March 09, 2026

Closing Date: End of day March 20, 2026

Location: Presque Isle

Position Number: 08330-1911

Class Code: 9253

Grade: 23 (Professional/Technical Unit)

Salary: $25.43 - $35.68 Per Hour*

*(This includes a 7.33% Salary Adjustment) This is earning potential over the course of nine steps; new hires generally start at step one. Annual step increases are based on performance reviews and authorization of such increases.

Interested candidates need to complete and submit a State of Maine Direct Hire Application, Cover Letter, and a detailed Resume.

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: This position conducts licensing, compliance, investigative, and assistance work related to agronomic utilization and beneficial use activities as well as composting, anaerobic digestion, septage and sludge management, solid waste storage, and solid waste processing facilities. This includes a combination of administration, planning, project management, remedial activities, and outreach assignments.

Responsibilities include:

• Reviewing and processing license applications
• Conducting compliance inspections
• Providing regulatory and technical assistance
• Investigating complaints and managing enforcement actions
• Presenting information in public settings
• Managing and coordinating fieldwork
• Drafting scopes of services and contracts for investigative work and site management

This position combines office work and field activity. The position collaborates with staff throughout the Department to determine corrective actions, establish preventative measures and achieve environmental compliance. The position also assists with other project work as needed as well as serves as a project manager with the Department’s ongoing PFAS investigation of sludge and septage land application sites. In this capacity, the position manages investigations, conducts research of historically licensed activities, handles public inquiries, compiles, and distributes sampling data, and develops, executes, and tracks contracts. Work is performed under limited supervision.

For more information on the specifics of the position, please contact Margaret Watson-Pierce at: (207) 242-0383 or Margaret.Watson-Pierce@maine.gov

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A six (6) year combination of education and/or experience in environmental, biological, physical science, or engineering which includes two (2) years of environmental experience. Qualifying education must include at least 15 credit hours of science or engineering coursework from an accredited educational institution.

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,857.68-$13,950.24 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State of Maine contributes 14.11% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.
• Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?
Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.

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If you are unable to complete the online application, please contact the Human Resources representative listed on the job opening you are interested in applying for. They will work with you for an alternative method of submitting.