Office Associate II - Old Town - 5673

State of Maine; Old Town (ME); On-site; USD 24,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Vacation leave

Sick leave

Health insurance

Job summary

State of Maine, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Office Associate II position in Old Town, ME, provides essential administrative and clerical support to the Forest Protection Division. Responsibilities include handling office tasks, processing permits, and assisting with staff scheduling and documentation.

The role requires independent judgment on priority work and familiarity with government office procedures.

Qualifications

• Office support experience with modern office practices.
• Ability to manage independent work assignments, priorities, and schedules.
• Experience with open burn permits, payroll processing, and procurement processes would be helpful.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and in-office support for Forest Protection staff.
• Assist in writing and issuing open burn permits and interpreting burning rules.
• Support workshops, trainings, and orientation sessions for staff; process wildland fire reports and payroll within procurement guidelines.

Job description

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION & FORESTRY OFFICE ASSOCIATE II

Opening Date: September 14, 2026 Closing Date: End of the day September 28, 2026

Location: Old Town

Position Number: 01715-5673

Position Type: Permanent Full Time/Year-Round

Class Code: 6542 Grade: 13 (Administrative)

Salary: $17.73 - $25.53 Per Hour* *(This includes a 2.5 % Salary Adjustment)

Interested applicants need to submit a Direct Hire Application, along with a Cover Letter, a detailed Resume*, and 3 professional references. *For us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your resume includes the month and year for any relevant experience listed. Your resume should include the duties and responsibilities associated with each position. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such.

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION

This position provides administrative and in-office support for the staff and members of the Forest Protection Division. These responsibilities require solid knowledge of modern office practices and the operation of office equipment necessary to perform diverse clerical functions. An interest in and understanding of wildfire management and natural resource conservation law enforcement programs will be helpful in this role. Responsibilities require independent judgment on established work assignments, priorities, and schedules.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

Procurement contracts and navigating the state purchasing processes Ability to answer phone calls from the members of the public and stakeholders, answer questions about basic agency information, and direct callers to Forest Rangers for further intervention and education. Ability to write and issue open burn permits to members of the public. Stay current and understand, discuss, and explain rules and regulations regarding open burning. Create and use varied correspondence formats and compose standard business communications and reports. Process wildland fire reports and payroll within procurement guidelines. Collect and process regional wildland fire staff documentation and interact with the agency's Mobilization Coordinator. Coordinate and support workshops, trainings, and orientation sessions with Forest Protection staff. Navigate and help update Forest Protection’s wildland fire plan on an annual basis. Review program materials to detect errors and irregularities and take appropriate action to resolve them in accordance with established procedures to ensure they are factual and accurate. Exercise good judgment in appraising work situations and making decisions/recommendations to effectively address problems. Work with the regional ranger to organize and log office supplies and provide BPC staff with printer/computer/copier support. Document and track agency town warden appointments, resignations, and updated contact information, interacting with the state office for up-to-date listings. Other tasks as appropriate and directed. Processing of charge card receipts for all of the central region staff

For questions specific to the position, please contact Ben Goodwin, at: [e-mail]

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Training, education, or experience in office and administrative support work that demonstrates 1) competency in applying a solid knowledge of modern office practices to perform complex, varied office support tasks, and 2) the ability to use independent decision-making on the appropriate processes to follow, information to process, and actions to take in accordance with standard procedures. All positions in this classification assume the qualifications of: Office Assistant I, Office Assistant II, and Office Associate I. Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

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 ($12,213.60-$14,369.04 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 at least 14.06% 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.

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. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.