Program Technician

National Experienced Workforce Solutions; Augusta (ME); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid health insurance premium

Accrued vacation & sick leave

Federal holidays

Vision and dental insurance (optional)

Job summary

National Experienced Workforce Solutions (NEW Solutions) partners with NRCS to place experienced workers (ages 55+) in a part-time, non-federal program. The Program Technician role supports conservation planning, data collection, and technical assistance to farmers and landowners.

Roles are through a cooperative agreement and offer benefits including health insurance premium support, vacation and holidays, and optional vision/dental coverage for eligible hours.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 year(s) of experience in conservation, agriculture, or natural resource management, or a combination of experience and education.
• Experience required with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel.
• Conservation Desktop and ProTracts. Adobe Acrobat experience may be helpful.

Responsibilities

• Support NRCS conservation planners and assist with data collection and environmental evaluation.
• Develop conservation planning alternatives and prepare trip reports.
• Coordinate with conservationists, engineers, and NRCS personnel on various projects.
• Enter contract data into agency software and prepare reports; analyze and remediate issues.
• Assist with contract file records management and archiving.

Skills

Experience in conservation work

Education

HS/GED General

Tools

Windows

MS Word

MS Excel

Conservation Desktop

ProTracts

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Program Technician

ID: AME1-011

Location: Augusta

Program: ACE

Wage/Hr: $22.00

Hours/Week: 16

Minimum Age: 55

Disclaimer: This is not a federal position. This role is offered through a partnership agreement and does not constitute an NRCS hiring action.

This position is a non-federal role funded through an existing agreement between NRCS and NEW Solutions. The enrollee will provide direct support to farmers and landowners, enabling the implementation of conservation practices on the ground. This role contributes to NRCS's mission by enhancing capacity in field offices and ensuring timely assistance to producers. It is designed to free up NRCS staff for emergency and high-priority responses, not to replace federal staff.

This role helps ensure continued progress on conservation planning, practice implementation, and technical assistance, especially in high-demand or disaster-affected areas. It aligns with the Administration's priorities for farmer-first, field-facing, and partner-enabled capacity expansion.

For over 25 years, National Experienced Workforce Solutions (NEW Solutions) has specialized in connecting experienced workers (ages 55+) with full-time and part-time job opportunities that support the critical missions of Federal Agencies across the United States.

NEW Solutions connects experienced workers (ages 55+) with the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS). These are experienced professionals who provide technical and professional assistance to the Department of Agriculture for the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program.

Benefits: Paid Health Insurance Premium for positions budgeted at 60+ hours per pay period, Accrued Vacation and Sick Leave, Paid Federal Holidays, and optional Vision and Dental Insurance available for positions budgeted at 35+ hours per pay period.

Positions listed here do not guarantee employment for any definite period. Enrollment in the Experienced Worker Programs administered by NEW Solutions is temporary. The enrollment relationship between NEW Solutions and the Enrollee is an ?at-will? relationship. This means that an Enrollee is free to terminate enrollment at any time during the enrollment period, and NEW Solutions and the Agency have the right to terminate the relationship with the Enrollee.

PLEASE NOTE: An ?ACES Enrollee? is not a federal employee, nor an employee of NEW Solutions. An ?ACES Enrollee? is a participant in a grant program established through a Cooperative Agreement funded by the USDA-NRCS and administered by NEW Solutions.

This opportunity applies to applicants legally eligible to work in the United States.

Qualifications:

Minimum of 5 year(s) of experience in conservation, agriculture, or natural resource management, or a related field of study, or a combination of experience and education. OR HS/GED Degree in General

• Experience required with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel
• Conservation Desktop and ProTracts. Adobe Acrobat experience may be helpful.

Duties:

Work will be performed in support of overall farmers first conservation delivery for the State Conservationist and partner organizations. Tasks will generally consist of assisting NRCS conservation planners with collecting data, developing conservation planning alternatives, environmental evaluation, complex natural resource training and job approval authority assistance in the areas soil, water, air, plant, animal, human, and energy, preparing trip reports, coordinating and communicating with conservationists, engineers, and other NRCS personnel. Examples of activities for conservation assistance covered by this agreement are as follows:

• Provide support and prepares documents for 2nd level reviews for contracts and payments. Examine files to confirm that information on each document is complete and adjusts and corrects obvious errors as needed.40%
• Track Farm Bill contracts (pending actions, expiring contracts, contract reviews etc.); assists in preparing follow up letter to participants.20%
• Assist with putting together final contract documents for NRCS and Participant/Assist with Contract File Records Management including archiving.20%
• Enter contract data into agency-specific software programs and prepare reports. Analyze problems with applications and take remedial actions.10%
• Recommend changes in procedures when necessary to prevent recurrence of problems that may delay obtaining certifications of eligibility.10%

Other:

• required AgLearn training.
• Training with local district conservationist.
• Travel Requirements: GOV use for internal support (vehicle maintenance dropoffs, state office runs, etc.)
• Physical requirements: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

NEW Solutions is committed to promoting equal opportunity and to an environment free from discrimination and harassment in any form administering Experienced Worker Programs under cooperative agreements with federal agencies. It is NEW Solutions' policy to comply with all applicable laws that provide equal opportunity and to prohibit unlawful discrimination in enrolling participants in the federal programs.