Public Health Physician

State of Maine; Augusta (ME); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance Coverage

Retirement Plan

Parental leave

Job summary

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine CDC Environmental Health Program, seeks a managerial physician to lead the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) and provide medical guidance on environmental exposures. The role supports testing, treatment planning, and public health strategy across Maine.

The position emphasizes leadership, clinical insight, and collaboration with state agencies to safeguard children and communities.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited Medical or Osteopathic School in the United States; foreign graduates must have Maine licensure or FLEX/NBEx.
• Master of Public Health or at least 2 years of full-time experience in public health in US settings.

Responsibilities

• Lead the health team for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP).
• Serve as a medical expert on environmental and chemical exposures.
• Oversee monitoring of children's blood lead levels and testing follow-ups.
• Supervise two nursing staff.
• Inform healthcare providers about testing requirements and clinical management protocols.
• Collaborate with state offices and clinical organizations to educate and advance CLPPP priorities.
• Deliver presentations and grand rounds on lead testing and exposure.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Education

MD/DO medical degree

MPH or public health training

Job description

Opening Date: September 15, 2026 Closing Date: September 28, 2026 Job Class Code: 4362 Grade: 56 (Professional & Technical) Salary: $112,507.20 - $159,328.00 per year Position Number: 02000-3039 Location: Augusta This position allows for partial telework with management approval Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

About this Role: Join the Maine CDC's Environmental Health Program (EHP) and use your medical expertise to make a direct impact on the health of Maine communities, especially for children. As part of a close-knit team, you will work in a collaborative and engaging environment to perform innovative environmental public health work.

In this role, you'll serve in two meaningful capacities:

1. Lead the health team for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP)
2. Serve as a medical expert on environmental and chemical exposures

This is a managerial medical position in a public health setting, where your leadership, clinical insight, and collaboration will help protect and improve lives across the state. The work can be performed with a clinical or an administrative medical license. Flexible and/or reduced schedules (to 32 hours per week) may be negotiated for candidates who want to maintain a clinical role outside of State government.

Lead the Health Team for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

As the health team leader for CLPPP, you will guide and support a small but impactful team while helping to ensure children across Maine receive appropriate testing and care, working towards the goal of eradicating childhood lead poisoning in Maine.

• Oversee monitoring of children's blood lead levels, including confirmatory and follow-up testing, based on current state and federal guidelines, best practices, and CLPPP standard operating protocols;
• Supervise a team of two nursing staff;
• Inform healthcare providers about blood lead testing requirements, in-office lead testing options, and protocols for the medical management of childhood lead poisoning cases;
• Collaborate with other state offices and state clinical organizations to perform education and outreach and to advance CLPPP priorities;
• Deliver presentations and grand rounds on childhood blood lead testing and lead exposure;
• Develop lead poisoning health case management protocols and procedures;
• Partner with managers and epidemiologists to monitor rates of blood lead testing in various populations.

Serve as a Medical Expert in Environmental Health

• Provide medical guidance to toxicologists, epidemiologists, other state agencies, and Maine residents;
• Support responses to both routine and acute environmental, occupational, and chemical exposures;
• Assist with consultations, reporting, and surveillance for notifiable environmental health conditions, including carbon monoxide poisoning and exposure to polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals";
• Assist toxicologists in responding to community or individual concerns when environmental exposures approach clinical significance;
• Collaborate across disciplines, sometimes in time-sensitive situations, under the direction of the Senior Environmental Health Program Manager.

Additional Ways You'll Contribute

• Infrequently, and only in extreme circumstances, provide on-call coverage or work outside of regular business hours to ensure timely and appropriate management of severe lead poisoning or other serious environmental health incidents.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited Medical or Osteopathic School in the United States (Graduates of foreign medical schools must present evidence of having passed FLEX or National Board Examinations or of current Maine licensure); ANDA Masters Degree in Public Health or at least two (2) years of full-time experience in specialty area with the US Public Health Service, another state, accredited university, or Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations (JCAHO) accredited hospital.
• Certificate of registration with the right to practice medicine and surgery in Maine as issued by the State Board of Registration of Medicine.

Preferred Candidates Will Also Have

• Experience or training in the fields of pediatrics, family medicine, medical toxicology, environmental medicine, occupational medicine, environmental health, or occupational health.
• Experience supervising staff and managing complex teams;
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Experience working in a public health program or agency.

Benefits of working for the State of Maine

• Work-Life Fit - Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave. When you or immediate members of your family are ill, utilize 12 days of sick leave per year.
• Health Insurance Coverage - The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($12,213.60 - $13,650.48 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 contributes the equivalent of 14.06% of the employee's pay towards 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 non-birthing and adoptive parents-receive six weeks 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. State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. 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.

Agency information

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.

The mission for the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), within which this position is located, is to develop and deliver services to preserve, protect, and promote the health and well-being of the citizens of Maine.