Senior Entomology Technician - DACF Agency Transfers Only

Senior Entomology Technician

The Maine Forest Service Forest Health and Monitoring (FHM) Division has a vacancy for a Senior Entomology Technician in the Augusta area, Maine area.

Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry

Opening Date: June 16, 2026

Closing Date: End of the day July 02, 2026

Location: Augusta Area

Position Number: 01713-6146

Position Type: Permanent Full Time/Year-Round

Class Code: 9405

Grade: 17 (Operations/Maintenance)

Salary: $19.57 - $26.98 Per Hour*

*(This includes a 7.5% Salary Adjustment)

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

Forest Health and Monitoring (FHM) cooperates with other state, local, and federal collaborators to support the overall mission of the Maine Forest Service to protect and enhance the forest resources of Maine for the benefit of present and future generations. Through statewide forest health monitoring systems and advice and assistance for pest management and damage prevention to homeowners, municipalities, and forest landowners and managers, the division supports the overall health of Maine's forest resources.

Brief Job Description: This is technical services work involving the detection, evaluation, and impact assessment of forest health issues (insects, diseases, abiotic factors) in both field and laboratory environments and conducting a wide variety of forest resources surveys. This position may supervise or act as lead for technical and seasonal personnel assigned to assist in meeting project objectives. Work is performed under limited supervision. Supervision may be exercised over subordinate personnel.

Work may include:

• Performing forest health evaluations and field studies to determine causes, extents and severity of damages including establishing temporary and permanent forested and non-forested survey plots and conducting a variety of surveys to mark the area.
• Collect data for monitoring and assessment and identify damage and environmental impacts.
• Providing diagnostic services and technical advice regarding insect and disease problems to landowners, the public, and other agencies to assess problems, recommend controls, and protect resources.
• Performing inspections and surveys related to state and federally regulated pests to prevent the introduction or spread of foreign or quarantined pests.
• Collect, process, document and appropriately store, analyze and report on field samples to determine damage agents using specialized entomology and pathology techniques.
• Collaborates with universities and state and federal agencies on insect and disease projects to provide information and services to landowners.
• Maintain records, assigned equipment and supplies

The position requires knowledge of integrated pest management, forest and tree ecology including forest health topics; familiarity with the use of taxonomic keys to identify host plants, insects and diseases; ability to become adept at the use of MS Office and ArcGIS Software Suites and licensed as a commercial pesticide applicator in multiple categories related to position duties; and excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication, and presentations skills; ability to reach logical conclusions and make sound technical recommendations based on data gathered. Successful candidates will demonstrate an ability to work well as a leader and team player and independently; and experience organizing, prioritizing, and managing multiple work projects and types of activities while meeting and managing deadlines.

Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Maine Driver's License.

Minimum Qualifications: A four (4) year combination of training, education, and/or experience in basic technical field or laboratory entomology, pathology, forestry, or related work, including at least two (2) years of actual on-the-job experience in forest inventory analysis and insect identification.

Licensing/Registration/Certification Requirements: (These must be met by all employees prior to attaining permanent status in this class): Pesticides Applicator License as issued by the Maine Pesticide Control Board.

Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorships 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. 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.

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.