MARINE RESOURCE SPECIALIST

Opening Date:

September 27, 2024

Closing Date:

October 15, 2024

Location:

West Boothbay Harbor

Position #:

07200-2408

Position Type:

Permanent Full Time

Class Code:

9359

Grade/Salary:

Grade 21 - $47,257.60 - $66,144.00 Per Year*
*(This includes the 5.5% Salary Adjustment)

The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is seeking applicants with strong laboratory skills for a Marine Resource Specialist position in the Bureau of Public Health and Aquaculture located at the West Boothbay Harbor facility.

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: This position will work primarily with Water Quality samples but will assist with Biotoxin samples as necessary. The primary tasks are split between field and laboratory work and vary depending upon departmental needs. Field work is tide-dependent and involves driving to specified locations along the coast of Western Maine.

Laboratory work includes: 

• Analysis of fecal coliforms in seawater samples using membrane filtration
• Operation of autoclaves
• Dry oven sterilization
• Critical temperature monitoring
• Preparation of media including sterilization and productivity testing
• Data entry

All methods are performed to comply with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) guidelines. Quality Assurance and Control are a required part of the daily activities for both the laboratory and field tasks. 

There is an opportunity to learn in-house Biotoxin testing methods (HPLC-UV, absorbance-based plate assays).

This position requires you to work occasional weekends and holidays.

For questions specific to the position, please contact Bryant J. Lewis at: bryant.j.lewis@maine.gov

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Intermediate education, training, and/or experience in the compilation and summarization of scientific field and laboratory data including coursework or demonstrated experience in natural resource science, management, technology, laboratory, or field work.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES PREFERRED: Boat operation experience is a bonus. Knowledge of data analysis, statistics, and R or Python programming languages are a plus.

The successful candidate will have: 

• Basic laboratory skills such as pipetting, solution preparation, knowledge of measurement units, mastery of simple laboratory calculations, and attention to detail. 
• Self-motivation to recognize the tasks that need to be completed and to perform those tasks according to Standard Operating Procedures with limited supervision.
• Familiarity with using basic computer software.
• The ability to navigate to locations using maps.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested applicants need to apply online by selecting the "APPLY" button below along with uploading a Cover Letter and a current Resume. In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your Resume includes month and year for any experience listed along with the duties and responsibilities associated with each particular time period. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such. 

If you can't apply online and you require a paper application, please download and print one here: https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/application-process. Paper applications for this posting should be submitted along with a Cover Letter and Resume, before the closing date, to: Natural Resources Service Center, c/o Kristin McCamish, 32 Blossom Lane, Marquardt Building, Augusta, ME 04333-0155. Please be sure that the title, and position number, of the job you are applying for is included.

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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 ($11,196.96-$13,172.88 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 ($358.08 annual value). 
• Retirement Plan– The State of Maine contributes 13.29% 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.