If you are a current State of Maine employee, please submit your application through the internal application process using the Find Jobs report in PRISM. Seasonal employees who do not have PRISM access should apply through the State’s career page and indicate on the application that they have previously worked for the State.
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The Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Maine Forest Service (MFS), has a current vacancy for a Senior Planner (Landowner Outreach Forester) in Augusta, Maine. MFS is looking for candidates with a passion for promoting good forest stewardship throughout Maine, as well as initiative, program management, and people skills.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION & FORESTRY
SENIOR PLANNER
(LANDOWNER OUTREACH FORESTER)
Opening Date: October 19, 2026
Closing Date: End of the day October 30, 2026
Location: Augusta
Position Number: 01715-5692
Position Type: Full Time/Year-Round
Class Code: 0603
Grade: 25 (Professional/Technical Unit)
Salary: $56,867.20 - $79,747.20 Per Year
Interested applicants need to submit a Direct Hire Application, CoverLetter, and detailed Resume*
*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: The work is interdisciplinary, implementing Maine’s Be Woods Wise Program, a forest education, training, and outreach program, with the goal of sustaining wildlife habitat, recreation, water quality, and timber values on Maine’s family woodland ownerships. The position plans and implements landowner assistance programs, including outreach & educational materials, financial incentives, training events, including Woods Wise Resilience. The position responds directly to landowner inquiries, develops programs and works with MFS District Foresters, and regularly convenes multiple partners, including private foresters, landowners, nonprofits, loggers, and university. The position is responsible for program-related resource assessments, contract preparation and administration, on-site monitoring, and evaluation. The position manages all aspects of large federal grants, including proposal, budget, and report preparation. Frequent statewide and overnight travel and evening and weekend work may be required.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelors’ Degree in assigned area and four (4) years of related work experience. Equivalent related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
ASSIGNED AREAS: Forestry, Natural Resource Management or a closely related field.
Preference will be given to those applicants possessing the following skills and abilities:
- Proactive planner: Ability to think creatively and demonstrate initiative. Ability to independently set and meet deadlines and complete multiple projects over long time periods.
- Curious communicator: Ability to listen actively, communicate clearly, and establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of interests. Knowledge of and experience in advanced adult education and outreach techniques.
- Collaborator & administrator: Ability to plan and coordinate meetings and other means of engaging with stakeholders. Knowledge of federal grant programs and general grant administration procedures.
- Forest steward: Knowledge and experience of the full range of forest values, forest management principles, practices, and procedures. Competent and comfortable in the woods.
Preferred Licensing Requirements: The preferred applicant will possess licensure as a Licensed Forester from the Maine State Board of Licensure of Foresters or be eligible based on forestry education and experience to pursue licensure. Candidates without such qualifications, but who have direct knowledge and experience of woodland stewardship, forestry, or land use conservation practices, will also be considered.
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 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.
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.
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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.
