Planning & Research Assistant - Augusta - 0373

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The Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Off-Road Vehicle Office (ORV), has a full-time position as a Planning and Research Assistant open for recruitment.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION & FORESTRY

OFF-ROAD VEHICLE OFFICE

PLANNING & RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Opening Date: September 01, 2026

Closing Date: End of the day September 15, 2026

Location: Augusta

Position Number: 01720-0373

Position Type: Full Time/Year-Round

Class Code: 0940

Grade: 14 (Professional/Technical Unit)

Salary: $17.04 - $22.68 Per Hour

Interested applicants need to submit a Direct Hire Application, Cover Letter, 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: This is paraprofessional support work in office management including but not limited to: planning, research, phone coverage, correspondence, filing and greeting public for the ORV Office. Work includes collecting, analyzing, and presenting facts and figures relevant to the development and management of programs, policies, and/or resources. Responsibilities include conducting surveys, preparing charts and graphs, writing reports, and entering data. These databases are complex and essential for land acquisitions and trail management. The position has responsibility for database administration (entering all data, creating reports, tables and queries). Verifies test scores, logs data, and sends Groomer Operator Awareness Certificates or denial letters to club & municipal groomer operators participating in the safety awareness training program.  This position also helps to develop and administers all aspects of the MS Access database for administration of all snowmobile clubs, municipal records and grant payments. Snowmobile club and Municipal Grant applications & reimbursements; tracks each step of the processing by utilizing the MS Access Database and Advantage-ME systems creating and managing complex tables, reports and queries for all financial reports. The position reviews policy regarding grant programs and makes recommendations for changes. Develops recommended rule changes as necessary for grant programs, using technical writing skills and follows APA rulemaking guidelines.  The position organizes the annual workshops, coordinates the meetings for the snowmobile and ATV advisory Councils and helps to update ORV office Web site. This position’s work is performed under general supervision.

For questions specific to the position, please contact Ron Hunt at: [email protected]

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A two (2) year combination of education, training, and/or experience providing a knowledge of statistics, methods of research and planning, and/or economic analysis.

Preference will be given to candidates with the following skills and experience:

• Advanced MS Access
• Advantage-ME management (State of Maine Financial & Procurement system)
• Writing and presentation skills

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.