Oil & Hazardous Materials Responder II - 1772 - Portland

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 Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking an Oil & Hazardous Materials Responder II to join us in our Southern Maine Regional Office.

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

OIL & HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONDER II

Opening Date: October 16, 2026

Closing Date: End of the day October 30, 2026

Location: Portland

Position Number: 08300-1772

Position Type: Full Time/Year-Round

Class Code: 9266

Grade: 25 (Professional/Technical Unit)

Salar y: $56,867.20 - $79,747.20 Per Year*

*This is earning potential over the course of nine steps; new hires generally start at step one. Annual step increases are based on performance reviews and authorization of such increases.

Interested candidates need to submit a Direct Hire Application, Cover Letter , and a 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 position serves as a field response team leader during the cleanup of oil, hazardous materials, and weapons of mass destruction incidents. Responsibilities include: directing the cleanup of spills, including hiring contractors; overseeing Department staff during large incidents; keeping detailed notes and writing reports about incidents; operating and overseeing the maintenance and repair of watercraft, response trucks, and safety and response equipment; procuring equipment and supplies necessary to respond safely and effectively to incidents; and developing and participating in training exercises with federal, local, and other state agencies.

The successful candidate must be able to work well in a team environment and possess excellent communication skills. This position participates in a regional after-hours on-call rotation and must live within one hour of the Portland Office. The work is physically demanding, must be performed under all environmental conditions, requires rapid and effective decision-making under stress, and may involve life-threatening situations. Work is performed under limited supervision.

You will be a vital part of a team that provides 24/7 coverage: therefore, you’ll be part of a rotating on call schedule which includes weekends, holidays, and evenings. You can expect to be compensated well for work performed while on call and working overtime and an Oil and Hazardous Materials Responder II (OHMR II) can potentially make up to an additional $10,000.00 annually above the base salary between on-call duty and overtime work. The State health and benefits package is excellent and stable and less subject to change than private industry health and benefits plans. As an OHMR with at least 10 years on the job you can be eligible to retire at age 55 and receive retirement pay.

For more information on the specifics of the position, please contact Greg O’Brien at: Greg.O’[email protected]

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelors’ Degree in Environmental Science, Chemistry, Geology, or other physical science and three (3) years of experience in investigation, monitoring, or inspection work in an environmental science field including at least one (1) year dealing with oil and hazardous materials technologies. A Bachelors’ Degree in an area other than a Science related field may be substituted if there are a minimum of 16 credit hours of science courses. Directly related experience may be substituted for educational requirements on a year-for-year basis.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Employees in this class must be able to pass the required physical examination as a condition of employment.  Employees in this class must be able to wear a self-contained breathing apparatus, a personnel protective Level A suit and pass a fit test as a condition of employment. Employees in this class must be clean shaven everywhere the respirator touches the face during all work and on-call duty hours.

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

- At least three (3) years of experience in spill preparedness and emergency response planning or administering petroleum or hazardous materials program.
- At least three (3) years of experience in petroleum and hazardous materials spill response and use of response technologies.
- Knowledge of the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System.

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  19.76 %  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.