POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Job Title: Program Assistant

Employment Status: Seasonal; Full-time

Location: 24 Maple Hill Rd., Auburn, Maine

Compensation: $18-20/hour; paid sick leave & holidays

Organization Overview

Lake Stewards of Maine (LSM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to gathering data on lake health. For over 50 years, trained volunteers throughout Maine have donated their time so that we may all learn more about one of Maine’s most beautiful and important resources — our lakes.

LSM trains, certifies, and provides technical support to hundreds of volunteers every year. These volunteers monitor a wide range of indicators for water quality, assess watershed health and function, and screen lakes for aquatic invasive plants and animals. LSM, through our robust community science network, provides a high percentage of the annual lake data for the state of Maine. This critical information is used by local, state, regional and national Environmental Protection Agencies for a wide range of purposes, including data and trend analysis, assessing the impact of climate change on lakes, and taking action to protect lakes that are threatened or impaired. To learn more about our organization, visit www.lakestewardsofmaine.org.

Summary of LSM’s Programs

There are two primary programs at LSM: one focusing on water quality monitoring, and the other dedicated to addressing aquatic invasive species (AIS). Our Water Quality program, which has been in existence for more than 50 years, trains volunteers to monitor a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological indicators of lake health. Monitoring lakes year after year provides a long-term record of data that is essential to understanding the complex dynamics of lake ecosystems. This historical record serves as the baseline against which to observe significant changes in lake water quality and is vital to fulfilling our commitment to preserving Maine’s pristine lakes. 

Over the past 20 years, LSM’s Aquatic Invasive Species program has played an integral role in building Maine’s statewide effort to prevent, detect, and control aquatic invasive species. LSM has trained, and continues to train, thousands of individuals to survey Maine waters for aquatic invaders, provides technical and plant identification support, and collaborates with partner organizations to address the growing threat of aquatic invasive species across the state.

Program Assistant Job Description

This position will work primarily with the AIS team and may also contribute to other programs and organizational activities as needed. The Program Assistant reports to the Aquatic Invasive Species Program Manager and supports the recruitment, education and training, certification, and retention of Invasive Plant Patrollers. This position also assists with AIS data entry, quality assurance, and maintaining the development and integrity of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The Program Assistant will serve as a primary point of contact for volunteers and others contacting the organization. The position supports staff, volunteers, and the general public by maintaining accurate and up-to-date records, assisting with special projects, responding to inquiries by phone and email, and supporting a range of program and administrative functions. The ideal candidate is a motivated, organized professional who can manage a variety of administrative and program support tasks, and work diligently under pressure. This person will be comfortable working with a high degree of attention to detail and discretion, as well as incorporating new and effective ways to achieve strong results.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

• Assist volunteers and the general public in obtaining information about LSM programs
• Enter data from field forms with accuracy and precision into databases and spreadsheets
• Enter volunteer (constituent) information into databases and spreadsheets
• Answer phone calls and direct callers to the appropriate staff member(s)
• Track and process data pertaining to the work of LSM lake stewards
• Process and ship sales
• Assist with general office tasks and organization
• Assist with set up of workshops and events

Skills and Qualifications

• Minimum high school diploma or equivalent
• An interest in science education and volunteerism
• Dependability and professionalism
• Microsoft Office proficiency
• Google Suite proficiency
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Demonstrated ability to balance multiple projects concurrently
• Experience scheduling and coordinating meetings and appointments
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work independently, and flexibly respond to changing priorities
• Strong computer literacy skills; social media and website management a plus
• Analytical abilities and aptitude in problem-solving
• Open-mindedness and a willingness to learn and be mentored
• Experience with relational databases and data entry preferred

This is a full-time, seasonal position based in our office in Auburn. The role requires in-person work, and may require occasional travel, including weekends or overnight stays.