Assistant State Fire Marshal

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Department of Public Safety - Fire Marshals Office
Job Class Code: MR29
Grade: 29 (Confidential) 
Salary: $83,628.48 - $118,347.84/Annually *Salary Includes 16% Stipend
Location: Augusta, ME 
Opening Date: November 13, 2026 
Closing Date: December 1, 2026

Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

The Maine Department of Public Safety is seeking an individual to serve as Assistant State Fire Marshal overseeing the Fire Prevention Division and Support Divisions. This position provides leadership and supervision for statewide plans review, fire and life safety inspections, and clerical and administrative services. Reporting to the State Fire Marshal, the position exercises independent judgment in daily operations, personnel matters, policy development, and stakeholder relationships.

Customer service and active engagement with Maine’s fire chiefs, local code enforcement officials, state agencies, and other stakeholders are priorities for this position. The Assistant State Fire Marshal will build strong working relationships through proactive outreach, clear communication, and timely follow-through. The successful candidate will work closely with local fire service leaders to understand community needs, address concerns, and develop practical solutions while applying fire and life safety requirements fairly and consistently. The position provides highly specialized expertise regarding complex statewide issues.

The ideal candidate will have strong fire prevention and leadership experience, sound judgment, and the ability to plan beyond immediate demands and adapt to changing priorities. Successful leadership requires clear communication, fair accountability, staff development, and a commitment to providing employees with the direction and support needed to succeed.

Under the direction of the State Fire Marshal, this position oversees a budget of approximately $3 million allocated to the Fire Prevention and Support Divisions, ensuring responsible management of state resources. The position also supports the Deputy Chief and Investigations Division by coordinating administrative and clerical services, facilitating communication across divisions, and assisting with shared resource and operational needs. This is a non-standard position requiring work outside regular business hours and travel throughout the State of Maine.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Plan, coordinate, assign, and oversee the work of supervisors and personnel responsible for plans review, inspections, and clerical support.

• Oversee consistent application of adopted fire and life safety codes, including NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, with attention to means of egress and appropriate alternative methods of code compliance.

• Coordinate technical and clerical operations to support timely application processing, scheduling, correspondence, records management, and customer service.

• Develop and administer training programs, procedures, manuals, and operating standards to strengthen staff expertise and improve service delivery.

• Advise, support, and evaluate personnel; communicate expectations; address performance concerns; and encourage professional growth and teamwork.

• Work with agency leadership to identify budget, staffing, equipment, and program needs and manage assigned resources.

• Review activity reports, workloads, and expenditures to assess performance, identify delays, and improve operational efficiency.

• Advise agency leadership on policy and proposed legislation affecting assigned programs and represent the State Fire Marshal in meetings and legislative testimony as assigned.

The background of a well-qualified candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:

• Leadership: Experience supervising personnel and building a capable, accountable, and collaborative team.

• Management: Ability to manage personnel, budgets, administrative functions, and strategic priorities.

• Organization: Strong organizational and time management skills, with consistent follow-through on commitments.

• Communication: Strong written, oral, and public speaking skills and the ability to explain technical matters clearly.

· Organization and Time Management: Ability to prioritize competing demands, manage workloads, establish realistic timelines, and meet deadlines, with consistent follow-through on assignments and commitments.

Minimum qualifications:

An eight-year combination of education and/or relevant supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for fire prevention, inspections, plans review, and program management.

Relevant fire inspection or plans review certification, training, or experience is preferred. Experience in emergency services or as a code enforcement officer is also preferred, along with experience in public speaking, program development, and the legislative process.

Proficiency in the State of Maine’s fire incident reporting system is also preferred.

Contact information Questions about this position should be directed to State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler at [email protected].

To request a paper application, please contact Stephanie Hayes via email at [email protected]

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

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 ($11,857.68-$13,950.24 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 18.86% 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.

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.  

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

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 experience and passion set you apart.

If you require a paper application, please download and print one HERE

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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.