Looking for a government job in Pennsylvania? Some of these unique roles pay up to $90K
As we near the holiday season, Pennsylvania’s labor figures remain strong and steady, according to commonwealth officials.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment report remains at 3.4%, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s September unemployment report issued Oct. 18. The commonwealth’s near-record 3.4% unemployment rate has now remained unchanged for 12 straight months, marking the longest streak of identical unemployment rates since 1976.
The commonwealth’s civil labor force, or the group of residents working or looking for work, dropped by about 24,000 to 6.56 million between August and September, according to the labor agency. Total nonfarm jobs were up roughly 6,800 month-over-month, producing a record-high 6.21 million such jobs.
No matter what field interests you, Pennsylvania’s public sector offers a wide range of positions with strong benefits, steady pay and unique opportunities. Here’s a look at some of the most interesting state jobs open and advertised publicly through the commonwealth’s online portal as of early November.
Food inspector 2
Salary: $58,035 to $88,235
Agency: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Description: The commonwealth is searching for a new crop of workers to perform sanitation inspections at seasonal agricultural labor camps, food and milk processing facilities, warehousing operations and more within designated regional areas. Workers in this role will also carry out U.S. Food and Drug Administration audit inspections to ensure compliance with relevant health and safety regulations.
This full-time roll can be headquartered in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin or York counties, the job posting says. A worker in this role will need to travel to those counties, and potentially others, to perform inspections.
Applicants for this role should have at least one year of work experience at as food inspector 1 (a commonwealth title) or two years of experience inspecting food establishments or processing facilities, plus a bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology or a closely related field. An equivalent combination of experience and training could work, too.
Forester (permanent)
Salary: $50,836 to $77,321
Agency: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Description: Workers in this role will help Clearfield County’s Moshannon Forest District conduct forestry assessments on private properties while providing key recommendations for effective forest management. Foresters serve as the central contact for private landowners, local governments and landowner organizations to offer information, education and support regarding the management and safeguarding of forest resources. Other key duties revolve around fire suppression and promoting responsible forest stewardship.
This full-time role is based in Clearfield County, according to the online job description. A forester in this position may have the opportunity to work remotely from an approved location within Pennsylvania as needed.
Minimum qualifications for this role include two years of technical forestry experience, plus an associate’s degree in forest technology, forestry, forest management, forest ecosystem management, urban forestry, forest science, agroforestry or a related field. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in those fields could also be accepted. Applicants are considered to have met this position’s educational requirements once they are within three months of graduating.
Applicants must also hold a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license.
Digital media manager
Salary: $70,000 to $90,000
Agency: Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Description: The office of Lt. Gov. Austin Davis is seeking a digital media manager to help shape and execute digital media strategy across all major platforms. A worker in this role will help manage and create content for the office’s pages on Facebook, Instagram, X and more, all while managing, developing and overseeing social media strategy.
Other key responsibilities include generating statistical reports, tracking growth, maintaining websites and completing updates as needed, including photographing, filming, editing and posting content, the job description reads.
This full-time role is based in Dauphin County. Work hours stretch from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with a 60-minute lunch.
Applicants should have at least two years of experience with campaign, political, government or nonprofit communications, plus experience maintaining social media sites, working with search engine optimization (SEO), keyword research and Google Analytics. Other training requirements include experience managing or maintaining a website, working with graphic design, photography and basic video editing and managing multiple projects and deadlines at once.
Game lands maintenance worker (1- to 3-year limited term)
Salary: $37,660 to $55,394
Agency: Pennsylvania Game Commission
Description: A maintenance worker in this role will help perform semi-skilled work on state game lands, including the maintenance, repair and construction of bridges, roads, parking areas, gates, posting signs, ranges and more. Work may also include mowing habitat management and other duties.
This role is limited to a three-year term with work hours stretching from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, including a 30-minute lunch. This position is based in Washington County, according to the online posting.
Applicants should have at least one year of labor experience using construction tools and equipment, a year of farming experience using agricultural tools and equipment or a year of construction equipment operation experience. An equivalent combination of experience and training might work, too.
This role requires the possession of a valid noncommercial Pennsylvania driver’s license. A worker in this position will eventually need to obtain an active Class A commercial driver’s license within one year of employment.
Administrative officer 2
Salary: $58,035 to $88,235
Agency: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Description: The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is searching for a new administrator to help support its incentives programs and serve as an alternate for the agency’s administrative operations.
In this role, an administrative officer will help support annual grant programs, organize maintenance records, provide notifications to applicants, respond to inquiries and analyze program trends while serving on the PA SHPO’s leadership team. Other responsibilities include coordinating with staff to create or update annual grant applications, maintaining tax credit project records, ensuring compliance with state and federal guidelines, serving as a backup to the timekeeper and more, according to the online job description.
This full-time role is based in Dauphin County. A worker in this position may have the opportunity to work from home part-time, but in-person participation for site visits, leadership meetings and occasional office days is expected.
Applicants for this role should have at least one year of experience as an administrative officer 1 (a commonwealth title) or at least three years of experience in progressively responsible and varied office management or staff work, including experience in personnel management, budgeting or procurement, plus a bachelor’s degree. An equivalent combination of experience and training may work, too.
Additionally, this role requires at least one year of experience administering grants, including reviewing and paying invoices, monitoring grant activity, maintaining records and compiling reports.
Marketing research analyst
Salary: $58,035 to $88,235
Agency: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Description: A marketing research analyst in this role will help the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission conduct market research, perform analytical and evaluative work and guide the agency’s marketing initiatives to improve efficiency and effectiveness, especially regarding recruitment, retention and reactivation of anglers and boaters across the commonwealth. Other key duties include gathering, organizing and analyzing data to determine the impacts of changes and developing content for all official communication channels regarding outreach and marketing.
This full-time role is based in Dauphin County, according to the online job posting, but remote work is possible.
Key qualifications for this role include at least one year of experience as a program analyst 1 (a commonwealth title) or two years of analytical experience, one of which includes professional experience in program evaluation and the development of program recommendations, plus a bachelor’s degree. Applicants may substitute an equivalent combination of experience and training.
This role also requires at least one year of full-time experience developing and utilizing database queries, plus a year’s worth of experience evaluating market research and industry trends. Applicant must meet Pennsylvania’s residency requirement.
Visit governmentjobs.com/careers/pabureau to find more openings in Pennsylvania and filter by department, location, salary and more.
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