How to Get a Cannabis Job in Maine

If you want to start working in Maine's cannabis industry, our guide on how to get a cannabis job in Maine can help.

Maine's medical and recreational cannabis companies are always looking for passionate and knowledgeable individuals to join their teams. If you want to stand above and beyond the competition, we'll show you how.

Maine Cannabis Jobs

Maine, considered a mainly rural state, is slowly but surely growing its cannabis market. In 2020, its recreational program launched, leading to an increase in cannabis jobs across the state.

Over the next several years, we can expect a significant growth in the job market for entry-level and advanced jobs in cannabis retail, cultivation, and manufacturing.

Retail Cannabis Jobs

Cannabis retail involves the sale of cannabis products to medical patients and recreational consumers in Maine. Retail jobs range from entry-level budtenders to dispensary managers in charge of managing an entire store or chain of stores.

• Budtender: Assist medical patients or recreational customers in answering all of their cannabis-related questions and helping them find the right strain or product for their needs.
• Receptionist: Greet and sign-in new and returning customers, all with a smile. Answer phone calls and emails and perform other clerical duties.
• Security guard: Monitor for suspicious activity inside the store and around the premises. Maintain the safety of staff and customers, while protecting inventory.
• Dispensary manager: Hire, train, and manage a team of dispensary employees. Meet monthly sales goals, manage payroll, keep the store well stocked, and perform other managerial tasks.

Cultivation

Cannabis cultivation covers everything from planting cannabis seeds to harvesting their flower buds at the end of the season. Cannabis cultivation jobs range from the entry-level trimmer to  head growers responsible for the entire farm operation.

• Trimmer: Harvest cannabis flower buds from mature plants in a speedy and efficient manner. Trimmers may be required to package flower buds and roll pre-rolls.
• Grower’s assistant: Assist supervisors and the master grower in a wide range of daily plant care activities including watering, pest control, feeding, harvesting, and more.
• Master grower: Manage a team of grower’s assistants and supervisors to ensure the crop remains healthy and bountiful. In addition, they must manage the finances and budget of the operation.

Processing

Cannabis manufacturers transform the harvested hemp or cannabis biomass into a wide range of extracts, edibles, and topicals for medical and recreational use. Manufacturing jobs range from entry-level packagers to advanced extraction technicians requiring experience working in a lab and a degree in science.

• Packager: Weigh, label, and package cannabis products for sale. Must be knowledgeable about state labeling requirements.
• Edibles chef: Create a wide range of cannabis infused food and drink products.
• Kitchen assistant: Assist an edibles chef in preparing ingredients and maintaining the kitchen clean, organized, and well stocked.
• Inventory specialist: Manage cannabis material orders and perform regular audits of raw goods.
• Quality control specialist: Supervise, audit, and train staff to ensure the products are high quality and meet the state's compliance regulations.
• Extraction technician: Use solventless or solvent-based techniques to create a concentrated cannabis resin from raw cannabis or hemp material.

Minimum Age Requirement for Cannabis Jobs in Maine

If you want to work in Maine’s cannabis industry, you must be at least 21 years of age or older. 

While medical cannabis patients must be at least 18 years old (or minors with parental or legal  guardian consent), anyone under 21 years of age cannot work in a cannabis establishment.

Legal Requirements

Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis employees must complete an employee application with the Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) and pay all associated non-refundable fees. Application requirements include:

• Applicant information
• Employer information
• Copy of state of Maine-issued photographic identification
• $20 application fee
• $31 criminal background check (required annually)

Adult-Use Cannabis

Cannabis employees working in the adult-use market  must complete an individual identification card (IIC) application with the OMP and pay all associated and non-refundable fees. Application requirements include:

• Applicant information
• $50 individual identification card fee
• $52 IdentoGo Fingerprinting fee

How to Get a Marijuana Job in Maine

Maine's cannabis industry is on the verge of explosive growth. Whether you're looking to enter the medical or recreational side of the market, there's never been a better time to find a cannabis job in Maine. Here's a step-by-step guide on how you can learn the skills and qualifications needed to get a cannabis job:

1. Do your research: Before you start applying for jobs, research your state and local laws to fully understand how your Maine’s industry works and what requirements are needed to find cannabis work. Consume content from many sources including blogs, books, videos, industry publications, and more.
2. Get industry certified: If you want to strengthen your resume and gain a complete understanding of the industry, enroll in Cannabis Training University. CTU offers students a comprehensive curriculum covering the most important aspects of the industry including cultivation, laws, cooking, extraction, careers, and more. Passing the final exam can earn you the certification you need to impress hiring managers. At a low cost, this online training program pays for itself in the long run.
3. Gain job experience: It isn't always easy finding cannabis work without previous cannabis work experience. For the best chance of getting hired, make sure you have job experience and skills related to the job you're applying for. Look for similar jobs outside of the cannabis industry to build your transferable skills that can apply to retail, cultivation, or manufacturing jobs.
4. Network with industry professionals: As a federally illegal industry, many jobs are hard to come by and mainly available by word of mouth. Put yourself on the frontlines by attending local industry events to meet business owners who may be hiring. In addition, complete your LinkedIn profile to maintain a professional touchpoint where you can connect with even more local business owners and ones beyond your regional reach.
5. Create a resume and cover letter: Once you have the right experience and education,  it's time to craft a solid resume and cover letter showing why you're the best for the job.
6. Apply for a job: After all that hard work, you can finally begin applying for jobs. Check job boards daily and feel free to call companies to inquire about employment opportunities. Don't give up if you have trouble finding cannabis work. The industry is only getting bigger and more opportunities are on the way.
7. Apply for an employee registry card (medical) or individual identity card (adult-use):  If you manage to get a job, make sure you are able to meet the requirements for an employee registry card or individual identification card, if you want to legally work in the industry.

How to Get a Cannabis Job in Maine 

A cannabis career in Maine is within reach for nearly anyone. Main cannabis career training, brought to you by CTU, is the best way to expand your cannabis industry knowledge and help you learn how to get a cannabis job in Maine.

Earn your hard copy certification to prove your worth to companies hiring for cannabis work.

It's time to look towards a greener future and enroll in Cannabis Training University today!