LEWISTON — Boston-based Carbonite, a company that specializes in online data backup systems, will bring 50 jobs to Lewiston by the end of summer and up to 250 by the end of next year, according to Carbonite CEO David Friend.

The jobs are being brought to the states from the company’s tech support center in India, Friend said. Positions here are expected to pay an average $35,000, including benefits – nearly three times the wages overseas.

Friend was joined Tuesday morning by Maine Gov. Paul LePage and Matt Jacobsen, the head of the privately funded business recruitment agency Maine and Co., at the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce for the announcement.

Carbonite, which has more than 1 million customers, will lease 20,000 square feet of space but the exact location was yet to be revealed.

Company officials cited Lewiston’s proximity to Boston and its wealth of colleges and universities as draws to the area. Phones are expected to start ringing here in July.

“Undeniably, this announcement stands as a shining testament to Maine’s legendary work-ethic and undaunted can-do spirit, especially in light of the serious economic circumstances that continue to challenge us as a nation,” U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe said in a press release about the announcement.

Snowe is the ranking member of the Senate’s Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

More details to come in Wednesday’s Sun Journal.

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