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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Insect Catcher

💰 $ - $

Field TechnicianEntomologyPest ControlVector Surveillance

🎯 Role Definition

The Insect Catcher is a hands-on field and laboratory role focused on the targeted collection, handling, preservation and preliminary identification of insects for research, public health vector surveillance, agricultural monitoring and pest management programs. The role requires expertise in trap deployment and retrieval (CDC light traps, BG-Sentinel, malaise traps, pheromone traps, sticky panels), sweep netting, aspirator and dip sampling, specimen preservation (ethanol, pinned mounts), accurate chain-of-custody documentation, and safe use of sampling equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE). Ideal candidates combine field stamina and navigation skills with meticulous lab habits, data-entry precision, and clear communication for cross-functional teams.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Seasonal Field Technician (mosquito, pest, or agricultural sampling)
  • Laboratory Assistant / Museum Collections Technician
  • Outdoor Field Crew or Wildlife Technician

Advancement To:

  • Senior Vector Surveillance Technician or Lead Insect Technician
  • Field Supervisor / Program Coordinator (surveillance or pest management)
  • Entomologist / Research Technician (with additional education)
  • Pest Control Manager / Environmental Health Specialist

Lateral Moves:

  • Laboratory Specimen Curator / Collections Manager
  • Environmental Compliance or Inspection Officer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Deploy, service, and retrieve a variety of insect traps (CDC light traps, BG-Sentinel traps, gravid traps, malaise traps, pheromone traps, pitfall traps and sticky cards) across urban, rural and wetland environments following protocol schedules to support vector surveillance and pest monitoring programs.
  • Conduct targeted active sampling using sweep nets, aspirators, dip nets, and hand collection techniques to capture adult and larval insects in vegetation, marshes, standing water and agricultural fields while minimizing specimen damage.
  • Identify specimens to the required taxonomic resolution (order, family, genus, species where applicable) using field keys, stereomicroscopes and standard morphological guides; flag uncertain specimens for expert review or molecular identification.
  • Preserve and prepare specimens for transport and analysis using established methods (absolute and 70% ethanol, pinned mounts, dry storage, cryopreservation for molecular work) and ensure labeling meets chain-of-custody and laboratory acceptance criteria.
  • Maintain meticulous field notebooks and digital records (dates, GPS coordinates, trap IDs, environmental conditions, trap effort and sample counts) using mobile data collection tools, spreadsheets and the organization’s specimen database.
  • Operate and maintain field equipment including generators, battery packs, light traps, weather stations, GPS units, and portable microscopes; perform minor repairs and coordinate major maintenance with supervisors.
  • Follow strict biosafety, biosecurity and PPE protocols for handling potentially infectious vectors (mosquitoes, ticks, fleas) and for working in hazardous environments to protect staff, the public and sample integrity.
  • Transport samples responsibly to laboratory facilities, ensuring temperature control (cold packs, dry ice) and legal compliance for biological materials; complete chain-of-custody documentation and handoff procedures.
  • Assist laboratory staff with preliminary sorting, counting and subsampling for species composition, abundance estimates and pathogen testing preparation (pooling, RNA/DNA sample prep).
  • Conduct habitat assessments and environmental surveys to map breeding sites, larval habitats and host plant associations; record land use, water quality indicators and other ecological metadata that inform surveillance strategies.
  • Use GPS and mapping software (ArcGIS, QGIS, mobile mapping apps) to geolocate trap sites, create maps of sampling coverage, and assist in spatial analysis of vector/pest distributions.
  • Participate in scheduled night-time and early-morning collections, including safe nocturnal fieldwork practices and synchronized team operations for timed trap checks and light trap runs.
  • Assist in community outreach and public education activities (door-knocking for yard inspections, explaining trap placement to residents, providing simple prevention tips) while representing the organization professionally.
  • Comply with regulatory requirements for pesticide use and assist licensed applicators when larvicide or adulticide treatments are performed as part of integrated pest management programs.
  • Follow quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures for sample labeling, storage, and data entry to minimize contamination, mislabeling and data loss.
  • Support molecular and pathogen testing workflows by collecting and preserving samples according to chain-of-custody and cold-chain protocols for PCR, ELISA and culture-based assays.
  • Accurately sort, count and record specimen abundance and life stage (egg, larva, pupa, adult) to produce standardized surveillance indices (e.g., larval indices, trap counts, ovitrap index, gravid trap positivity).
  • Prepare daily and weekly field reports summarizing sampling effort, unusual findings (invasive species, disease vectors), equipment issues and environmental conditions; escalate urgent findings to supervisors.
  • Train and mentor seasonal staff, volunteers and interns on safe collection techniques, sample handling, proper documentation and field ethics.
  • Coordinate logistics for field campaigns including site permissions, specimen permits, vehicle and equipment scheduling, and supply replenishment (nets, vials, ethanol, labels, batteries).
  • Adhere to animal welfare and collection permit conditions, ensuring legal and ethical collection methods are followed when sampling protected habitats or species.
  • Assist with inventory management for field supplies, maintain stock records, forecast needs, and submit purchase requests to ensure uninterrupted operations.
  • Participate in data review meetings and contribute field-based context that informs protocol refinement, trap placement optimization, and sampling frequency adjustments.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc surveillance requests such as outbreak response sampling, invasive species detection or targeted agricultural pest surveys.
  • Contribute notes and field metadata that feed into the organization’s surveillance dashboard and long-term entomological datasets.
  • Assist research teams with pilot studies, protocol validation, and method standardization for new trap types or molecular collection approaches.
  • Help develop simple field SOPs and safety checklists for seasonal staff and contractors to improve consistency and reduce sample loss.
  • Participate in continuing education opportunities, trainings and certification programs to maintain skills in identification, safety and new sampling technologies.
  • Provide support for grant-funded projects by tracking effort hours, supplies used and basic field costs as requested by project managers.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in insect trapping and collection techniques: CDC light traps, BG-Sentinel, gravid traps, malaise traps, pitfall traps, suction aspirators and sweep nets.
  • Practical taxonomic identification skills using stereomicroscopes and dichotomous keys (insects to order/family/genus/species as required).
  • Specimen preservation and preparation skills (ethanol preservation, pinned specimens, cryopreservation for molecular assays) with strict chain-of-custody practice.
  • Field data collection and record-keeping using mobile data collection tools (Survey123, Collector, iForm), Excel spreadsheets, and specimen databases.
  • GPS and mapping competency (ArcGIS, QGIS, mobile GPS units) for site geolocation and spatial reporting.
  • Basic laboratory support skills: sorting, counting, subsampling, labeling and preparing samples for PCR, ELISA or microscopy.
  • Experience with cold-chain and biohazard shipping protocols for biological specimens.
  • Knowledge of integrated pest management (IPM) principles and larval/adult control methods used in vector management.
  • Safe handling and maintenance of field equipment: generators, batteries, lights, and portable microscopes.
  • Valid driver’s license and experience with reliable vehicle operation, including safe off-road or rural driving where required.
  • Familiarity with basic molecular sample collection, sterile technique and contamination avoidance (preferred).
  • Pesticide application awareness and fundamental compliance knowledge; pesticide applicator license preferred where treatments are part of duties.

Soft Skills

  • High attention to detail with rigorous documentation habits and strong organizational skills.
  • Physical stamina and resilience; able to perform repetitive manual tasks, walk long distances, and work in varying weather conditions.
  • Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills for coordinating with homeowners, landowners, team members and public health officials.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance routine surveillance with urgent response tasks.
  • Team player who can both follow protocols and contribute practical field-based solutions.
  • Problem-solving mindset for troubleshooting field equipment issues and adapting to unpredictable field conditions.
  • Customer-service orientation and cultural sensitivity when working in residential neighborhoods or with diverse stakeholder groups.
  • Commitment to safety, ethical collection practices and confidentiality of sensitive surveillance data.
  • Adaptability and willingness to work flexible hours including early mornings, nights and occasional weekends.
  • Mentoring ability to train seasonal staff and maintain consistent field standards.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent with relevant field experience in entomology, pest control or environmental fieldwork.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Entomology, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Public Health, Agricultural Science or related fields.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Entomology
  • Biology / Zoology
  • Environmental Science / Ecology
  • Public Health / Epidemiology
  • Agricultural Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–3 years (entry-level to early career); seasonal experience frequently accepted.

Preferred:

  • 1–3 years of field insect collection, vector surveillance, pest monitoring, or laboratory specimen handling. Experience with mosquito surveillance, tick dragging, agricultural pest trapping, or museum collections is a strong plus.
  • Certifications: State pesticide applicator’s license (where applicable), valid driver’s license, CPR/First Aid preferred.
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