Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Insect Technician

💰 $ - $

EntomologyLaboratoryResearchTechnicalInsectary

🎯 Role Definition

The Insect Technician (also known as Insectary Technician or Entomology Technician) is responsible for the day-to-day operation of insect rearing facilities and laboratory support for entomology research and pest management programs. This role includes colony maintenance, rearing and feeding of insect stocks, specimen collection and processing, accurate record-keeping, environmental control and troubleshooting, adherence to biosecurity and safety protocols, and close collaboration with researchers and field teams to support experimental assays, production needs, and quality control. Ideal candidates demonstrate meticulous attention to detail, strong manual dexterity when handling insects and instruments, and reliable execution of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Laboratory Assistant or Lab Technician (biology, ecology)
  • Field Technician (sampling, pest scouting)
  • Agricultural or Horticultural Technician

Advancement To:

  • Senior Insect Technician / Lead Insectary Technician
  • Insectary Manager / Facility Manager
  • Research Technician II or Entomology Research Scientist
  • Quality Assurance / Regulatory Specialist in biocontrol or pest management

Lateral Moves:

  • Pest Management Specialist / Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Technician
  • Molecular Biology Technician (with supplementary training)
  • Quality Control or Production Technician in biotech / biocontrol companies

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Maintain healthy, reproducible insect colonies by performing daily husbandry tasks including feeding, watering, egg collection, larval care, pupal separation, and adult sorting according to documented SOPs to ensure consistent experimental cohorts and production output.
  • Monitor and control insectary environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, photoperiod, ventilation) using incubators, environmental chambers, and HVAC systems, and adjust settings or escalate anomalies to prevent colony loss.
  • Prepare and dispense species-specific diets, rearing media, and substrates using sterile technique and measured recipes to guarantee nutrition consistency and reduce contamination across rearing cycles.
  • Perform routine cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection of rearing cages, trays, tools, and benches using approved disinfectants and autoclave procedures to maintain biosecurity and prevent pathogen outbreaks.
  • Identify, separate, and document developmental stages (eggs, larvae/instars, pupae, adults) and sex individuals when required for breeding schemes, experiments, or production batches to meet study design and quality standards.
  • Assist researchers with experimental setup and execution including timed exposures, dose-response assays, insecticide bioassays (e.g., WHO tube tests, CDC bottle assays), behavioral assays, and sampling schedules, ensuring fidelity to experimental protocols.
  • Record detailed colony and experimental data (survivorship, development times, mortality, feeding rates, treatments) in laboratory notebooks, LIMS, or electronic databases and prepare periodic summary reports for principal investigators and production managers.
  • Maintain inventory of live colonies, consumables (diet ingredients, agar, sugar, yeast), supplies, and spare parts; place orders, rotate stock, and manage supply receipts to avoid disruptions in rearing operations.
  • Perform routine microscopic examinations and morphological identifications of insects and life stages using stereo and compound microscopes; document distinguishing traits and confirm species/strain identity for colony integrity.
  • Execute aseptic transfers, microdissections, and sample preparations for downstream assays including PCR, microbiome analysis, histology, imaging, or mass spectrometry while minimizing contamination and preserving sample integrity.
  • Conduct periodic colony quality control testing such as fecundity, fertility, development rate checks, and resistance screening; log QC results and notify supervisors of trends that might indicate genetic drift or health issues.
  • Operate, calibrate, and perform preventative maintenance on insectary equipment including environmental chambers, humidifiers, rearing racks, microscopes, CO2 anaesthesia systems, and biosafety cabinets to ensure safe and reliable function.
  • Implement quarantine and containment procedures for incoming field-collected specimens, newly arrived strains, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in accordance with institutional and regulatory biosecurity requirements.
  • Participate in breeding programs, maintaining pedigrees and genetic records, performing controlled crosses and backcrosses as directed by researchers to preserve genetic lines and experimental controls.
  • Prepare and package live insects and preserved specimens for internal transfers or external shipment, following biological material handling procedures and IATA/USDA/APHIS shipping regulations when applicable.
  • Troubleshoot colony health issues by diagnosing causes such as contamination, environmental drift, predation, disease, or nutritional deficiencies and apply corrective actions or escalate to senior staff.
  • Train and supervise junior technicians, interns, and student researchers on safe handling, SOP compliance, aseptic technique, equipment use, and documentation best practices to maintain consistent operational quality.
  • Maintain and update SOPs, maintenance logs, and training materials; propose process improvements to increase rearing efficiency, reduce mortality, and support reproducible research outcomes.
  • Support field collections and sentinel deployments as needed—collecting, transporting, and processing field-caught insects and maintaining chain-of-custody and cold-chain integrity for downstream analysis.
  • Comply with institutional safety programs, hazardous materials handling, waste disposal, and reporting requirements; participate in safety audits, inspections, and corrective action plans to maintain regulatory compliance.
  • Assist with labeling, archiving, and long-term storage of voucher specimens, frozen stocks, and pinned collections for taxonomic reference and future experimental validation.
  • Participate in cross-functional project meetings, contribute operational insights to experimental design, timelines, and feasibility assessments, and help prioritize tasks to align with research or production goals.
  • Conduct basic data entry and validation tasks, prepare graphical summaries or spreadsheets for investigators, and support data handoff to analysts or data managers while ensuring accurate metadata and traceability.
  • Perform euthanasia of specimens according to approved humane protocols when required, and manage biological waste streams in compliance with institutional biosafety procedures.

Secondary Functions

  • Contribute to continual improvement projects to optimize colony throughput, reduce attrition, and lower per-sample costs through process optimization and root-cause analysis.
  • Support grant proposals, SOP revisions, and procurement justification documents by providing operational estimates, timelines, and resource requirements.
  • Provide logistical support for outreach demonstrations, training workshops, or collaborative meetings that require live specimens, ensuring specimens are prepared and transported ethically and legally.
  • Liaise with external vendors and service technicians for equipment calibration, repairs, and service contracts to maintain uninterrupted insectary operations.
  • Assist with basic genetic screening workflows (sample prep for PCR/qPCR) and liaise with molecular labs to coordinate sample processing and results reporting.
  • Help maintain accurate compliance documentation for Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) where applicable, and other regulatory filings.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Insect rearing and colony maintenance: demonstrated experience rearing multiple insect species (e.g., mosquitoes, Drosophila, agricultural pests, beneficial insects) across life stages.
  • Environmental control and monitoring: ability to set up, calibrate, and troubleshoot incubators, environmental chambers, and humidity control systems.
  • Sterile technique and contamination control: proficiency with aseptic transfers, autoclave use, surface disinfection, and contamination mitigation practices.
  • Microscopy and morphological ID: competency using stereo and compound microscopes for species and stage identification and for basic imaging.
  • Laboratory record keeping & LIMS: experience maintaining accurate lab notebooks, database entries, and electronic records in LIMS or spreadsheet systems (Excel/Google Sheets).
  • Diet/media preparation: hands-on experience preparing species-specific diets, agar plates, and rearing substrates with reproducible formulation and scaling.
  • Equipment maintenance: knowledge of routine preventative maintenance and basic repairs for rearing racks, humidifiers, CO2 systems, and environmental chambers.
  • Assay support: familiarity with bioassay protocols (insecticide resistance assays, behavioral assays) and ability to follow complex experimental SOPs.
  • Sample preparation for downstream analysis: skills in dissection, handling for PCR/qPCR, microbiome sampling, fixation, and preservation techniques.
  • Regulatory & shipping compliance: understanding of IATA, USDA/APHIS, and institutional biosafety and quarantine procedures for live specimen transport.

Soft Skills

  • Attention to detail and documentation discipline to ensure reproducible rearing and accurate experimental records.
  • Manual dexterity and steady hands for delicate manipulation of small insects and fine instruments.
  • Problem solving and troubleshooting orientation for diagnosing colony health or environmental control issues.
  • Strong communication and teamwork to coordinate with researchers, field staff, and external vendors.
  • Time management and prioritization to balance daily husbandry demands with experimental timelines and ad-hoc requests.
  • Instructional and mentoring ability to train new technicians and students in safe, consistent techniques.
  • Adaptability to shifting project priorities and variable workloads typical in research and production environments.
  • Commitment to safety, biosecurity, and ethical handling of live organisms.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent with 1–2 years of hands-on experience in insect rearing, agricultural/field work, or laboratory environments.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in Entomology, Biology, Ecology, Zoology, Agricultural Science, or related life sciences preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Entomology
  • Biology / Microbiology
  • Ecology / Environmental Science
  • Agriculture / Crop Science
  • Veterinary or Animal Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–5 years depending on employer; many entry-level positions accept 1–2 years of relevant experience while research or biotech roles often seek 2–4 years.

Preferred:

  • 2–4 years of direct insectary or entomology lab experience, including documented work with colony maintenance, SOP adherence, equipment operation, and experimental support. Experience with regulated material handling, shipping of biologicals, or molecular sample prep is a plus.
Explore More Careers