Mosquito Control Laboratory Technician

City of Jacksonville • Jacksonville, FL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

This is technical laboratory and/or field work involving a variety of laboratory procedures, mosquito control, and mosquito surveillance activities. Work requires knowledge of laboratory techniques, methods, procedures, and equipment used in the operation of mosquito control laboratory facilities, which involves the use of specialized skills or specialized equipment, acquired through a combination of training and considerable on-the-job experience. Contacts require courtesy, tact, and effectiveness in dealing with others and includes requesting or providing information, asking questions, or obtaining clarification; interaction with the general public including responding to general inquiries, participating in outreach and educational programs, and representing the division at meetings as needed. The work is semi-routine in that tasks are covered by practices and procedures, but some latitude is permitted to consider the most appropriate practice or procedure to follow; however, the work also involves differing situations requiring use of judgment in search for solutions or new applications within one's own experiences. Work is performed in the field and a laboratory and involves working with hazardous materials, including laboratory reagents and insecticides, as well as biohazardous materials such as avian blood. Operates a motor vehicle, stereo microscope, entomological laboratory equipment, and other standard laboratory instruments and equipment, and personal computer. The physical demands of the work require lifting equipment up to 50 pounds occasionally and involves exposure to hazardous chemicals and bio-hazardous materials. Work is performed under general supervision and assignments are subject to detailed instructions and established procedures.

Requirements

• Four years of education and/or experience in entomology, chemistry, biology, public health, environmental science, or a related field involving laboratory analysis.
• Must be free from color and shade blindness.
• Must obtain certification from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Public Health Pest Control within the six-month probationary period and maintain same during employment in this class.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license during employment in this class.
• Must qualify for, obtain, and maintain a City of Jacksonville public driver certification for employment in this class.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of the proper use and operation of laboratory equipment and facilities.
• Knowledge of chemical and bacteriological terminology and data and their application.
• Knowledge of insect taxonomy, ecology, and identification, particularly mosquito vectors.
• Ability to perform laboratory examinations and analyses using quantitative PCR and CDC bottle bioassays.
• Ability to maintain records of results of examinations and investigations.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment such as personal computer using word, spreadsheet, ArcGIS database, and other related software and standard laboratory equipment such as stereo microscope and entomological equipment.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Depending upon assignment, ability to lift equipment weighing up to 50 pounds, perform field collection and identification of mosquitoes, maintenance of sampling equipment, application of control products and perform special studies.

Responsibilities

• Conducts moderately complex laboratory investigations and experiments.
• Conduct mosquito surveillance activities, including trapping, species identification, and laboratory rearing for experiments.
• Prepares analyses of findings using a variety of simple statistical methods.
• Support arbovirus monitoring efforts by assisting with sentinel chicken blood sample collection and flock maintenance.
• Collects and processes field mosquito specimens; performs moderately complex physical, chemical, biological and bacteriological analyses of laboratory samples and cultures.
• Conducts a variety of laboratory tests to evaluate biological, chemical, bacterial and related ingredients.
• Maintains records of results of examinations and investigations.
• May train new laboratory personnel in the care, use, and cleaning of laboratory equipment and facilities and routine analyses.
• Depending upon assignment, performs maintenance of sampling equipment, application of control products, and special studies such as collecting blood samples from sentinel chickens and CDC bottle bioassay testing to evaluate control product efficacy.
• Depending on assignment, responds to emergency activation and recovery operations in accordance with administrative direction and procedures.
• Operates standard office equipment such as personal computer using word, spreadsheet, database, and other related software and standard laboratory equipment such as stereo microscope and entomological equipment.
• Performs related duties as required.

Benefits

• Four (4) weeks off during your first year of employment
• Low and no cost health insurance options
• Twelve (12) paid holidays
• A personal leave day
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Flexible spending plans
• Federal Student Loan Forgiveness after ten (10) years of public service and on-time payments

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree