Entomologist

Find Your Future With Us at USDA – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Job Summary

As an Entomologist at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories you are responsible for definitively identifying a wide range of external parasites affecting all species of domestic animals and wildlife to support animal health programs. This position supports the agency response to New World Screwworm.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

• BASIC REQUIREMENT
  :
  Degree: entomology; or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology.
• OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major that included course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
• FOR THE GS‑12 LEVEL
  :
  Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:
• Identifying arthropod parasites and pests to the lowest taxonomic level that can be made with certainty based on morphology, host association, geographic location, season, and other pertinent information.
• Providing information about an identified organism such as: the threat posed by an organism, whether it is a native species or exotic, disease vectoring capability, geographic distribution, and potential for spreading in the environment.
• Maintaining, organizing, and cataloging specimen collections.
• Note:
  
  There is no education substitution for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required:
  This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
• This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri Corps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
  
  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

• Conducts training in parasites and parasite identification, tick and screwworm identification and eradication, and biology, ecology, and identification of arthropod vectors of foreign animal diseases.
• Entomology consultant to agency staff, field personnel, and cooperating university faculties.
• Provides complex biological and ecological information about native and exotic parasites that are of significant economic importance.
• Directs the compilation and publishing of the annual National Tick Surveillance Program Report.
• Maintains communication with program staff personnel in the tick and screwworm eradication programs and foreign animal disease surveillance and eradication programs.
• Conducts field investigations, developmental studies, and literature reviews to provide information on specific questions about parasites of concern.
• Curates the program Parasite Reference Collection.

Start Date:

07/14/2026

Close Date: 07/20/2026

90234 - 117307 USD Per Year

You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people.

Join our team! To learn more about what it's like to work at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site. APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS.

For details click: APHIS Emergency Response.