Entomology Laboratory and Field Technician II

Entomology Laboratory And Field Technician Ii

Bering-Alaka`ina Holdings (BAH) is looking for an Entomology Laboratory and Field Technician II to provide support for our government customer in Fort Collins, CO.

Responsibilities include:

• Perform the specialized field work, laboratory diagnostics, research support, and surveillance testing required to support the operations and mission of the Arboviral Diseases Branch (ADB), Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD).
• Provide support for technical entomological laboratory services.
• Provide technical support related to the detection and management of arboviral disease vectors through field surveillance, field and laboratory assays, and analysis of field data; responsible for preparing assignments as directed and meeting all deadlines. All assignments and deadlines shall be made by the ADB Entomology and Ecology Team Lead (or designee).
• Scientific support may require enrollment in an Occupational Health Program (OHP) to meet mandatory federal requirements associated with work involving select agent and/or animal use compliance. T
• Be responsible for all costs associated with obtaining the necessary OHP medical and animal compliance needs (e.g., medical examination, pulmonary examination, vaccines, etc).
• Assignments include the following tasks related to the detection and management of arboviral disease vectors:
• Conducts field surveillance to determine where and when arboviral vectors are present, describe the conditions and environments where the vectors thrive, and conduct field and laboratory assays to detect insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors.
• Travels domestically and completes tasks involving vector surveillance in the field to determine when and where mosquito vectors are present and describe the conditions and environments where the mosquitoes thrive; conduct assays to determine insecticide susceptibility for the mosquitoes present in the area.
• Generates and contributes data and analyses in diagnostic reporting systems, meetings, and conferences and potentially publications.
• Provides operational laboratory support to the Ecology and Entomology Team Lead or designee.
• Provide support for technical laboratory and field work services
• Provide technical support related to the detection of arboviral diseases and the field collection of specimens.
• Assignments include the following tasks related to the detection of arboviral diseases and other infectious diseases:
• Conduct field work.
• Will be required to operate in field conditions that will include various weather conditions, uneven and difficult terrain, handling live mosquitoes, exposure to insecticides, the wearing of personal protective equipment, and associated hazards.
• Will be required to perform field work required to collect mosquito specimens. This includes setting mosquito traps, collecting mosquito eggs and larvae.
• Conduct lab work associated with mosquitoes at assigned locations with the primary location being the CDC Labs at Fort Collins. The Lab work includes sorting and identifying mosquitoes; rearing mosquitoes; conducting CDC Insecticide Resistance Bottle Bioassays (after being trained); use of microscopes.
• Conduct microplate and molecular assays (after being trained). The government will provide the required training to perform these tasks.
• Travel for 2 weeks per trip, multiple times a year. Likely travel locations include domestic travel to Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
• The contractor is authorized to drive GSA and CDC-owned vehicles for the purposes of supporting field work.

Required skills and experience:

• Physical requirements include being capable of working long hours outdoors, being able to walk and stand for long hours, coping with difficult terrain, lifting up to 20 pounds, and carrying equipment in a field environment.
• A valid Colorado Driver's License is required.
• Must have four plus (4+) years of experience in a professional laboratory setting.
• Must have two to four (2-4) years specialized laboratory experience, to include experience working within an Entomology environment.
• Ability to follow and execute laboratory SOPs independently and with a high degree of quality…