Research Associate I - Entomology

Vectech is hiring a full-time Research Associate I - Entomology for summer 2025, with flexible start and end dates. This is a one-year contractual employee position that may be renewed annually. 

Schedule: In person, Monday through Friday.

Location: Candidates must be based in Baltimore, MD or willing to relocate to Baltimore, MD. Candidates must have transportation to drive to nearby field sites for specimen collections. Mileage will be reimbursed based on IRS 2025 standard mileage rates. 

Who are we looking for?

Candidates for the Research Associate I - Entomology position should have some experience in insect biology, insect traps, and identification. The candidate will lead insect rearing in Vectech’s lab, which includes work in insectary conditions such as sugar and blood feeding, aspirating mosquitoes, and more. You may set up mosquito traps at local field sites, conduct tick drags, collect insect specimens, and take images and identify insect species with a focus on mosquitoes, ticks, and other disease-carrying vectors. You will quantify vector information in reports, and work with vectech’s medical entomologist and engineers to test new technologies in the field, including native bee monitoring prototypes, which may include observation based field work, data collection, data labeling, and support in data analysis. Candidates should be comfortable working with basic computers and software, and will gain exposure to working with a multidisciplinary technical team developing cutting edge technologies to improve the state of vector surveillance. Candidates with a broad range of practical experiences will be considered including amateur naturalists, environmental science or survey experience, technology related experience, and operational vector/pest surveillance or control roles. Candidates must hold a Drivers License valid in the United States. If you have a passion for working outdoors and have an interest in mosquitoes, we encourage you to apply.

Responsibilities include:

• Driving to field sites to collect specimens through insect trap catches, dragging, or other methods.
• Sorting, imaging, and identifying mosquitoes with Vectech vector surveillance products.
• Recording pollinator visitation rates of native bee camera traps.
• Data entry and compilation for reports.
• Supporting quality assurance and data labeling, with supervision, in Vectech’s arthropod image database.

• Perform field testing and validation of new products with guidance from engineers and the senior entomologist.
• Maintain equipment and supplies in good working order.
• Adhere to all safety and environmental regulations while carrying out duties.

• Other duties as assigned. 

Required experience/skills:

• Ability to drive to field sites
• Comfort working in outdoor environments and insectary conditions (high temperature and humidity)
• Ability to follow guidelines and protocols for data collection and experimentation
• Comfort working closely with mosquitoes, ticks, bees, and other bugs
• Basic proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets

Nice to have experience:

• Experience identifying insects, bees, arachnids, or other “bugs”
• Experience working outdoors 
• Projects/ internships/ degrees/ certifications in Environmental Science/ Biology or equivalent
• Experience working in collaborative teams with pest management organizations, mosquito control organizations or academic institutions
• Experience with GIS, tableau, and other information systems
• Experience or interest in startups or working with innovative technology
• Experience with mosquitoes, ticks, invasive species, and/or pollinators

What does Vectech do?

Vectech is an AI startup applying computer vision and other sensing technologies to collect insect information. Most of our work focuses on mosquitoes, ticks, and other disease-carrying insects. By automating challenging aspects of vector surveillance, we aim to alleviate bottlenecks and provide public health organizations with better data for vector control decision making. 

Position details

Position type: Entry-level contractual employee

Anticipated pay range for this position

$21-$24 per hour

Desired start date

August 2025

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Vectech is a member of Baltimore Tracks, an organization working to improve diversity in Baltimore tech companies. Women, queer folks, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented individuals are encouraged to apply and given additional consideration.