Mosquito Control Laboratory Technician

Are you looking for a position with a work/life balance? Do you want to earn four (4) weeks off during your first year of employment? Do you want low and no cost health insurance options? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you need to complete your application now. Work for the city you love!!!

The Neighborhoods Department is actively seeking a Mosquito Control Laboratory Technician. 

Did you know as a City of Jacksonville employee, you would also have twelve (12) paid holidays and a personal leave day as well? In addition to health insurance, dental, vision, life insurance and flexible spending plans are also available. City of Jacksonville employees are also eligible for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness after ten (10) years of public service and on-time payments.

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, which is 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, 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.

• 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 evaluatebiological, 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.
• Demonstrates proficiency in the City of Jacksonville’s competencies.
• Performs related duties as required.

• 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.

OPEN 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.

LICENSING/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION: 

• 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.  

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:  

• The probationary period for this class is six months.  
• This classification performs safety-sensitive functions and is subject to pre-employment, random and other drug/alcohol testing programs as set forth in the City of Jacksonville’s Drug Free Workplace Policy (0401).  

A FULLY COMPLETED ONLINE APPLICATION IS REQUIRED. Apply at www.jacksonville.gov. Work history is required for all employment/volunteer work in which qualifications are being based. When meeting/basing qualifications on education, a copy of your college transcript, with your social blacked out, is required with your application. Transcripts do not need to be official, but must state your name, the school’s name, classes taken, grades received, type of degree, and date degree was conferred.   

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Certain servicemembers and veterans, and the spouses and the family members of such service members and veterans, receive preference and priority, and certain servicemembers may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements, in employment and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

If claiming veteran's preference, you must attach a DD-214 (Member Form-4 copy) or military discharge papers, or equivalent certification from the Department of Veterans Affairs listing military status, dates of service and character of discharge. You must also attach the Veterans Preference Certification Form and if applicable, the additional forms as noted here: http://www.coj.net/departments/employee-services/veterans-preference.

If a candidate believes he or she was not afforded veteran’s preference, he or she may file a written complaint, within sixty (60) calendar days upon receipt of notification of the hiring decision, requesting an investigation to:

Florida Department of Veterans Affairs

Attention: Veterans’ Preference Coordinator

11351 Ulmerton Road, Suite 311-K  

Largo, FL 33778-1630 

Email: VeteransPreference@fdva.state.fl.us