What are the responsibilities and job description for the Insect Production Worker position at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)?
Find Your Future With Us at USDA – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
Job Summary
Insect Production Workers perform routine assignments involved in insect mass production, packaging, storing, and sterilization, and delivering of insects. They are also involved in the cleaning, disinfection and maintenance of work areas. This is a TERM appointment not to exceed 13 months. (Appointment may be extended up to 4 years without reannouncing). For more details click: Term Appointments
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. To qualify, you must show you have had training and experience of sufficient scope and quality to provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Your answers to the vacancy specific questions must be supported by the work experience in your resume. For example, if you respond in the affirmative when questioned whether you have experience rearing insects, your resume must include this experience, mindful that experience may not be inferred by job title. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) 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.
Major Duties
The duties may include, but are not limited to:Prepares and weighs out different rearing media and diet ingredients using different scales in preparing to make artificial diet.Prepares disinfectant, for cleaning and sanitation of equipment to ensure healthy production levels through the productive lifespan of the colony.Operates and/or synchronizes multiple pieces of equipment for the establishment of the colony.Provides feed to insects, controls temperature and humidity, and harvests pupae or adults, records collection data, and verifies that the data is correct and properly backed up.Separates insects into categories such as sex and/or specie and controls them to prevent escape or intermingling.Observes insect collections for obvious changes of live cycles, deaths, and general activity.Performs irradiation and irradiation monitoring of insects prior to shipping and puts the information into storage and a database.Maintains approved disinfectants to clean and sanitize the floors, walls and equipment; operates high pressure steam washers, and uses autoclave to sterilize materials, water, and objects.
Position Start Date:
04/14/2026
Position Close Date:
04/20/2026
Salary Offered: 19.76 - 27.27 USD Per Hour
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
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!
Job Summary
Insect Production Workers perform routine assignments involved in insect mass production, packaging, storing, and sterilization, and delivering of insects. They are also involved in the cleaning, disinfection and maintenance of work areas. This is a TERM appointment not to exceed 13 months. (Appointment may be extended up to 4 years without reannouncing). For more details click: Term Appointments
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. To qualify, you must show you have had training and experience of sufficient scope and quality to provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Your answers to the vacancy specific questions must be supported by the work experience in your resume. For example, if you respond in the affirmative when questioned whether you have experience rearing insects, your resume must include this experience, mindful that experience may not be inferred by job title. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) 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.
Major Duties
The duties may include, but are not limited to:Prepares and weighs out different rearing media and diet ingredients using different scales in preparing to make artificial diet.Prepares disinfectant, for cleaning and sanitation of equipment to ensure healthy production levels through the productive lifespan of the colony.Operates and/or synchronizes multiple pieces of equipment for the establishment of the colony.Provides feed to insects, controls temperature and humidity, and harvests pupae or adults, records collection data, and verifies that the data is correct and properly backed up.Separates insects into categories such as sex and/or specie and controls them to prevent escape or intermingling.Observes insect collections for obvious changes of live cycles, deaths, and general activity.Performs irradiation and irradiation monitoring of insects prior to shipping and puts the information into storage and a database.Maintains approved disinfectants to clean and sanitize the floors, walls and equipment; operates high pressure steam washers, and uses autoclave to sterilize materials, water, and objects.
Position Start Date:
04/14/2026
Position Close Date:
04/20/2026
Salary Offered: 19.76 - 27.27 USD Per Hour
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
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!