Catch Basin Mosquito Technician

Once applications are up (usually in January), we will begin hiring around February.

Applications will remain open until all positions are filled.

Apply early to ensure you are considered for the position.

Yes! We normally will not do more that what the job description details, but if your university is fine with that, so are we.

Our season usually starts in spring, and ends when work is completed, usually sometime in the fall. The start date can depend on weather. If you can work the whole season, that’s great! Otherwise if you’re in school and can only work mid-May to the end of August, that’s fine too. We are flexible with start dates as long as you’re here for most of the main mosquito season (June-August).

Typical* hours in the field are Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with two 15-minute breaks and an unpaid 30 minutes for lunch. We work early to get as much time in during the cool hours of the day.

*Due to COVID-19 precautions, some facilities have adjusted start and end times.

When overtime is offered, the hours are usually 6:30AM to 5:00PM Occasional overtime on Saturday or nights.

Catch basin mosquito technicians and entomology lab technicians typically work 7:00AM to 3:30PM.

Usually no, but if we do not have enough volunteers it may be required.

You can ask for time-off ahead of time to avoid work conflicting with your summer plans.

Normally the hours are 40 hours a week plus overtime. You may be able to work something out with the Regional Operations Manager at the facility if you cannot work the full 40 hours a week. Feel free to apply and talk to the manager when they call.

As you work, you accumulate PTO (paid time off). You are free to use those hours as you see fit. Depending on how busy we are, we usually allow you to take extra time off (unpaid) for things like a family vacation. If we know far enough ahead of time, it shouldn’t be an issue.

Yes! Training is done by your Field Operations Supervisor, and by returning technicians on your crew.

We will not send you out by yourself until you can comfortably do the job on your own.

You are responsible for getting to your field office in the morning, but once at work, District vehicles are provided.

We have a fleet of various trucks for technicians to drive in the field.

You do not need experience working outside. Just be prepared to be out in the elements whether it be hot, cold, humid, or buggy.

If you have seasonal allergies, be prepared to take allergy medication. We work outdoors in grasses and trees that can release clouds of pollen as you walk through them. Some people do not realize they have allergies until they start working here, so keep that in mind too.

MMCD provides shirts, hats, waders, bug spray, a District smart phone (only for use at work), PPE (personal protective equipment), and any tools you will need to perform the job.

You need to wear long pants without rips and closed toed non-canvas shoes (tennis shoes or hiking boots recommended).

It’s a good idea to have an extra pair of pants and socks (just in case you go a little too far into a wetland!).

You may want to bring a jacket/rain jacket if the weather calls for it. If will rain most of the day, if there is severe weather, or if the heat index is above 100°, you may be able to go home without it counting against you.

You should also bring a water bottle, snacks, lunch, and any medications you may need.

Both! While training, you will be paired with someone else to show you the ropes. There are also some activities that require two or more people.

Otherwise once trained in you will mostly be working on your own. Your Field Operations Supervisor and teammates are only a phone call away though.

Some of the basics include learning how to identify mosquito larvae in the field, take samples of larval and adult mosquitoes, apply granular larvicides, enter data, and read maps.

Our main goal is larval mosquito control, but we also may do some adult control if populations are very bad or if we find a disease case.

Everyone is required to take a test to get their Pesticide Applicator License (part A (general) and L (mosquito)) through the MN Department of Agriculture. Work time will be allotted for studying. This allows you apply restricted use pesticides which we use for adult mosquito control.

You will also get experience with efficiently planning your day, educating the public, working individually and with a team, and navigating through the woods.

You will get to know the area you work in very well; you may be walking through forests, prairies, farmland, parks, backyards, suburban neighborhoods, the city, or anything in between.

We mainly use granular larval control materials. These materials specifically target mosquito larvae and a few other larval insects. Studies have been done to ensure we are not harming non-target species. While these materials are relatively safe, we follow the directions on the label to make sure we’re wearing the proper PPE (personal protective equipment) to best protect ourselves. Our adult mosquito control materials are less species specific, so we do not use them unless necessary to combat disease vectors or if mosquito populations are out of hand. When using adult control materials, we do not treat flowers, milkweed, bees, or water. We also wear appropriate PPE like gloves, glasses, and long-sleeve shirts. We also allow technicians to be a part of our cartridge respirator program if they so choose.

The materials we use are named on our Control Materials page .