Job description

POSITION(S)

Navel Orange Worm - Sterile Insect Program - Insect Production Worker - WG 04

Letters of Authority (Limited Appointment/ Temporary positions)— Full Time

(Part Time or Intermittent may be available under special circumstances)

LOCATION(s)
Positions are available in the following Arizona locality:
· Phoenix - multiple positions

SALARY
Determined based on education, locality, and experience. Depending upon experience
· WG 4 Salary range $16.26/hour to $20.13/ Hour

WHO MAY APPLY
This announcement is open to all United States citizens.

TYPE OF APPOINTMENT
This is a Letter of Authority Appointment (AKA: Limited Appointment) lasting up to 180 days per service year (12 months). Positions can be extended for additional years, but no more than 180 days may be worked per service year.

OVERVIEW
APHIS is a multi-faceted Agency with a broad mission area that includes protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering the Animal Welfare Act and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. These efforts support the overall mission of USDA, which is to protect and promote food, agriculture, natural resources and related issues. Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) is a program within APHIS which safeguards U.S. agriculture and natural resources against the entry, establishment, and spread of economically and environmentally significant pests, and facilitates the safe trade of agricultural products. Join our team and gain valuable experience working in the field to stop this invasive species from harming our nation’s agriculture.

Applications are being accepted from the general public for the following position:

Temporary, full-time position as insect production worker. Employees will start work immediately and work for up to 6 months. The facility is a 24x7 operation, and work may include weekends on either 1st or 2nd shift.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants for this position must have a high school education. Secondary course work or experience in biological sciences is preferred, but is not required. A background check is required.

DUTIES: Duties may include: Disinfecting production equipment to ensure healthy production levels through the productive lifespan of the colony. Providing feed to insects, controlling temperature and humidity, and harvesting pupae or adults, recording collection data, and verifying that the data is correct and properly backed up in case of data loss from any given source. Separating insects into categories and controlling them to prevent escape or intermingling. Observing insect collections for obvious changes of life cycles, deaths, and general activity, and reporting observations to a supervisor. Maintaining approved disinfectants to clean and sanitize the floors, walls, and equipment of rearing rooms, and disinfecting them based on established protocols. Preparing disinfectant for cleaning and sanitation of equipment for rearing of various insect life stages. Determining when the insect rearing vessels should be changed, notifying the supervisor, or changing it in the absence of the supervisor. Operating high pressure steam washers to clean diet equipment, emergence boxes, and rearing racks. Moving insects in containers or on racks from one production room to another, according to procedure or as directed by a supervisor.

For more information check out the Navel Orange Worm Sterile Insect Lab https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program-overview/science-technology/immdl- arizona and check out this article: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program- overview/plant-protection-today/articles/combatting-navel-orangeworm

DUTIES
Depending on the needs of the specific duty station assigned, the incumbent may perform any combination of or all of the following grade controlling duties on a regular and recurring basis:

Prepares and weighs out different rearing media and diet ingredients using different scales in preparing to make artificial diet for a variety of insect life stages, and maintains records of when the ingredients were weighed.

Follows egg disinfection and preparation protocols to establish rearing colony. Disinfects colony housing 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 in case of data loss from any given source. Separates insects into categories such as sex and/or species and controls them to prevent escape or intermingling.

Observes insect collections for obvious changes of life cycles, deaths, and general activity, and reports observations to the supervisor.

Uses variable quality control data and balance to calculate and weigh the specified number of pupae or sterile adults for delivery to different customers.

Provides the Quality Control section with a representative random sample of pupae or adults to obtain statistics for the quantification of daily yields and quality of pupae or adults.

Determines daily production of adults and pupae by determining the average weight and inputting that data into facility database, and forwards data by email or fax to customers, notifying them of the total weight and number of adults and the number of shipping containers in transit.

Maintains approved disinfectants to clean and sanitize the floors, walls and equipment of rearing rooms, and disinfects them based on established protocols.

Prepares disinfectant, for cleaning and sanitation of equipment for rearing of various insect life stages and disinfects based on established protocols.

Determines when the insect rearing vessels should be changed, notifies the supervisor, or changes it in the absence of the supervisor.

Operates high pressure steam washers to clean diet equipment, emergence boxes, and rearing racks.

Performs irradiation and irradiation monitoring of insects prior to shipping and puts the information into storage and/or a database.

Moves adults from controlled climate emergence rooms to refrigerated chill rooms, and performs all phases of the collection process in order to prepare the adults for aircraft release.

Maintains ultraviolet light fiber optic systems used to attract adults out of emergence boxes, and uses plumbing equipment and high-speed industrial blowers to clear and clean collection lines and dry them.

Safely uses autoclave to sterilize materials, water, and objects used in insect rearing.

Performs set-up, servicing, maintenance, tear-down, and cleaning and disinfection of egg layer containers, including changing egg laying substrate and hydrating insect feeder pads.

Keeps all work areas and equipment clean and aides in the setup and preparation for the next day’s duties. Follows and obeys all safety guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with the selective service. Must have a valid driver’s license.
Must be able to work alone and/or in teams in remote locations.
Must possess or be able to learn basic insect pest and tree identification skills. Must be able to travel overnight occasionally.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants for this position must have a high school education. Secondary course work or experience in biological sciences is preferred, but is not required. A background check is required.

General Experience: (l) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.

HOW TO APPLY & REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR APPLICATION:
Please mail or email all required documents to the address provided below.
Required documents:
· Application Cover Sheet

· Current Resume:

o For each position you’ve held, provide name of Position, Title, Company Name, Dates (mo/yr), number of hours worked per week, salary/hourly rate, summary of duties and responsibilities

o And, provide at least three references.

· Official or unofficial college transcripts (if applicable)

· Completed and signed Declaration for Federal Employment (Form OF 306)

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Temporary

Pay: $17.74 - $20.13 per hour

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Holidays
• Weekend availability

COVID-19 considerations:
Masks required

Work Location: One location

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