Description
Study the origins, behavior, diseases, genetics, ecology, and life processes of insects and related arthropods. May specialize in agricultural, medical, forest, forensic, or conservation entomology and in pest or pollinator management. May collect and analyze biological and environmental data to determine how land, water, and climate use affect insect populations, vector risks, and ecosystem services.
- • Study insects in natural and managed habitats; assess effects of environment, land use, and industry; recommend mitigation.
- • Inventory or estimate insect and arthropod populations and community composition.
- • Identify and classify insects using morphological and molecular data.
- • Share findings via reports, journal articles, and presentations for schools, agencies, and public programs.
- • Study insect phylogeny, relationships, life cycles, vector roles, development, genetics, distribution, and ecology.
- • Handle administrative duties, including grant writing, outreach, budgeting, and supervising lab, field, or insectary staff.
- • Conduct experimental studies with live insects in labs, greenhouses, insectaries, and field sites.
- • Coordinate integrated pest and vector control programs to prevent crop damage and disease transmission.
- • Prepare and curate pinned, alcohol-preserved, and slide-mounted specimens for identification and developmental or disease studies.
- • Collect, rear, and dissect insect specimens; examine tissues and pathogens under microscopes.
- • Advise the public and stakeholders on pest identification, nuisance insects, pollinator conservation, and IPM practices.
- • Ensure compliance with pesticide regulations, invasive species quarantines, biosafety rules, and collection permits; report violations.
- • Develop or recommend IPM strategies and pollinator habitat plans with growers, land managers, and agencies.
- • Conduct literature reviews.
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Energy & Natural Resources
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
