Entomologist (Product Team) - Vectech

About the role

Vectech builds AI-powered tools that identify mosquitoes and ticks from images, helping public health organizations make faster, smarter decisions about vector control. But AI systems are only as good as the biological data that trains and validates them. That’s where you come in.

Vectech is hiring an Entomologist to join our Product Team and serve as the entomology expert behind our computer vision products for vector surveillance. In this cross-functional role, you will apply your background in entomology to support engineering and product development. You will own the image data labeling process that trains our identification algorithms, making sure it meets a high scientific standard. You will work alongside engineers, scientists, research partners and product leaders to collect specimens, review and label image data from our lab and partners, and check how well our models perform against expert identification. Along the way, you will take part in field work, attend conferences and contribute to scientific publications. Vectech is a startup and responsibilities are dynamic, so you will have the opportunity to learn new roles and take on additional responsibilities as the team grows. You’ll often be the main entomology voice on site, so we’re looking for someone who enjoys owning their work and figuring things out.

Details

• Location: On-site, Baltimore, MD
• Type: Full-time
• Salary range: $60,000-$70,000 per year
• Reports to: Head of Product

Responsibilities

Entomological expertise and data quality (about 50%)

• Review, annotate and label large entomological image datasets, including:
  • Genus and species identification
  • Sex identification
  • Anatomical feature labeling
  • Vector behaviors and geographical range
• Own and maintain the company taxonomy tree. Vectech works with species from around the world, so you will need to quickly locate and reference taxonomic keys, or identify local experts to consult on a species identification.
• Evaluate specimen and image quality, and support ad hoc customer data requests.
• Stay current with the literature and with customer species lists.

Laboratory management (about 20%)

• Maintain arthropod and insect specimen inventories.
• Oversee daily lab operations and maintenance, including freezer monitoring, ordering supplies and equipment requests.
• Rear and maintain mosquito or other insect colonies (intermittent as needed).
• Write, follow and improve lab protocols and SOPs.
• Manage product portfolio inventory, testing and shipment, and routine maintenance of lab devices.
• Maintain required documentation for specimen collection and transfer, such as import permits and material transfer agreements.
• Support other office, laboratory and team needs as they arise.

Research and field work (about 15%)

• Contribute to research grant activities, conference presentations and manuscripts.
• Conduct seasonal mosquito trapping, tick drags, and other field surveillance for specimen collections.
• Generate surveillance reports.
• Build relationships with research partners, vector control programs and university entomology departments.

Product development and customer success (about 15%)

• Follow and improve our quality control process for specimen image data, including data for new vector algorithms (for example larval mosquito, sand fly and Culicoides identification) and new image collection efforts.
• Provide engineering and product teams continuous feedback on product design and usability as an expert user, and flag and troubleshoot problems.
• Support other teams as needed, including product assembly and packing and software requirements.
• Participate in cross functional team meetings for product development priorities.
• Coordinate and support field testing and validation of new products.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in entomology, vector biology or a related field. Relevant experience may be substituted for a degree.
• 1+ years of laboratory or field experience with mosquitoes, ticks or other arthropods of public health importance.
• Strong morphological identification skills for mosquitoes and ticks, with experience using taxonomic keys.
• High attention to detail and comfort reviewing large volumes of specimen images.
• Clear written and verbal communication with scientists, engineers, government partners and customers.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation to field sites, and ability to do field work.
• Comfortable working as the primary entomologist on site: setting your own priorities, keeping projects moving and knowing when to bring in outside expertise.

Preferred

• Experience with vector surveillance programs or state and local public health agencies.
• Experience labeling or annotating image data for machine learning.
• Experience rearing insects and maintaining live colonies.
• Experience writing lab SOPs and managing lab inventory and equipment.
• Familiarity with sand flies, Culicoides, larval mosquitoes or pollinators such as bees.
• Track record contributing to grant writing, conference presentations or peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience in a startup or product development setting, including working with engineers or customers.
• Experience with GIS, Tableau or other data and information systems.

Working conditions

• Primarily on-site in our lab and office, with seasonal field work outdoors in varied weather, including trapping in wooded and grassy areas.
• Regular work with live mosquitoes, ticks and other arthropods, and with preserved specimens and lab chemicals.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lb (traps, supplies, packages) and to spend extended periods at a microscope or computer.
• Occasional travel for field sites, customer visits, conferences and stakeholder events.

Who is Vectech?

Vectech equips professionals with the capabilities of a medical entomologist using AI. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on earth, killing over half a million people each year. Ticks transmit deadly and debilitating diseases. With Vectech's products, public health and vector control organizations can quickly generate the information they need to make better decisions, faster. As a public benefit corporation, we care deeply about the people we work with and the mission we're working toward. We hope you will too.