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Guide to Army
Entomology Jobs
The positions listed below describe many roles filled by Army
entomologists. From teaching to research and from field entomology
to program management and administration, the Army offers a broad
variety of positions designed to continually increase your skills
and abilities as a professional military entomologist. As an Army
entomologist, you will not only have diverse job opportunities, but
will also be able to use your expertise around the world in
locations such as Africa, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Thailand.
Military entomologists are also currently working in Iraq and
Afghanistan as part of the large team of medical professionals
dedicated to protecting the health of our forces.
These job descriptions should give you a good idea of the type
of work that Army entomologists do on a day-to-day basis. The rank
requirements stated may be filled by officers of lower or higher
rank, depending on the qualifications of the individual officers and
the needs of the Army. This list includes the majority of positions
available, but some military entomologist may compete for
assignments open to a larger group of military officers such as
commanding the US Military Academy or working in a Civil Affairs
unit.
Click on the links below to look at jobs with primary duties in
specific categories:
Support and Deployment
Positions
Medical
Entomologist, Regional Medical Center. As the entomology
consultant for Great Plains Regional Medical Command/ Brooke Army
Medical Center you are in the perfect position to provide
entomological guidance on the health and safety aspects of pest
management along with being actively involved in surveillance and
control of vector-borne diseases and other medically important
arthropods and plants. You will work for 20 U.S. Army installations
within a 16-state region of the United States. This is a 1st
Lieutenant position in San Antonio, TX, that will provide an
excellent opportunity to learn about entomology in the US Army -
jump right in to this very active program!
Medical Entomologist, Medical Activity (MEDACC)
or Medical Center (MEDCEN). These are entry level
jobs at Ft. Hood, TX; Fort Bragg, NC; or Fort Stewart, GA. As an
incoming medical entomologist, you may find these interesting
positions open to you. You will work as an entomology consultant
for the installation and will be responsible for the disease-vector
surveillance program. You will have opportunities to learn about a
variety of other areas as well, such as food and water safety,
epidemiology, biomedical and hazardous waste issues, environmental
compliance, and hospital infection control. The sky’s the limit!
This may be one of your first opportunities in the military to be a
direct supervisor for civilian and junior Soldiers.
Medical Entomologist, Center for Health
Promotion and Preventive Medicine (CHPPM). There are
numerous positions for officers of various ranks at CHPPMs around
the world at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Landstuhl, Germany; Fort
McPherson, GA; Fort Lewis, WA; Ft Meade, MD; and Tokyo, Japan. Your
job may range from a special project officer to Entomological
Division Chief or even CHPPM Commander as your rank and experience
increase. As with most careers, when you move up in rank or
seniority, you will have more responsibility for people, budgets,
programs, etc. The multiple positions available in the CHPPMs are
no different and will be tailored for your rank. CHPPM jobs are a
great place for new military entomologists to learn the ropes and
usually provide lots of hands-on experience. Your opportunities
may include west nile virus or hantavirus surveillance; traveling to
various installations to train units on pest management and
biomonitoring equipment use; participating in soil, water, and air
quality analysis projects; providing vector identification services;
conducting pesticide program review, developing medical threat
briefings; and many, many more.
Executive Officer, Medical Detachment.
The executive officer (XO) supports and executes guidance of the
detachment commander in training and executing unit operation
involving pest surveillance and control, field and food service
sanitation, industrial hygiene consultations, medical threat
assessments, epidemiology, and water analysis for deploying units.
As an XO, you will be responsible to the commander for maintenance
operations, unit movement, logistical operations, unit status report
preparation, unit security, and other duties as assigned. This is a
position that really helps incoming military entomologists
understand the structure and function of military units. You will
be part of a small, but very dedicated group of highly skilled
Soldiers – among the best in the US Army! Captain level positions
are available in Daegu, Korea; Seoul, Korea; Grafenwoehr, Germany;
Hanau, Germany; Fort Hood (Killeen), TX; Fort Bragg (Fayetteville),
NC; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Stewart (Hinesville), GA; Fort
Benning (Columbus), GA; Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Carson (near
Colorado Springs), CO; Fort Lewis (near Tacoma), WA.
Commander, Medical Detachment.
Command has been described as “the toughest job you will ever
love.” As unit commanders in a Medical Detachment you are
ultimately responsible for training, equipping, and deploying the
unit to provide effective preventive medicine support across the
full spectrum of military operations. The support you will provide
includes environmental health services (water quality assurance,
field sanitation, food protection, and waste management), entomology
surveillance and vector control, epidemiology, and medical threat
assessments. You will really have a chance to demonstrate your
organizational abilities and ‘people skills’ as the Commander. In a
small unit such as a Medical Detachment, you may just find yourself
part of a ‘family’ of Soldiers who will work tirelessly to protect
their fellow Soldiers and the entire military community. Major
level positions are available in Daegu, Korea; Seoul, Korea;
Grafenwoehr, Germany; Hanau, Germany; Fort Hood (Killeen), TX; Fort
Bragg (Fayetteville), NC; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Stewart
(Hinesville), GA; Fort Benning (Columbus), GA; Fort Campbell, KY;
Fort Carson (near Colorado Springs), CO; Fort Lewis (near Tacoma),
WA.
Staff Officer, 30th Medical Brigade/44th
Medical Command. Adventurous officers are attracted to
these positions in Heidelberg, Germany and Fort Bragg, NC. As a
senior preventive medicine officer (Lieutenant Colonel), you will
assists in mission execution and oversight of deployable preventive
medicine units. You will also plan and coordinate force health
protection policy, programs, and operations concerning medical
threat information, medical readiness of Soldiers, field preventive
medicine issues, hazardous chemical management, and infectious and
zoonotic disease prevention. You may work in humanitarian and/or
combat environments, so flexibility is key. If you serve in the
44th Medical Command you will be part of the only Airborne Medical
Command in the U.S. Army, so if you’re interested, get your ‘jump
school’ completed early in your career.
Staff Officer, Defense Pest Management
Information Analysis Center (DPMIAC). This center,
collocated with the AFPMB, is staffed by Army, Navy, Air Force, DoD
civilian pest management professionals, and civilian contractors who
collectively are responsible for timely and accurate dissemination
of preventive medicine and vector control information of vital
importance to all members of the DoD community around the world.
Lifelong learners and true entomophiles will love working here -
opportunities for professional development abound. You will be
encouraged to participate in a variety of activities promoting and
supporting military entomology, including speaking at professional
conferences, participating in recruiting trips to universities, and
leading interagency working groups on entomological issues that are
of shared interest. If you are a Major or Lieutenant Colonel, look
at your DPMIAC options.
Research Positions
Research
Entomologist, Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU).
For entomologists with a love of taxonomy and systematics, this is
a position to whet your appetite. As an entomologist (Captain) at
WRBU, you will work at the incomparable Smithsonian Institution in
the Museum Support Center. You will be involved in research efforts
to develop accurate and reliable means of identifying vectors of
human arbopathogens of importance to the DoD. Specific objectives
include: (1) to describe and illustrate all the species in the
study, (2) to resolve any taxonomic problems, (3) to develop
effective keys for identifying all life stages of the species under
study, (4) to provide basic biological and ecological data useful in
understanding the epidemiology and prevention of diseases and the
control of vector species, (5) to provide data concerning the
medical importance of each species, and (6) to train personnel in
field studies and biosystematics research. A collaborative
multidisciplinary approach to biosystematics is used when feasible.
Research Entomologist, The United States
Army Medical Research Institute for infectious diseases (USAMRIID).
Interested in research? You may be assigned as a research
entomologist or as the Chief of the Entomological Division. Entry
level positions will allow you to stretch your wings and get
involved in global research programs focusing on arthropod-borne
diseases of military importance and arthropod-borne diseases that
are potential biological warfare threat agents or require biosafety
containment. You will collaborate with scientists at Army and Navy
laboratories around the world. In addition to your research
activities, you will provide preventive medicine leadership,
expertise, and training to preventive medicine specialists at
USAMRIID and Fort Detrick, MD.
Research Entomologist, Walter Reed Army
Institute of Research (WRAIR). Research beckons from
Silver Spring, Maryland; Bangkok, Thailand; and Nairobi, Kenya for
the officers securing these positions. Opportunities are available
for Captains and above. Areas of research include risk assessment
of malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, and other vector-borne diseases
and emerging pathogens; development of new methods for vector
control and personal protection; identification of insect vectors
using molecular techniques; and development of rapid, PCR-based
field assays for detection of dengue and other arboviruses in
mosquitoes. Ultimately, you may become a director of research and
will supervise your own team of highly-qualified professionals
conducting basic and applied research.
Teaching Positions
Instructor, Medical Zoology Branch, AC&S. If you enjoy
teaching – this is the job for you! You will be responsible for
training and mentoring enlisted service members and officers, DOD
civilians and contract personnel in preventive medicine, entomology,
and insect/vector control. Your students will range from high
school graduates to Ph.D.s and the teaching will involve both
classroom training and field work. Bring your enthusiasm and
expertise and you will find this to be a very rewarding position.
If pure teaching is not enough, you may also become a Project
Officer for a very unique computer-based distance learning project
or even curator of the sizeable insect collection that is maintained
for educational purposes. There are two Captain positions in San
Antonio, TX. Further into your career (Lieutenant Colonel) you
might be selected to be the Chief of this organization; a job
requiring keen focus on providing the best education possible to a
diverse student base.
Assistant Professor, Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences. This is the ‘classic’
academic position. You will be an Assistant Professor in the
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics at the Uniformed
Services University of Health Sciences with the same
responsibilities of an assistant professor in any major university.
You will develop curricula for courses in tropical diseases and
public health, emphasizing medical entomology, parasitology, disease
ecology, and military field preventive medicine. You will also
conduct and supervise laboratory and field research, write and
review experimental protocols, publish in peer-reviewed journals,
and participate in professional organizations. This is a Lieutenant
Colonel position in Bethesda, MD.
Policy, Programs, and Administration Positions
Command Entomologist, Defense
Logistic Agency (DLA). At DLA in Fort
Belvoir, VA, you will have a chance to build and hone your
administrative skills at the Lieutenant Colonel level. Your formal
duties involve coordination, consultation and guidance to DLA
Headquarters, installations, and material managers on all aspects of
entomology and pest management including manpower requirements,
operational needs, medical and environmental impact, and procedural
matters. You will spend a significant amount of time acting as
liaison between the Military services and DLA supply centers.
However, if this isn’t enough to pique your interest – never fear!
The DLA is also heavily involved in natural resources conservation
and endangered species recovery. You could become part of one of
several recovery projects such as the ongoing and successful palos
verdes blue butterfly recovery program in southern California...or
work to develop a new project of your own.
Medical Entomologist, Program Office for
Preventive Medicine (POPM). As a senior officer
(Lieutenant Colonel) with diverse experience, you should be eager to
accept this visible position. You Develop U.S. Army and U. S. Army
Medical Command policy and guidance to protect and promote health,
improve effectiveness, and enhance the environment of Army
personnel. You will be the spokesperson and representative of
prevention and population medicine in Army Medical Department
strategic planning. A solid foundation in military entomology as
well as highly effective speaking and writing capabilities will help
you excel at this job.
Staff Officer, Armed Forces Pest Management
Board (AFPMB). The Board offers several positions for
officers from Major to Colonel. The Board is “purple,” meaning
there are representatives from the Army, Navy, and Air Force working
there. These are intriguing jobs that will provide you the
opportunity to make and influence policy that will impact military
entomology issues around the world and at the highest levels in the
DoD. You may find yourself responding to inquiries from Congress,
offices in the Pentagon, all military services, other federal
agencies, and industry on pest management issues of interest to DoD.
You may look forward to holding one or more of the following
positions. The Executive Director is a principal staff assistant
for the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Installations and
Environment who develops policies, programs and guidance regarding
pest management activities for the total Department of Defense in
peacetime and war. The Contingency Liaison Officer (CLO) plays a
critical role in coordinating readiness and deployment policies and
communicating between the Board and a huge worldwide DoD
constituency. The CLO is also an entomology liaison for appropriate
NATO and other host nation agencies. The Research Liaison Officer (RLO)
primarily directs the development of Department of Defense
requirements for pest management research, technology development
and testing by DoD components and federal agencies conducting
research of interest. The RLO also promotes cooperative research
with other federal departments, federal laboratory research
directors and funding agencies. The AFPMB is located in Silver
Spring, Maryland, slightly north of Washington, D.C. |
