Entomology Summer Intern

Description

Disclaimer: Please note, if you are selected to have an interview with Thermacell, you will receive an email from our applicant tracking system Paylocity (reply-to-sender@mail.paylocity.com) or an email from a Thermacell.net domain. Be aware of phishing emails/text messages. Thermacell will never text or Skype you about your candidacy or personal confidential information. If you are unsure, please contact careers@thermacell.net.

THE COMPANY

Thermacell Repellents, Inc. is on a mission to liberate people who love the outdoors from the harmful effects of insects. Thermacell makes the world’s leading zone mosquito repellent, using our proprietary technology to create a zone of scientifically proven protection up to 20ft so people and pets can enjoy their time outdoors.

Founded in 1999 and based outside of Boston in Bedford, Massachusetts, Thermacell has an ever-expanding product line and is trusted by over 6 million consumers worldwide to provide protection for outdoor events from backyard nights to rugged camping weekends. We aim to change the way people repel insects, through our award-winning products, disruptive innovation, and expanding distribution across multiple retail & e-comm channels in over 30 countries across the globe.

Thermacell is a wholly owned subsidiary of a privately held global consumer products company and operated independently. Thermacell is home to 125+ full-time employees across three U.S. hubs — Bedford, MA (Corporate Headquarters), Buford, GA (Manufacturing & Distribution), and Hampton, FL (Science & Research Center) — and is expanding its footprint in the UK & Europe.

ROLE PURPOSE:

We are looking for an on-site entomology intern to assist with the establishment, maintenance, and optimization of a mosquito mass rearing operation (Aedes aegypti) at our science research center in Hampton, FL. You will have the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience working alongside professional entomologists in a growing, dynamic company. Primary responsibilities center around colony maintenance and mass rearing optimization with additional opportunities for laboratory and field research, depending on motivation and interest. This position is expected to last approximately three months between May and August with the potential for continued, part-time work beyond August pending fit and need.

STATUS: Full time (40 hours per week) hourly non-exempt Summer position for 12 weeks between May 1 and August 20 (start and endpoints to be negotiated). Position may be extended on a part-time basis after the internship period pending business needs and interest.

WORKING HOURS: Primarily between 9-5pm M-F (open to some flexibility), opportunity for occasional nights / weekends for field work

WORK LOCATION: 3696 Navarre Ave; Hampton, FL 32044 (30 mins from Gainesville, FL)

Please note: This position is not eligible for work authorization sponsorship by the company now or in the future. Candidate must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States on a full time basis.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain Aedes aegypti colonies, handling all life stages of these mosquitoes
• Collect (using traps and aspirators) and accurately identify mosquitoes by sex and species
• Safely handle bovine blood for adult feeding
• Follow established protocols and maintain meticulous records
• Enter data in Excel
• Help maintain clean and organized laboratory spaces (dish washing, sweeping, mopping)
• Monitor and assist with routine maintenance of laboratory equipment
• Assist with the establishment of quality assurance (QA) procedures for various aspects of mass rearing
• Assist with other laboratory and field work tasks
• Assist with field research trials, including occasional night and weekend work (optional)

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Lives our core values of Drive, Ownership, Integrity, Teamwork and Evolution
• Authentic and personable, humble, smart
• Relentless work ethic juiced by results, not titles or activities
• Externally competitive, internally collaborative
• Highly resourceful. Hands-on and practical
• Chooses curiosity and a commitment to learning over being right
• Radically candid – always with positive intention
• Motivated by challenge, resilient in the face of setbacks or adversity
• Able to critically think and navigate within a variety of ambiguous situations
• Even keeled energy, brings calm to chaos, low drama
• Make impeccable agreements, delivers end to end results with excellence
• Makes high quality data-based decisions with autonomy
• Unquenchable thirst for learning and self-improvement
• Effective communicator meeting people where they are
• Manages multiple, complex, and competing priorities
• Experienced with insect or other animal rearing
• Strong interest in entomology

COMPENSATION

Compensation for this position will include a competitive salary. Although it is not overtime eligible, interns will receive holiday pay for holidays that occur during the internship period.

WHY WORK HERE?

We are proud of our company culture – it’s the fuel behind our dynamic and buzzing community! Our people are authentic, competitive, and compassionate. It’s truly a unique formula for success.

We believe in the virtuous cycle of thriving employees fueling a thriving business. We believe in growing great leaders and helping people to unleash their full human potential. We believe in creating a frictionless organization where clarity and empowerment to do the work that matters as fast as possible. We believe in making impeccable agreements and relentlessly tracking exceptional results and celebrating achievements together! We believe in creating inspiring impact everywhere we can in support of our mission where everyone can be a force multiplier.

OUR CORE VALUES:

• Drive – An optimistic can-do spirit, a passion to delight our consumer, a belief in the importance of determination and the freedom to make a difference.
• Ownership – We are empowered to take accountability for our contributions and desire to do the highest quality work with responsible urgency to drive business results.
• Integrity – We will always do the right thing guided by truth and sincerity. We exercise constructive candor and have the willingness to challenge and be challenged in all interactions.
• Teamwork – The belief that we is greater than me, and with collective brainpower we are better together. We are a community of compassionate support and collective success. We win as one and play hard in celebration together.
• Evolution – We are committed to continuous improvement, always learning, growing, and adapting to constant change. We seek progress over perfection.

OUR COMMITMENT: Thermacell is committed to preserving a culture of diversity, inclusion, and belonging. The collective sum of our individual differences, knowledge, life experiences, and unique talents represents a significant part of our culture and is the foundation for our accomplishments and impact. We strive to create a supportive community where we all can show up as our authentic selves and are confident and comfortable to be genuine with our teammates in our day-to-day work environment. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, citizenship, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal or local law.

OUR AWARDS: Great Place to Work Award 2025 | New York Times Wirecutter pick for “The Best Mosquito Control Gear for your Patio or Yard” 2021-2025 | CNN Underscored Editor’s Pick 2024-2025 | Men's Journal Outdoor Award 2025 | Shop TODAY Expert Pick 2025 | Canadian Grand Prix New Product Award 2024 | Outside Gear Guide Editor’s Choice 2022 | Time Magazine Best Inventions 2022 | This Old House Editor’s Choice | Good Housekeeping Home Products Award | CES New Tech Award – IDEA Good Design Award | Canadian Tire Digital Excellence Award | LIV Smart Mosquito Repellent System - CES TWICE Awards 2021-2022 | Good Housekeeping Research Institute #1 Tabletop Mosquito Repellent | Field & Stream “Best of the Best” Award | Backpacker Magazine - Best Backpacking Accessory 2019 | New York Times Wirecutter - Best Car Camping Gear 2018 | Popular Mechanics - Grand Award Winner - Recreation - Best of What's New 2018

Requirements

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Classroom or professional experience in entomology
• Previous interest/experience with insect or other animal rearing
• Familiarity with insect handling, collection, identification, and curation
• Experience using dissecting microscopes, insect aspirators, and other entomological tools
• Able to work in warm, humid conditions in an insectary (80°F, 75% RH) for extended periods of time
• Able to function well in a dynamic and collaborative environment
• Willing to perform repetitive, routine, unglamorous tasks in a timely and consistent manner
• A self-starter with strong problem-solving skills and a hands-on approach
• Develop/document QA procedures in collaboration with Entomologists
• Strong communication skills and high degree of professionalism
• Strong attention to detail