Position Function:
To support the Invasive Insect Screening and Trapping Team as well as the MS Bug Blues outreach program.
Salary Grade: 09
Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.
Department Profile:
The Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection (https://www.agscipp.msstate.edu/) has academic, research, and extension education missions within the traditions of land-grant universities. The Department offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees and currently advises approximately 120 undergraduate (B.S. in Agricultural Science) and 25 graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology and Plant Pathology). The Department has 25 faculty in the entomology and plant pathology disciplines both on campus and at research and extension centers throughout Mississippi.
Mississippi State University (www.msstate.edu), a Carnegie Foundation R1-Very High Research Activity Doctoral University, is a comprehensive public institution with more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students and nearly 1,500 full time faculty members. Representative of the American land-grant tradition yet distinctive in character and spirit, MSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees. MSU is ranked as one of the best colleges for a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences in America. MSU’s researchers are assisted by a supportive research administration to place MSU among the top 10 universities in the nation in research and development in the agricultural sciences. A member of the Southeastern Conference, MSU is a major athletic competitor on the national stage, having won the NCAA baseball national championship in 2021. The university is located in Starkville, Mississippi, a historic city with a population of about 25,000, roughly 2 hours by car from Memphis, Birmingham, and Jackson and roughly 4 hours from New Orleans, Atlanta, and Nashville. Starkville is a vibrant college town with several signature weekend events highlighting arts, culture, and sports. Its location opens doors to adventures and relaxation in natural settings. Websites for the Chamber of Commerce (https://www.starkville.org/support/) and city schools (https://www.starkvillesd.com/) are good sources of additional information.
Area of Specialization:
Entomology (insect trapping, sample processing, and arthropod zoo care)
Anticipated Appointment Date:
Sept. 2025.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Sorting insect samples, running trapping routes for invasive insect species, preparing insect samples for dissection and museum curation, helping with general arthropod zoo care, and helping with outreach events.
Minimum Qualifications:
High school diploma.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Basic care of arthropods, knowledge of invasive insects and insect trapping, ability to drive and be outside in inclement weather, ability to problem solve, ability to work with the general public, able to research and learn independently, able to work with others as part of a team.
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
Able to lift 50 pounds, able to drive, able to be outdoors in high heat and humidity, able to stand and or sit for extended periods of time.
Instructions for Applying:
Link to apply: http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/
Applications must be submitted through the Human Resources
Management website at https://www.jobs.msstate.edu by completing the Support Staff
application and submitting a cover letter, resume, and three references.
For additional questions, please contact Swayze Hollenhead sh1270@msstate.edu
Screening Date:
August 29, 2025, until filled.
Restricted Clause:
Position is contingent upon continued availability of funding.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.
What do I do if I need an accommodation?
In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.
