Pest Control Technician Job Description [Free Template & Guide]
A pest control technician identifies, catches, removes, or kills pests in homes and businesses. This can include pests like rodents, ants, wasps, bed bugs, and even snakes or lizards. Pest control workers are usually either independent contractors or employed by a pest control business.
If you’re ready to hire pest control technicians to work for your business, use our guide to write a detailed job description that attracts qualified, licensed pest control technicians.
Download our pest control technician job description template, or jump ahead for our guide on writing a job description of your own. You’ll be interviewing and hiring expert exterminators in no time.
What to include in your pest control job description:
Pest control technician job description template
Use this template to write your own pest control job description. Modify the role summary, responsibilities, qualifications, hours, compensation, and company overview based on your business needs.
Pest Control Technician, Full Time
Bait For It Pest Control Co. is hiring an experienced pest control technician to join our team. The successful applicant will be responsible for identifying, trapping, and removing various types of pests, as well as preventing future infestations.
Job responsibilities:
- Inspect buildings for unwanted pest activity and infestation
- Identify types of insects, animals, and other pests
- Measure dimensions of the area needing treatment
- Recommend pest treatment and elimination options
- Set traps and baits in the infested area and surrounding areas
- Mix pesticides according to area and pest type requirements
- Apply pesticides in and around customers’ homes
- Physically remove trapped or exterminated pests
- Prevent pest re-entry with materials like wood and foam
- Identify and promote upselling opportunities to customers (including pest control contracts)
- Follow workplace health and safety procedures, including use of PPE
- Follow pesticide safety instructions and procedures
- Keep work vehicle tidy and stocked with tools and equipment
- Load and unload tools and equipment from work vehicles
- Prepare cost estimates and project budgets
- Coordinate service with customers and handle complaints professionally
- Suggest pest control service agreements to customers that need ongoing support
- Accurately log billable hours using a time tracking app
- Manage job details, review daily tasks, and follow up with customers using our pest control app
Qualifications and skills:
- High school diploma or GED
- [STATE] pest control license
- 2+ years of experience as a pest control technician
- Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and reliable transportation
- Knowledge of pest control tools and techniques
- Able to perform basic mathematical calculations and convert measurements
- Able to sit, stand, kneel, crawl, and climb ladders in all weather conditions
- Strong planning, organizational, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills
- Great attention to detail, positive attitude, and strong work ethic
- Good interpersonal and communication skills (multiple languages are a plus)
- Able to follow written and verbal instructions
- Able to safely apply pesticides and chemicals
- Experience using scheduling apps or routing apps preferred (training can be provided)
Working hours:
- Full-time, year-round
- Mon–Fri, 9:00am–5:00pm
- Overtime available but not required
Compensation:
- $16–20/hour (based on experience)
- Signing bonus and year-round bonus opportunities
- Health insurance, including dental and vision
- Paid holidays, time off, and parental leave
- 401(k) matching and life insurance
This position will require a background check upon hire.
About Bait For It Pest Control Co.
Bait For It Pest Control Co. provides high-quality pest control services to residential and commercial customers. We specialize in ants, termites, and wasps, but can handle just about any pest infestation with confidence and care.
We are constantly seeking talented, passionate people to join our team and help us grow the business. We offer competitive salaries, comprehensive training, and a supportive work environment where employees can develop skills, build careers, and make a real impact for our customers.
To apply for this position, send your resume to [company email address].
Now that you’ve seen a good job description example, here’s how to write each section of yours:
1. Role summary
Your job description should start with a summary of the role. This is a short introduction to the pest control service technician role you’re hiring for—it helps applicants understand the job at a glance.
A role summary normally includes details like:
- Position title
- Supervisor
- Seniority level
- Responsibilities
Give an overview of what the role involves and what type of person would be right for the job. This will tell qualified job seekers to apply—and unqualified people to continue their job search elsewhere.
2. Job responsibilities
Write down a list of the pest control technician responsibilities you expect your employee to fulfill.
To make sure your job description includes all possible tasks, ask yourself these questions:
- What clients does your pest control business work with (e.g., residential, commercial)?
- What types of pest control equipment will they be using (e.g., traps, sprayers, foggers)?
- What do your current technicians do on each type of job (e.g., insect removal, pesticide application, termite control)?
- Will this employee need to complete any other non-pest control tasks (e.g., customer service, estimating jobs, scheduling work, sending pest control invoices)?
3. Qualifications and skills
Include all the professional qualifications you expect an exterminator to have before working on your team.
Your qualifications might include:
- Years of pest control experience
- Experience with a specific type of pest (e.g., bees, ants, mice, skunks)
- Any pest control license that’s required by your state
- Physical demands (e.g., kneeling, crawling, wearing respiratory equipment)
- Soft skills (e.g., customer service, communication, problem-solving)
- Valid driver’s license and clean driver’s record, if they’ll be driving a company vehicle
You can also add any extra skills that aren’t necessary but can help candidates stand out, like being fluent in Spanish or having experience with pest control software.
READ MORE: Top 14 pest control apps for pest ID, scheduling, and more
4. Working hours
List your working hours or shift options so candidates know what the average workday will look like. This will help you attract applicants who can work within your normal schedule.
Include whether the pest control technician’s job is full-time or part-time, seasonal or year-round, and permanent or temporary.
5. Role compensation
Include your technician salary or hourly wage so applicants know what to expect. This keeps you from wasting time interviewing candidates who end up being out of your budget.
Your pest control job description should also cover non-financial compensation and perks, like an employee bonus program, health insurance, paid days off, or 401(k) contribution matching.
6. Company overview
Applicants may not know much about your business. The company overview section is your chance to introduce the business and explain why it’s a great place to work. Include details like:
- Your pest control company name
- How many years you’ve been in business
- Company mission, vision, and values
- What kind of employee experience you offer
- Why your employees work with you
- Professional development and career-building opportunities
Pro Tip: When your pest control company overview is finished, save it and use it again in all your future job postings.
READ MORE: How to build a business where employees want to work
Provide instructions for applying to your pest control job posting. Tell applicants if you want them to apply by email, on your pest control website, or using an application form on a job board like Indeed.
Include the application deadline and make it clear if you need a cover letter and references.
Pro Tip: When your pest control company overview is finished, save it and use it again in all your future job postings.
READ MORE: How to build a business where employees want to work
Provide instructions for applying to your pest control job posting—for example, if you want job seekers to apply by email, on your pest control website, or using an application form on a job board like Indeed.
Include the application deadline and whether you need a resume, cover letter, and references.
Frequently asked questions
In our experience, these are the questions we hear the most often about job descriptions for pest control technicians:
What job title should I use in a pest control job description?
There are a few different titles for pest control workers, depending on how they work:
- Pest control technicians and pest control specialists can manage pests by either live trapping or killing them, based on company policy or the client’s needs.
- Exterminators focus on killing pests through trapping, baiting, chemical spraying, and fumigation. They typically don’t offer live removal.
You can hire for any of these job titles, but be aware that exterminators typically need licensing to apply pesticides. Be sure your top candidate has the necessary license before hiring them.
How much to pay a pest control technician
The median salary for a pest control worker in the U.S. is $43,470/year, or $20.90/hour. Actual pay can vary depending on factors like:
- What pests they specialize in (e.g., roaches, wasps, lizards)
- Experience level
- Geographic area
- Local pest control industry demand and competition
Pro Tip: Update your pest control business plan and budget to ensure you’re prepared to pay for new employees in the long term.
What skills, experience, or training does a pest control technician need?
Pest control technicians should have a high school diploma or GED, as well as previous job experience that includes inspections, trapping or spraying, and prevention.
The role also requires technicians to pass certain state-level exams and get certified, since this role involves handling harmful chemicals.
Some employers can offer apprenticeships for new technicians to learn the trade under supervision before getting certified.
Check your state’s pest control licensing guidelines to see rules for pest management industry certification and apprenticeships in your area.
What makes a good pest control technician?
Good pest control technicians are properly certified, have on-the-job experience, and can safely work with a wide range of dangerous chemicals.
They also have a good eye for detail, the ability to work within tight spaces, and the strength to lift and use heavy equipment.