Pest Control Technician

Pest control technicians inspect homes, restaurants, warehouses, and other buildings for insect, rodent, and other pest infestations, then apply chemical or non-chemical treatments to eliminate the problem and prevent it from recurring.

A typical service call starts with an inspection: identifying the pest species, finding the entry points and food or moisture sources drawing it in, and assessing how severe the infestation is — a job that often means crawling into crawlspaces, checking behind appliances, and inspecting a building's exterior for gaps and cracks.

Based on that assessment, technicians choose a treatment: spraying or dusting a chemical solution, setting mechanical traps or poisoned bait stations, or sealing entry points, weighing the specific situation against client constraints like pets, children, or food-service health codes. Technicians spend most of their working day driving between scheduled stops (roughly 95% of a typical day in a vehicle) and working outdoors in all weather.

Every treatment has to be documented — what was applied, where, and at what concentration — both for the client's records and because pesticide application is federally and state regulated. Many technicians work a defined route for a regional or national franchise (Terminix, Orkin), while others work for smaller independent local companies; termite treatment and wildlife/nuisance-animal removal are common specializations within the broader trade.