Joeseph Shemanchuk obtained a diploma in Agriculture at the Olds School of Agriculture and then received B.Sc. (Agric) and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Alberta, majoring in entomology. After graduation from the U of A, Joeseph accepted employment with Agriculture Canada. His first assignment was to Churchill, Manitoba to develop measures against blood-sucking flies for the Canadian Armed Forces. Joeseph was then transferred to Saskatoon to study the flight range of mosquitoes as it related to the spread of animal and human diseases.

While in Saskatoon he first enrolled in the Royal Canadian Air Force. In 1955, Joeseph was transferred to the Research Station at Lethbridge, where he was also able to join the Lethbridge Militia and be able to keep his rank. He became qualified in the artillery and would go on to command the 39th Battery RCA as a Major. Joeseph continued to work at the research station until his retirement. Honours awarded to Joe include Honorary Membership in, and a Fellow of, the Entomological Society of Canada.