Will “Soil Scientist” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

2.1% Chance of Automation

“Soil Scientist” will not be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #86 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

Care to share? Click for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or XING. 👍

Job Description

Conduct research in breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants or trees, shrubs, and nursery stock, their growth in soils, and control of pests; or study the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as they relate to plant or crop growth. May classify and map soils and investigate effects of alternative practices on soil and crop productivity.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 19-1013.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 69,290.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 33.00
Currently, there are 14,690 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Soil and Plant Scientists”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Soil Scientist”

Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products.
Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations.
Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders.
Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth.
Study insect distribution or habitat and recommend methods to prevent importation or spread of injurious species.
Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation.
Conduct experiments regarding causes of bee diseases or factors affecting yields of nectar or pollen.
Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems.
Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology.
Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting.
Develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.
Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics.
Conduct experiments investigating how soil forms, changes, or interacts with land-based ecosystems or living organisms.
Plan or supervise waste management programs for composting or farming.
Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties.
Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the effects of alternative practices on the environment.
Conduct research into the use of plant species as green fuels or in the production of green fuels.
Plan or supervise land conservation or reclamation programs for industrial development projects.
Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.
Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning.
Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.
Develop ways of altering soils to suit different types of plants.

Related Technology & Tools

Laptop computers
Calibrated soil scoops
Gel electrophoresis systems
Soil moisture neutron probes
Soil augers
Glass flasks
Sample containers
Soil analysis hydrometers
Desktop computers
Lysimeters
Laboratory muffle furnaces
Conductivity meters
Circulating water baths
Laboratory mixers
Synthetic aperture radar SAR
Graduated glass cylinders
Cell tissue culture incubators
Gel dryers
Epifluorescence microscopes
Gamma ray spectrometers
Laboratory growth chambers
Tensiometers
Osmometers
Infrared gas analyzers
X ray fluorescence XRF spectrometers
Luminometers
pH indicators
Laser particle sizers
Infrared cameras
Digital pH meters
Laboratory sieves
Microtiter plate readers
Canopy analyzers
Organic carbon analyzers
Personal computers
Global positioning system GPS receivers
Electron microscopes
Fluorimeters
Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometers ICP-AES
Laboratory grinders
Flame photometers
Erlenmeyer flasks
Mass spectrometers
Digital cameras
Hand augers
Personal digital assistants PDA
Dataloggers
Atomic absorption AA spectrometers
Polarizing microscopes
High speed centrifuges
Light detection and ranging LIDAR systems
Gel documentation systems
Glass beakers
Heat flux plates
Ion chromatographs
Soil thermometers
Ground penetrating radar GPR
Porometers
Psychrometers
Autosamplers
Laboratory test tubes
Spectrophotometers
Thermocouples
Colorimeters
Precision balances
Laminar flow hoods
Polymerase chain reaction PCR equipment
Refrigerated microfuges
Hot water shaking baths
Reciprocating shaker water baths
Laboratory drying ovens

National Resources Conservation Service NRCS PEDON Description Program PDP
Gstat
GEOEAS
Variogram Estimation and Spatial Prediction plus Error Vesper
PC-Progress HYDRUS
S-GeMS
PedonCE
National Soil Information System NASIS
R
SPAW
LandSerf
SoilVision Systems SVOFFICE
GAEA Technologies WinSieve
Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
ESRI ArcGIS software
National Resources Conservation Service NRCS Soils Explorer
Microsoft Office
UNSATFLOW
European Soil Erosion Model EUROSEM
Water Erosion Prediction Project WEPP
Microsoft PowerPoint
STATISTICA
GSLIB
Microsoft Excel
Autodesk AutoCAD
SPSS
3dMapper
SAS
Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator EPIC
Geographic information system GIS software
Microsoft Word
Soil information databases
Microsoft Access