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Job Description
Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production or management activities, such as pest scouting, site-specific pesticide application, yield mapping, or variable-rate irrigation. May use computers to develop or analyze maps or remote sensing images to compare physical topography with data on soils, fertilizer, pests, or weather.
Job Details
- The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 19-4099.02
☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Precision Agriculture Technicians”.
Also Known As…
- Precision Agriculture Technicians
- Research Agricultural Engineer
- Regional Agronomist
- Precision Farming Coordinator
- Precision Agronomist
- Precision Agriculture Specialist
- Physical Scientist
- Nutrient Management Specialist
- Independent Crop Consultant
- Crop Specialist
- Soil Fertility Specialist
- Precision Farming Specialist
- Precision Crop Manager
- Precision Agriculture Technician
- Migration Specialist
- GPS Field Data Collector (Global Positioning System Field Data Collector)
- Extension Precision Agriculture Specialist
Tasks for “Soil Fertility Specialist”
- Analyze data from harvester monitors to develop yield maps.
- Participate in efforts to advance precision agriculture technology, such as developing advanced weed identification or automated spot spraying systems.
- Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
- Identify spatial coordinates, using remote sensing and Global Positioning System (GPS) data.
- Demonstrate the applications of geospatial technology, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), automatic tractor guidance systems, variable rate chemical input applicators, surveying equipment, or computer mapping software.
- Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients.
- Analyze remote sensing imagery to identify relationships between soil quality, crop canopy densities, light reflectance, and weather history.
- Draw or read maps, such as soil, contour, or plat maps.
- Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
- Analyze geospatial data to determine agricultural implications of factors such as soil quality, terrain, field productivity, fertilizers, or weather conditions.
- Identify areas in need of pesticide treatment by analyzing geospatial data to determine insect movement and damage patterns.
- Provide advice on the development or application of better boom-spray technology to limit the overapplication of chemicals and to reduce the migration of chemicals beyond the fields being treated.
- Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
- Recommend best crop varieties or seeding rates for specific field areas, based on analysis of geospatial data.
- Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
- Apply precision agriculture information to specifically reduce the negative environmental impacts of farming practices.
- Install, calibrate, or maintain sensors, mechanical controls, GPS-based vehicle guidance systems, or computer settings.
- Compare crop yield maps with maps of soil test data, chemical application patterns, or other information to develop site-specific crop management plans.
- Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
- Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history.
- Program farm equipment, such as variable-rate planting equipment or pesticide sprayers, based on input from crop scouting and analysis of field condition variability.
- Advise farmers on upgrading Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to take advantage of newly installed advanced satellite technology.
Related Technology & Tools
- Personal computers
- Autosteering systems
- Soil samplers
- Desktop computers
- Moisture monitors
- Tractor mounted soil probes
- Yield monitor systems
- Lightbar guidance systems
- Laptop computers
- Air clutches
- Soil electrical conductivity measurement devices
- Automatic land leveling systems
- Variable rate applicators
- Sprayer application equipment
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Fertilizer spreading equipment
- Automatic boom control systems
- Field personal computers PC
- Seed drills
- Microsoft Word
- ESRI ArcView
- MapShots EASi Suite
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Farm Works Site Pro
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Office
- Trimble AgGPS EZ-Map
- Web browser software
- AGCO GTA Software Suite
- Trimble AgGPS MultiPlane
- SST Development Group SSToolbox
- Microsoft Excel
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- GeoAgro GIS
- Ag Leader Technology SMS Advanced
- ESRI ArcPad
- John Deere Apex Farm Management
- Novariant AutoFarm AF Viewer