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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…
- Soil and Plant Scientists
- Soil Scientist
- Soil Fertility Extension Specialist
- Research Soil Scientist
- On-Site Soil Evaluator
- Microbiology Soil Scientist
- Extension Specialist
- Crop Nutrition Scientist
- Agronomy Specialist
- Agronomy Research Manager
- Agronomist
- Wholesale Agronomist
- Viticulturist
- Technical Agronomist
- Soil Specialist
- Soil Expert
- Scientist Propagator
- Pomologist
- Plant Physiologist
- Plant Pathologist
- Plant Breeder Scientist
- Plant Breeder
- Plant Anatomist
- Hybrid Corn Breeder
- Horticulturist
- Floriculturist
- Field Research Assistant
- Entomologist
- Cotton Breeder
- Corn Breeder
- Botanist
- Arborist
- Arboriculturist
- Arboreal Scientist
- Apiculturist
- Agriculturist
Tasks for “Soil Scientist”
- 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.
- Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders.
- Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting.
- Conduct experiments regarding causes of bee diseases or factors affecting yields of nectar or pollen.
- Conduct research into the use of plant species as green fuels or in the production of green fuels.
- Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
- Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
- Plan or supervise waste management programs for composting or farming.
- Plan or supervise land conservation or reclamation programs for industrial development projects.
- 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.
- Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning.
- Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations.
- Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology.
- Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
- Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
- Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems.
- Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties.
- Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation.
- Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.
- Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products.
- Develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.
- Develop ways of altering soils to suit different types of plants.
- Study insect distribution or habitat and recommend methods to prevent importation or spread of injurious species.
- 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.
- Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth.
- Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the effects of alternative practices on the environment.
Related Technology & Tools
- pH indicators
- Mass spectrometers
- Organic carbon analyzers
- Laminar flow hoods
- Infrared gas analyzers
- High speed centrifuges
- Gel documentation systems
- Digital pH meters
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Gel electrophoresis systems
- Thermocouples
- Laboratory sieves
- Laptop computers
- Circulating water baths
- Reciprocating shaker water baths
- Autosamplers
- Polymerase chain reaction PCR equipment
- Sample containers
- Flame photometers
- Dataloggers
- Polarizing microscopes
- Gel dryers
- Atomic absorption AA spectrometers
- Microtiter plate readers
- Infrared cameras
- Personal digital assistants PDA
- Canopy analyzers
- Soil augers
- Glass flasks
- Luminometers
- Refrigerated microfuges
- Laboratory growth chambers
- Soil thermometers
- Ion chromatographs
- Ground penetrating radar GPR
- Personal computers
- Porometers
- Graduated glass cylinders
- Spectrophotometers
- Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometers ICP-AES
- Hand augers
- Digital cameras
- Epifluorescence microscopes
- Tensiometers
- Laboratory test tubes
- Laboratory grinders
- Laboratory mixers
- Glass beakers
- Gamma ray spectrometers
- Synthetic aperture radar SAR
- Laboratory drying ovens
- Light detection and ranging LIDAR systems
- Soil moisture neutron probes
- Erlenmeyer flasks
- Conductivity meters
- Soil analysis hydrometers
- Hot water shaking baths
- Desktop computers
- Psychrometers
- X ray fluorescence XRF spectrometers
- Laboratory muffle furnaces
- Fluorimeters
- Colorimeters
- Heat flux plates
- Laser particle sizers
- Calibrated soil scoops
- Cell tissue culture incubators
- Lysimeters
- Precision balances
- Electron microscopes
- Osmometers
- S-GeMS
- 3dMapper
- National Resources Conservation Service NRCS Soils Explorer
- GAEA Technologies WinSieve
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Access
- Soil information databases
- Gstat
- Geographic information system GIS software
- LandSerf
- SPSS
- SPAW
- SoilVision Systems SVOFFICE
- GEOEAS
- GSLIB
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- R
- National Soil Information System NASIS
- National Resources Conservation Service NRCS PEDON Description Program PDP
- Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator EPIC
- Water Erosion Prediction Project WEPP
- UNSATFLOW
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- SAS
- Variogram Estimation and Spatial Prediction plus Error Vesper
- PedonCE
- Microsoft Word
- STATISTICA
- Microsoft Office
- PC-Progress HYDRUS
- Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- European Soil Erosion Model EUROSEM