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