Login Now to visit your portfolio or Create An Account if you don't already have one.

Job Definition
View MovieApply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems concerned with power and machinery, electrification, structures, soil and water conservation, and processing of agricultural products.
Job Zone

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Knowledge
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Skills
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Technology Design - Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Tasks
Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.
Design agricultural machinery components and equipment using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.
Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.
Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.
Supervise food processing or manufacturing plant operations.
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.
Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation.
Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems.
Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems.
Meet with clients such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.
Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.
Wages

In 2008, the California average annual wage was $77,380.00.

Most people employed in this occupation were paid between $57,650.00 and $103,050.00.

Outlook
Data not available
Colleges and Training
Below are college programs that are generally associated with this occupation. To view colleges that offer these programs, click on the titles below.
Agricultural/Biological Engineering and Bioengineering - A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems, equipment and facilities used to produce, process and store agricultural products; to improve the productivity of agricultural methods; and to develop improved agricultural biological systems.
Similar Occupations
Landscape Architects - Plan and design land areas for such projects as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.
Chemical Engineers - Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products, such as gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Industrial Safety and Health Engineers - Plan, implement, and coordinate safety programs, requiring application of engineering principles and technology, to prevent or correct unsafe environmental working conditions.
Product Safety Engineers - Develop and conduct tests to evaluate product safety levels and recommend measures to reduce or eliminate hazards.
Soil and Water Conservationists - Plan and develop coordinated practices for soil erosion control, soil and water conservation, and sound land use.
Foresters - Manage forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes. May inventory the type, amount, and location of standing timber, appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase, and draw up contracts for procurement. May determine how to conserve wildlife habitats, creek beds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. May devise plans for planting and growing new trees, monitor trees for healthy growth, and determine the best time for harvesting. Develop forest management plans for public and privately-owned forested lands.
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers - Study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the earth. May use geological, physics, and mathematics knowledge in exploration for oil, gas, minerals, or underground water; or in waste disposal, land reclamation, or other environmental problems. May study the earth's internal composition, atmospheres, oceans, and its magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces. Includes mineralogists, crystallographers, paleontologists, stratigraphers, geodesists, and seismologists.
Notes
You must be logged in to take notes, click here to login.
Job Openings
Click here for job openings in California.