Soil and Plant Scientists

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Life, Physical & Social Science
• O*NET-SOC code: 19-1013
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
• Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
• 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.
• 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.
• Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
• Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
• Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment.
• Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics.
• Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.
• Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation.
• Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties.
• Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology.

Tools and technology

Autodesk AutoCAD, ESRI ArcGIS software, IBM SPSS Statistics, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, R, SAS, 3dMapper

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Conservation Scientists
• Precision Agriculture Technicians
• Industrial Ecologists
• Microbiologists
• Agricultural Engineers
• Biologists
• Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
• Range Managers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Soil and Plant Scientists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.