Employment Percentage
-1.307189542
SOC ID
19-1013
SOC Title
Soil and Plant Scientists
ONET ID
19-1013.00
ONET Concat ID
19101300
Median Salary
61345.37
EMSI Interest Area Term
Ed Level High School
0
Ed Level Certificate
4.76
Ed Level Some College
0
Ed Level Associates
4.76
Ed Level Bachelors
28.57
Ed Level Masters
38.09
Ed Level Doctors
23.809999
Typical Ed Level
a Master's or Professional degree
Career 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.
Core Tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation.
- 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 pests.
- Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting.
- Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth.
- Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems.
- 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.
Start Annual Earnings
38166.65
Top Annual Earnings
146691.52
EMSI Career Title Slug
soil-and-plant-scientist