Soil and Plant Scientists

Also Called:

Agronomist,

Research Scientist,

Research Soil Scientist,

Scientist

What they do: 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.

icon

Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

Career Cluster

What do they typically do on the job?

  • 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.

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

Integrity

Analytical Thinking

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Persistence

Cooperation

Interests

Career interests describe the perspectives and interests of people who enjoy the type of work involved in this career.

Discover what your interests are by taking the Interest Profiler Quiz

See Related Jobs

Investigative

See Related Jobs

Realistic

See Related Jobs

Conventional

Knowledge

People who want to pursue this career have knowledge in these areas.

Math and Science

  • Biology

  • Chemistry

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Engineering and Technology

  • Computers and electronics

  • Product and service development

Education and Training

  • Teaching and course design

Abilities

Whether you have received formal training or not, these types of abilities are helpful in this career.

Verbal

  • Communicate by speaking

  • Communicate by writing

Ideas and Logic

  • Group things in different ways

  • Make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information

Math

  • Add, subtract, multiply, or divide

  • Choose the right type of math to solve a problem

Visual Understanding

  • See hidden patterns

Skills

People who want to pursue this career have skills in these areas.

Basic Skills

  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things

  • Reading work related information

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one

  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Work Values

Work values describe how your core beliefs align with those commonly needed for this career.

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Independence

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Recognition

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

1. Do some research
  • Identify how your interests, values, and strengths match this occupation
  • Talk to someone who works in this field or spend a day job shadowing
  • Use the colleges and training directory to explore programs related to this career
2. Plan your next move

Data for NSI career cards comes from the following: Idaho Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, MyNextMove, and Career OneStop