Agricultural Engineer

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Human Geography
Secondary Topic: Places and Regions

Overview:  Agricultural Engineers work to resolve issues that could stem from large scale farming practices such as machinery, pollution and environmental mitigation, processing the products coming from the agricultural practices at hand, to increasing efficiency in irrigation and fertilizer applications. The produce or livestock that Agricultural Engineers will vary greatly depending on the location, both nationally and internationally. For example, Agricultural Engineers in the Midwest may focus on improving harvesting efficiency of corn, wheat and other grains, or designing suitable facilities for dairy farms. While an Agricultural Engineer in the California valley will be tasked with finding and implementing irrigation strategies for high-water consuming crops such as citrus and avocados. They may also help farmers improve the drainage of their landscapes to mitigate runoff from floods. Like many other professions, geospatial technologies such as GPS and Remote Sensing is becoming a highly valued skill in farming and agriculture and would greatly benefit Agricultural Engineers.

Geographers at work: Environmental Geographers, Agricultural Geographers

Recommended College Courses: Global Environmental Change, Climatology, Water Resources, Fluvial Processes, Geography of Food and Agriculture, Introduction to Physical Geography, Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, Natural Resource Use and Management, Remote Sensing and Earth Observation, Environmental Engineers, Field Methods

Skills:  Field Skills such as surveying, mapping, and soil samples, Geospatial Skills and Technologies, Environmental Management

Occupation Group: Architecture and Engineering

Learn more about Agricultural Engineer from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Labor:

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/agricultural-engineers.htm#tab-2