Agricultural Engineering

Job Description

Agricultural Engineering Jobs are concerned with the development of new equipment and technology for use in land-based industries, such as agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

Work opportunities are usually in one of the following areas:

• Agricultural manufacturing – involved in designing, testing and demonstrating new products such as tractors and sprayers
• Agricultural field engineering – the development of solutions and new equipment to deal with issues such as soil erosion and irrigation
• Agricultural service engineering – involved in training operators and installing and repairing machinery on site
• Agricultural environmental control - designing electronic systems that control the conditions inside buildings used to house livestock or store crops
• Environmental engineering - working on land reclamation and projects in order to create habitats

Working Conditions

Agricultural engineers spend time working both indoors and outdoors. The work may be fairly physical in nature.

Entrance Requirements

Agricultural engineers usually start with an agricultural engineering degree from a recognized agricultural engineering school or university.

Agricultural engineers require the following qualities:

• practical and ICT skills
• ability to organise their time and work to deadlines
• be methodical and inventive
• ability to record and analyse data
• be physically fit for outdoor work
• enjoy working with the latest technology and machinery

Large employers may offer structured training schemes upon entry into the profession. Continuing professional development (CPD) is an important part of all engineering disciplines. There are usually good prospects for promotion to managerial roles in the profession. Agricultural engineers also set up their own consultancies.

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