What do they do? Also known as agriculture and food scientists. Ensure agriculture productivity and the safety of the food supply. Study farm crops and animals. Try to improve crop yield. Safe management of pests and weeds. Conservation of land, soil and water. An agronomist can also be a consultant. Manage or administer research and development programs. Work for companies that produce food products or agricultural supplies as a marketing manager
Where do they work? Almost half of salaried agronomists work for the government, either at the federal, state or local level. Agronomists that are involved in basic research or management work regular hours in an office or a lab. Depending on the specific job an agronomist may spend much time out in the field.
What education is required? A bachelor’s degree in agricultural science. For any type of research a Master’s or a Doctorate is required. A Ph.D. is generally required to teach at a college. Degrees in other fields can also be applied to an agronomy career. Some examples of these degrees are biology, chemistry, physics, or some engineering specialties. A career in Agronomy will require a student to take a wide variety of courses ranging from communications, business, life sciences and economics. Students also will need to take many agricultural science courses. Agronomists can become certified in several fields including, crops, agronomy, crop advising, soils, horticulture, plant pathology and weed science. To become certified there a student must pass an examination and meet requirements of education and work experience.
Do you have what it takes?
Agronomists must be able to work independently as well as in teams. This requires good communication skills, both oral and written. It is also helpful to understand business principles and to be able to apply basic statistic techniques. Computer skills are a must. Basic research skills are also very helpful.
Where can you learn more?
Jobs in the agricultural market are expected to grow more slowly than average. The government is a great resource for finding more information about jobs in Agronomy. Use the Internet to find other sites about Agronomy. Some organizations to look for are the American Society of Agronomy, Food and Agricultural Center for Tomorrow and the Institute for Food Technologists.
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