Initial Publication Date: January 13, 2021

So, what does a Soil Scientist do?

A soil scientist brings science and technology together on issues involving soil and water resources. In the course of a career, these are some of the occupations that a soil scientist might have:

TEACHING — students in high schools, community colleges, universities, as well as farmers and community leaders

RESEARCH—from the field to the laboratory, using complex technology, GIS systems, statistics, and inter-related sciences

AGRONOMIC CONSULTING—working with farmers on how to best maximize crop production while ensuring the health and productivity of the soil

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING—working with clients on issues such as water quality, site assessments, erosion, contamination, remediation, land use, wetland restoration, nutrient management, and waste management

MAPPING—classifying soil types, based on soil properties, and mapping them through geo-encoding for appropriate land use

CONSERVATION—ensuring appropriate management strategies are used to conserve soil resources

And, your tasks within that occupation might be to ...

  • research strategies for containing radioactive waste at a nuclear storage facility,
  • manage soils for crop production at a major agribusiness,
  • teach a soil management course to agronomy students at your university,
  • predict the effect of land management on natural resources and prepare a report to be distributed by the government agency where you work,
  • advise landowners of capabilities and limitations of soils for various development projects as an independent consultant,
  • recommend best-practice based soil management programs as an extension agent,
  • conduct experiments to evaluate nutrient and water availability to crops as part of your research appointment at a university,
  • advise clients on environmental issues such as water quality, site assessments, erosion, and wetland restoration as a consultant
  • manage soils for mine reclamation and site restoration for the engineering firm where you work.