Precision Agriculture Technicians

Career Overview

Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production or management activities, such as pest scouting, site-specific pesticide application, yield mapping, or variable-rate irrigation. May use computers to develop or analyze maps or remote sensing images to compare physical topography with data on soils, fertilizer, pests, or weather.

Also Known As

• Agronomist
• Crop Specialist
• Precision Agriculture Specialist (Precision Ag Specialist)
• Precision Agronomist

Alternate Job Titles

• Agriculture Specialist
• Agriculture Technician (Agriculture Tech)
• Agrintelligence Specialist (Agriculture Intelligence Specialist)
• Agronomist
• Agronomy Consultant
• Agronomy Specialist
• Certified Crop Specialist
• Crop Consultant
• Crop Specialist
• Extension Precision Agriculture Specialist
• Field Agronomist
• Field Sales Agronomist
• GPS Field Data Collector (Global Positioning System Field Data Collector)
• Migration Specialist
• Precision Agriculture Analyst (Precision Ag Analyst)

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
• Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
• Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients.
• Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
• Install, calibrate, or maintain sensors, mechanical controls, GPS-based vehicle guidance systems, or computer settings.
• Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history.
• Compare crop yield maps with maps of soil test data, chemical application patterns, or other information to develop site-specific crop management plans.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Operate drone technology to capture aerial imagery and data for crop monitoring and analysis.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Customer and Personal Service
• Computers and Electronics
• Sales and Marketing

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Active Listening
3. Speaking
4. Critical Thinking

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Near Vision
• Information Ordering
• Problem Sensitivity
• Flexibility of Closure

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Attention to Detail
• Innovation
• Dependability
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Cautiousness

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Working Conditions
• Independence
• Achievement
• Support
• Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• ESRI ArcGIS software
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• Air clutches
• Automatic boom control systems
• Automatic land leveling systems
• Autosteering systems
• Desktop computers
• Fertilizer spreading equipment
• Field personal computers PC
• Global positioning system GPS receivers
• Laptop computers
• Lightbar guidance systems
• Moisture monitors
• Personal computers
• Seed drills
• Soil electrical conductivity measurement devices
• Soil samplers

Work Environment

• Telephone Conversations
• E-Mail
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Contact With Others
• Freedom to Make Decisions

Salary & Job Market

Wages reported for the broader Agricultural Technicians occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Precision Agriculture Technicians.

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$32,860
Median	$46,790
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$69,010

Workers Employed Nationally: 14,340

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.