Agronomist to soil scientist
An agronomist already meets 52% of what the soil scientist role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.
53.7/ 100
1 How much of what a soil scientist is expected to do is already part of an agronomist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the soil scientist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A soil scientist role treats 9 of its required skills as things an agronomist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- European pesticide legislation
- apply safety procedures in laboratory
- crop production principles
- ecology
- gather experimental data
- perform laboratory tests
What stands in the way is 5 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 25 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A soil scientist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an agronomist background worth leading with.
- already held liaise with crop growers communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held European pesticide legislation business, administration and law
- already held develop irrigation strategies management skills
- already held advise on fertiliser and herbicide communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held irrigation systems agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary
- already held plant propagation agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary
All 25 carried skills, including the 9 the soil scientist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 29 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn geology required
- still to learn soil science required
- optional, not held habitat restoration optional
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held climate change impact optional
- still to learn conduct soil sample tests required
- optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
- optional, not held inspect agricultural fields optional
- optional, not held record survey data optional
- optional, not held conduct field work optional
- optional, not held perform scientific research optional
- optional, not held prepare surveying report optional
- still to learn soil mechanics required
- optional, not held surveying methods optional
- optional, not held environmental engineering optional
- optional, not held surveying optional
- still to learn advise on nature conservation required
- optional, not held implement biodiversity action plans optional
- optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
- optional, not held agroforestry optional
- optional, not held conservation agriculture optional
- optional, not held sustainable agricultural production principles optional
- optional, not held agronomical production principles optional
- optional, not held apply sustainable tillage techniques optional
- optional, not held collect samples optional
- optional, not held ensure soil fertility optional
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a soil scientist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 advise on nature conservation practise this
- 02 conduct soil sample tests practise this
- 03 soil mechanics study this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 25 skills that carry over
- already held European pesticide legislation knowledge
- already held apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
- already held crop production principles knowledge
- already held ecology knowledge
- already held gather experimental data skill
- already held perform laboratory tests skill
- already held scientific literature knowledge
- already held soil structure knowledge
- already held write work-related reports skill
- already held advise on fertiliser and herbicide skill
- already held advise on soil and water protection skill
- already held agricultural equipment knowledge
- already held agronomy knowledge
- already held biology knowledge
- already held collect samples for analysis skill
- already held develop irrigation strategies skill
- already held develop scientific research protocols skill
- already held environmental legislation knowledge
- already held fertilisation principles knowledge
- already held irrigation systems knowledge
- already held laboratory techniques knowledge
- already held liaise with crop growers skill
- already held plant harvest methods knowledge
- already held plant propagation knowledge
- already held pollution prevention knowledge
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
- optional, not held adjust surveying equipment optional
- optional, not held government policy optional
24 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held agroforestry optional
- optional, not held apply sustainable tillage techniques optional
- optional, not held collect samples optional
- optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
- optional, not held conservation agriculture optional
- optional, not held ensure soil fertility optional
- optional, not held habitat restoration optional
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held implement biodiversity action plans optional
- optional, not held inspect agricultural fields optional
- optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
- optional, not held record survey data optional
- optional, not held surveying methods optional
- optional, not held sustainable agricultural production principles optional
- optional, not held adjust surveying equipment optional
- optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
- optional, not held agronomical production principles optional
- optional, not held climate change impact optional
- optional, not held conduct field work optional
- optional, not held environmental engineering optional
- optional, not held government policy optional
- optional, not held perform scientific research optional
- optional, not held prepare surveying report optional
- optional, not held surveying optional
56 held skills the soil scientist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role accept own accountability skill
- not needed by the target role advise on crop diseases skill
- not needed by the target role agroecology knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse samples of food and beverages skill
- not needed by the target role apply horticultural standards and practices skill
- not needed by the target role archive scientific documentation skill
- not needed by the target role assess crop damage skill
- not needed by the target role bioeconomy knowledge
- not needed by the target role biological chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role budgetary principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role climate smart agriculture knowledge
- not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
- not needed by the target role comply with agricultural code of practice skill
- not needed by the target role consult with business clients skill
- not needed by the target role consultation methods knowledge
- not needed by the target role create crop protection plans skill
- not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
- not needed by the target role cultivate crops for biomass skill
- not needed by the target role develop personal skills skill
- not needed by the target role develop scientific theories skill
- not needed by the target role environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry knowledge
- not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
- not needed by the target role genetic engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role horticulture principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role keep task records skill
- not needed by the target role livestock feeding knowledge
- not needed by the target role livestock species knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain laboratory equipment skill
- not needed by the target role maintain plants' growth skill
- not needed by the target role make decisions regarding plant propagation skill
- not needed by the target role manage agricultural staff skill
- not needed by the target role manage crop production skill
- not needed by the target role manage crop rotation skill
- not needed by the target role manage farm supplies skill
- not needed by the target role manage livestock skill
- not needed by the target role manage nutrients skill
- not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge
- not needed by the target role microbiology-bacteriology knowledge
- not needed by the target role molecular biology knowledge
- not needed by the target role monitor crops skill
16 further entries not listed here
14 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn soil mechanics required
- still to learn geology required
- still to learn soil science required
- optional, not held agroforestry optional
- optional, not held conservation agriculture optional
- optional, not held habitat restoration optional
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held surveying methods optional
- optional, not held sustainable agricultural production principles optional
- optional, not held agronomical production principles optional
- optional, not held climate change impact optional
- optional, not held environmental engineering optional
- optional, not held government policy optional
- optional, not held surveying optional
Common questions about this move
Can an agronomist become a soil scientist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. An agronomist already covers 52% of what a soil scientist is expected to do: 25 skills carry over, 9 of which the soil scientist role treats as required.
What skills does an agronomist need to become a soil scientist?
5 required skills are missing, plus 24 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by natural sciences, mathematics and statistics. The single most important is advise on nature conservation.
How hard is the move from agronomist to soil scientist?
Its learning distance is 53.7 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.