Soil scientist to agronomist
A soil scientist already meets 35% of what the agronomist role asks for. The move turns on 21 required skills not yet in the profile.
75.9/ 100
1 How much of what an agronomist is expected to do is already part of a soil scientist’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 agronomist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An agronomist role treats 14 of its required skills as things a soil scientist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- European pesticide legislation
- agronomy
- apply safety procedures in laboratory
- biology
- crop production principles
- environmental legislation
What stands in the way is 21 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. An agronomist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a soil scientist 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 14 the agronomist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 56 missing skills fall into 10 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 manage nutrients required
- still to learn use agricultural information systems and databases required
- still to learn execute analytical mathematical calculations required
- still to learn research improvement of crop yields required
- optional, not held analyse samples of food and beverages optional
- optional, not held assess crop damage optional
- optional, not held develop scientific theories optional
- optional, not held archive scientific documentation optional
- optional, not held keep task records optional
- still to learn agroecology required
- still to learn horticulture principles required
- still to learn plant disease control required
- still to learn pest control in plants required
- optional, not held climate smart agriculture optional
- optional, not held livestock feeding optional
- optional, not held organic farming optional
- optional, not held reforestation optional
- still to learn livestock species required
- still to learn pesticides required
- still to learn mathematics required
- optional, not held biological chemistry optional
- optional, not held genetic engineering optional
- optional, not held microbiology-bacteriology optional
- optional, not held bioeconomy optional
- optional, not held molecular biology optional
- still to learn cultivate crops for biomass required
- still to learn manage crop rotation required
- still to learn manage livestock required
- optional, not held maintain plants' growth optional
- optional, not held manage crop production optional
- optional, not held monitor crops optional
- still to learn budgetary principles required
- still to learn consultation methods required
- still to learn environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry required
- optional, not held quality criteria for storage facilities optional
- still to learn apply horticultural standards and practices required
- still to learn supervise hygiene procedures in agricultural settings required
- optional, not held comply with agricultural code of practice optional
- optional, not held create crop protection plans optional
4 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an agronomist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 apply horticultural standards and practices practise this
- 02 agroecology study this
- 03 budgetary principles 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 agronomy knowledge
- already held apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
- already held biology knowledge
- already held crop production principles knowledge
- already held environmental legislation knowledge
- already held gather experimental data skill
- already held irrigation systems knowledge
- already held laboratory techniques knowledge
- already held perform laboratory tests skill
- already held plant harvest methods knowledge
- already held plant propagation knowledge
- already held scientific literature 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 collect samples for analysis skill
- already held develop irrigation strategies skill
- already held develop scientific research protocols skill
- already held ecology knowledge
- already held fertilisation principles knowledge
- already held liaise with crop growers skill
- already held pollution prevention knowledge
- already held soil structure knowledge
The 4 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn consult with business clients required
- optional, not held accept own accountability optional
- optional, not held advise on crop diseases optional
- optional, not held develop personal skills optional
- optional, not held manage farm supplies optional
- optional, not held prevent crop disorders optional
- optional, not held communicate with customers optional
- optional, not held create solutions to problems optional
- optional, not held use communication techniques optional
- optional, not held write research proposals optional
- optional, not held write scientific publications optional
- optional, not held write technical reports optional
- still to learn maintain laboratory equipment required
- optional, not held make decisions regarding plant propagation optional
- optional, not held manage agricultural staff optional
- optional, not held supervise laboratory operations optional
- optional, not held types of storage facilities optional
35 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held accept own accountability optional
- optional, not held advise on crop diseases optional
- optional, not held analyse samples of food and beverages optional
- optional, not held assess crop damage optional
- optional, not held biological chemistry optional
- optional, not held climate smart agriculture optional
- optional, not held comply with agricultural code of practice optional
- optional, not held create crop protection plans optional
- optional, not held develop personal skills optional
- optional, not held develop scientific theories optional
- optional, not held genetic engineering optional
- optional, not held livestock feeding optional
- optional, not held maintain plants' growth optional
- optional, not held make decisions regarding plant propagation optional
- optional, not held manage agricultural staff optional
- optional, not held manage crop production optional
- optional, not held manage farm supplies optional
- optional, not held microbiology-bacteriology optional
- optional, not held monitor crops optional
- optional, not held organic farming optional
- optional, not held prevent crop disorders optional
- optional, not held quality criteria for storage facilities optional
- optional, not held reforestation optional
- optional, not held types of storage facilities optional
- optional, not held archive scientific documentation optional
- optional, not held bioeconomy optional
- optional, not held communicate with customers optional
- optional, not held create solutions to problems optional
- optional, not held keep task records optional
- optional, not held molecular biology optional
- optional, not held supervise laboratory operations optional
- optional, not held use communication techniques optional
- optional, not held write research proposals optional
- optional, not held write scientific publications optional
- optional, not held write technical reports optional
29 held skills the agronomist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adjust surveying equipment skill
- not needed by the target role advise on nature conservation skill
- not needed by the target role advise on pollution prevention skill
- not needed by the target role agroforestry knowledge
- not needed by the target role agronomical production principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply sustainable tillage techniques skill
- not needed by the target role climate change impact knowledge
- not needed by the target role collect samples skill
- not needed by the target role conduct field work skill
- not needed by the target role conduct land surveys skill
- not needed by the target role conduct soil sample tests skill
- not needed by the target role conservation agriculture knowledge
- not needed by the target role ensure soil fertility skill
- not needed by the target role environmental engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role geology knowledge
- not needed by the target role government policy knowledge
- not needed by the target role habitat restoration knowledge
- not needed by the target role hydrology knowledge
- not needed by the target role implement biodiversity action plans skill
- not needed by the target role inspect agricultural fields skill
- not needed by the target role operate surveying instruments skill
- not needed by the target role perform scientific research skill
- not needed by the target role prepare surveying report skill
- not needed by the target role record survey data skill
- not needed by the target role soil mechanics knowledge
- not needed by the target role soil science knowledge
- not needed by the target role surveying knowledge
- not needed by the target role surveying methods knowledge
- not needed by the target role sustainable agricultural production principles knowledge
21 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 agroecology required
- still to learn budgetary principles required
- still to learn consultation methods required
- still to learn horticulture principles required
- still to learn livestock species required
- still to learn pesticides required
- still to learn plant disease control required
- still to learn environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry required
- still to learn mathematics required
- still to learn pest control in plants required
- optional, not held biological chemistry optional
- optional, not held climate smart agriculture optional
- optional, not held genetic engineering optional
- optional, not held livestock feeding optional
- optional, not held microbiology-bacteriology optional
- optional, not held organic farming optional
- optional, not held quality criteria for storage facilities optional
- optional, not held reforestation optional
- optional, not held types of storage facilities optional
- optional, not held bioeconomy optional
- optional, not held molecular biology optional
Common questions about this move
Can a soil scientist become an agronomist?
Yes, and it is a career change move. A soil scientist already covers 35% of what an agronomist is expected to do: 25 skills carry over, 14 of which the agronomist role treats as required.
What skills does a soil scientist need to become an agronomist?
21 required skills are missing, plus 35 optional ones. They fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is apply horticultural standards and practices.
How hard is the move from soil scientist to agronomist?
Its learning distance is 75.9 out of 100, which is the career change 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.