There are many exciting career opportunities for those who have done their degrees/studies in agriculture since the field allows for a wide range of different jobs. Agriculture used to be thought of as a field that required hard, manual work on farms, but this is no longer the case. More people see agriculture for the diverse field that it is.
In 2020, there were 472,000 individuals in the UK working in the agricultural industry in various different work environments and fields. In addition to various job opportunities, individuals entering the field should know that there are also high-paying jobs available in the industry.
With the increasing use of technology in agriculture, the industry is expanding to include highly paid jobs in business, technology, engineering and more. Keep on reading to some of the jobs in the agricultural and farming industry which pay the most.
Food Scientist
Food scientists use microbiology, chemistry and engineering to study food and food processing. In addition to determining nutrition levels, they also look for ways to better package, preserve, process and distribute food and aim to improve overall health and safety. They may also create new food products and improve upon current ones.
In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree in either food science, agricultural science, microbiology or chemistry - many food scientists go on to specialise in other fields like dietetics and toxicology.
Agricultural Economist
Concerned with economics in agriculture and the industry’s profitability, agricultural economists examine data and trends in the agricultural industry and predict outcomes for agricultural markets. The job includes studying different agricultural components, including policy, marketing, operational research, financial management, environmental economics and much more. Most individuals in this field have graduate degrees in economics.
Agronomist
Agronomists are in charge of the health and well-being of crops and act as an envoy between farmers and crop researchers. They study how plants can be used to our advantage and learn how to alter them to best suit our needs. Whilst they can specialise in a number of different fields, their focus remains on the quality and quantity of the crops produced.
Due to the nature of their job, agronomists can work in labs or out in the field. They can also choose between government jobs and private employment. Also, they primarily start out by gaining degrees in areas such as soil conservation, soil nutrition and food sciences. However, many go on to gain additional qualifications and specialise in different areas.
Soil and Plant Scientist
Soil and plant scientists research and study crop production to ensure the safety of the country’s food supply. In addition to testing soil composition on farms, they may also look into controlling pests and diseases and breeding more viable plants. By studying the soil, plants and pests, they can come up with ways to conserve soil and water while improving crop yield.
Most soil and plant scientists earn bachelor’s degrees in plant science, soil science, botany or other related agricultural degrees. These are usually sufficient for work in product development. However, those planning to go into research usually require master’s degrees or PhD's.
Agricultural Engineer
Agricultural engineers are known for solving agricultural problems and supporting agricultural processes through designing equipment, systems and machinery. They may use computer, mechanical, electrical, and environmental engineering in these tasks. Some of the problems they may tackle include machinery problems, machine inefficiency, pollution, environmental issues, processing and storage of agricultural products and power supplies.
Most agricultural engineers complete a bachelor’s degree or another advanced degree in agricultural engineering. However, others complete other engineering degrees such as mechanical or electrical engineering and then specialise in agricultural engineering by completing internships or other projects in the agricultural sector.
Animal Geneticist
Animal geneticists study genes and the heritability of desired traits in animal populations. They may use this information to conduct research and tests on different traits, study population genetics or even develop breeding programs. Some animal geneticists also study animal health and immunity to specific diseases and their ability to flourish in different environments.
Those interested in pursuing a career as an animal geneticist must first complete their bachelor’s degree in animal science, genetics, biology, or another related area. They must then specialise in different areas of interest since most positions require advanced degrees. In fact, these are often mandatory for research positions.
Agricultural Operations Manager
Agricultural operations managers are highly paid individuals because of the amount of responsibility that they handle. They oversee all agricultural operations of the establishment they’re working for and may be in charge of everything from hiring and training farmers, seasonal workers and labourers and supervising them to also scheduling planting and harvesting. They may also maintain all the necessary records, including financial records, produce records and livestock records.
Whilst some operations managers work their way up, starting out as farm workers, others complete degrees in agricultural management and agribusiness.
Agricultural Lawyer
With agriculture being such a large part of every economy, it is an extremely regulated field and requires lawyers to specialise in laws and navigate this complicated territory. Agricultural lawyers deal with everything from labour issues to land and pesticide use, water and environmental issues and much more. They can also help with zoning and land use cases and can help inform agricultural labour laws.
In order to become an agricultural lawyer, you must complete your bachelor’s degree, go to law school and then specialise in agricultural law. In addition to working for the government, agricultural lawyers can open their own practices, or work as consultants for other firms.
Finding a Highly Paid Agricultural Job
With so many lucrative and fulfilling opportunities available, there has never been a better time to join the agricultural industry. No matter which part of agriculture you’re looking to get into, Agricultural Recruitment Specialists can help. From agrochemicals to agronomy, we have various jobs for you to browse through.
Alternatively, we can actively help you look for your dream job. If you’re a candidate and are looking for the perfect agricultural job to suit your lifestyle, we can help. Register with us and upload your CV here, and we can help you to further your career.
As recruitment specialists, we specialise in everything from filling trainee positions to finding the perfect hire for management and director roles. In addition to serving the UK, our recruitment services extend throughout Europe and globally. Read more about our client services here and then please contact us for help filling in any vacancies.
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