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Who is a Agricultural Engineer?
The discovery of agriculture was the first big step toward a civilised life ~ Arthur Keith
You must be thinking about who is Agricultural Engineer and what are the Agricultural Engineer career options or the role of Agricultural Engineer, here in this article, you will get all the answers to your questions. Agriculture is usually termed as the science and the art of growing crops and using livestock for various farming purposes. An agricultural engineer is a professional who applies and uses the principles of agriculture and engineering to come up with solutions in the agriculture sector.
An agricultural engineer is also known as a biological engineer. He or she plays a vital role in finding solutions to various agricultural problems and also to meet the agricultural demand of the people. Agricultural engineers design and develop new farming techniques and equipment that help in making farming more efficient in terms of sustainability, safety, and environment-friendly. They increase the efficiency of farming with the help of new and advanced technologies.
Agricultural infrastructure such as dams, water reservoirs, warehouses, and other structures are also designed and built by them. In short, agricultural engineers work to improve the efficacy and sustainability of agricultural practices with the help of advanced technologies. In this article we will discuss is agricultural engineer a good career, agricultural engineer qualification, how to become an Agricultural Engineer in India, agricultural engineer eligibility and agricultural engineer jobs.
Agricultural Engineer in a Nutshell
An agricultural engineer applies engineering principles to enhance farming practices by designing efficient machinery, improving irrigation systems, and developing sustainable solutions. They focus on resource management, environmental conservation, and optimising agricultural processes through technology. Working in offices, labs, and field sites, agricultural engineers collaborate with farmers and scientists to improve productivity and sustainability, contributing to global food security. Their work involves research, development, and implementation of innovative solutions.
Quick Facts for Agricultural Engineer
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Industry
Agriculture
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Average Salary in India
₹33000
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Suitable for
Male, Female
Agricultural engineering is also known as Agri engineering, it is a profession that is suitable for all gender types as the activities and the tasks required to do in this profession can be carried out by anyone. Any individual planning to make a career as agricultural engineer regardless of gender can pursue agricultural engineering.
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Any special needs
Yes
A career as an agricultural engineer is not suitable for candidates with special needs as it requires the person to travel from one location to the other in order to gather samples and test them in laboratories.
Table of Contents for Agricultural Engineer
What is the role of Agricultural Engineer?
Are you thinking about what are the agricultural engineer roles and responsibilities or what are the agricultural engineer skills? we have all the answers for your questions, read the entire article to know. A career as an Agricultural engineer involves a variety of activities related to farming and the agricultural industry in general. These activities range from aquaculture (breeding, raising, and harvesting fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants) to land farming and forestry.
When it comes to a career as an agricultural engineer, his or her activities also include developing biofuels and finding better ways to process food. An Agriculture engineer designs components and agricultural machinery with the help of computer-aided design (CAD) technology. He or she tests agricultural machinery and various types of equipment to ensure that they work properly.
Designing food processing plants and supervising manufacturing activities is also an important part of a career as an agricultural engineer. An Agricultural engineer plan and supervise environmental and land restoration projects in agriculture and related industries. Read further to know what are the agricultural engineer roles and responsibilities.
Designing
Agriculture engineers are at the forefront when it comes to designing new agriculture machinery and other equipment. Agriculture engineers also design crop storage facilities, animal farms, and crop processing units. They also oversee the construction of such facilities.
Testing
Agriculture engineers also test all types of agriculture machinery in order to ensure that agricultural operations are carried on without any problems. They ensure that the work done is smooth and efficient. Testing is an important part of an agricultural engineer's job profile. Testing helps to minimise risks and maximise the output, which further results in the desired outcome.
Educational programmes
Agriculture engineers often conduct educational programmes for farmers and provide them with the relevant information that is needed by them so that there is a rise in their agricultural produce, without affecting the environment.
Supervision
Agriculture engineers also act as supervisors in food processing and food manufacturing plants. They ensure the quality is not compromised and that everything runs smoothly. It is also their responsibility to supervise their juniors and ensure that seamless work is carried out.
Planning
The role of an Agriculture engineer is to often come up with sketches and drawings of food processing plants or food storage facilities. They also sanction budgets for various agricultural projects. Apart from this they also plan out events and surveys that help to gather raw data for further research. As the agricultural industry in India is quite vast, planning forms an essential part of the job of an agricultural engineer.
Types of a Agricultural Engineer
There are several options for those who have completed their studies in agricultural engineering. From being a plant physiologist to a food supervisor or an agronomist, one can take up any career. Some of the popular alternative types of an Agricultural Engineer or Agricultural Engineer career options are mentioned below:
Plant Physiologist: Plant physiologists are a type of botanist who studies various functions of living plants right down to the cellular level. Agriculture scientists study the entire functions that take place in plants, starting from their growth till the time they die, and understand how they produce fruits.
Food Inspector: A food inspector looks after the overall food hygiene and safety. A food supervisor ensures that standards are being met. A food inspector monitors and supervises all the food handlers to make sure that all the food handling tasks are carried out in an efficient manner.
Agricultural Inspector: Agricultural Inspectors are responsible for inspecting farms and other agricultural organisations. They inspect the products and equipment, and sites to ensure that everything is according to government regulations. Most agricultural inspectors are employed by the state and central governments.
Agricultural Specialist: Agricultural specialists are in charge of enforcing the rules and regulations about the export and import of various agricultural items across the border. They study to gain information on the various agricultural products and act as Customers and Border Protection officials.
Agronomist: Agronomists work to find various ways to produce more food and increase soil productivity. They often work as planners and managers and frequently conduct soil testing and land appraisal procedures. Agronomists also work to improve the nutritional value of crops and seeds.
Soil Scientist: Soil scientists study soil resources as they not only contribute to agricultural production but also affect the quality of the environment. Soil scientists are the right professionals to inspect the soil and interpret it. Their readings and interpretation help to come up with solutions that help protect the environment and ensure that human health is not compromised. Read further to know how to become an agricultural engineer in India.
What is the workplace/work environment of Agricultural Engineer like?
When it comes to a career as an agricultural engineer, one spends time at a variety of worksites, both indoors and outdoors. Working conditions for agricultural engineer depends on the kind of activity he or she performs. Some of his or her tasks may be performed in laboratories, offices, or in fields. A biological engineer might need to investigate farm operations, survey land use and conditions or test new equipment.
Does Agricultural Engineer require travelling?
Likely
Agricultural engineers work in a variety of settings that include outdoor and indoor worksites. Travelling is not necessary for every agricultural engineer, as depends on the nature of their work. Biological engineers working in offices do not require to travel as they perform their tasks in the buildings. Whereas agricultural engineers like soil scientists have to inspect the soil so they need to travel from one site to the other.
Employment Shifts
Full Time
A career as an agricultural engineer includes mostly working full-time in an organisation. There are some companies that hire agricultural engineers on a part-time basis also. Schedules may vary due to weather conditions and other complications. The nature of employment does not require candidates to work from home as agricultural engineers have to be physically present in laboratories to research and analyse the reports.
Employment Nature
Permanent
The nature of employment is on a permanent basis when it comes to a career as an agricultural engineer. Most companies hire individuals on a permanent basis as employees get more efficient at biological engineering jobs through familiarity with the processes. It is not necessary that every industry hire agricultural engineers on a permanent basis, they might hire engineers on a contractual basis according to their needs. In short, companies look to hire more agricultural engineers on a permanent basis than on a contractual basis.
Work Place
Private Offices Factory, On-Field, Laboratory
Working conditions for agricultural engineers depend on the kind of activity they perform. Some of their tasks may be performed in laboratories, offices, or at fields.
Presence in Geographical Area
Urban, Rural
The offices and laboratories are mostly situated in urban areas. However, sites are situated mostly in rural or semi-urban areas. The job role of agricultural engineers varies due to the specialisation that they opt for. As this profession involves the study related to the agriculture industry the work sites are mostly situated in urban cities.
Time Pressure
Likely
When it comes to a career as an agricultural engineer, one must be available to address problems that may come up in manufacturing operations or rural construction projects. Some outdoor projects may require favorable conditions so weather also plays an important role in their work schedules.
Overtime Details
Agricultural engineers sometimes work overtime because of the nature of agricultural projects. During the harvest season, they might also assist the local agricultural body, hence ending up working overtime.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 45 Hours
In a career as an agricultural engineer, one usually works a regular shift of nine to five on weekdays. However, depending on the specialisation in the biological engineer career the shift timings may vary. However, depending on the specialisation in the career the shift timings may vary. Engineers working in office premises are likely to work on a regular shift. Whereas, engineers working on different sites require travelling, therefore shift timings do not matter in such cases. Time taken in travelling from one site to another adds up to the hour of the shift.
How to become a Agricultural Engineer?
Steps to become a Agricultural Engineer
If you are interested in farming and want to develop and design the tools and technologies for agriculture products and farming that farmers use to increase the efficiency of producing food, then a career as an Agricultural Engineer is the best option. Below, we have listed the steps on how to become an Agricultural Engineer in India.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Agricultural Engineer?
Just like others, if someone is pursuing a career as an agricultural engineer, he or she needs to master a number of skills. Some of the agricultural engineer skills you must have are mentioned below.
Analytical Skills: In a career as an agricultural engineer, individuals often design systems that are part of a larger agricultural or environmental system, he or she must possess the analytical skills to propose solutions in order to interact well with co-workers, machinery, and equipment, and the environment.
Listening Skills: Biological engineers must have good listening skills to seek out information from clients, workers, and other professionals working on a project. Also, agricultural engineers must be able to communicate the information to people who will be using the systems and solutions they design.
Mathematical Skills: This is one of the most important skills when it comes to a career as an agricultural engineer. One's job requires a lot of calculations based on the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.
Problem-Solving Skills: Agricultural engineers work on problems affecting many different aspects of agricultural production, from designing safer equipment for food processing to water erosion. These biological engineers must be able to apply general principles of engineering to new circumstances and solve their problems.
Communication Skills: In a career as an agricultural engineer, candidates must understand the verbal and written information provided to them. He or she needs to read and understand work-related materials. An agricultural engineer needs to listen carefully to others and ask questions in order to resolve the queries of coworkers. He or she must speak and write clearly so that people can understand the information he or she wants to convey.
Reasoning Skills: When it comes to a career as an agricultural engineer, individuals need to analyse ideas and logic to combine information to come to a conclusion that is beneficial for people. Biological engineers recognise the nature of the problem and judge the cost to be incurred to solve it. He or she needs to identify what must be changed in order to achieve the goal. A career as an agricultural engineer requires thinking of new ideas and following the guidelines to arrange objects to make the ideas real.
Scientific Skills: In a career as an agricultural engineer, candidates need to master mathematical and scientific skills to solve problems. He or she needs to be accurate with the calculations in order to gain the desired solutions to problems that he or she comes across.
Managerial Skills: Candidates need to manage themselves and their coworkers to achieve the desired targets within the given timeframe. In a career as an agricultural engineer, they must have the managerial skills to motivate, direct and develop people.
Decision-making Skills: This is one of the vital skills that must be possessed by candidates in a career as an agricultural engineer. They need to make the right decisions at the right time to enhance performance which results in the success of the organisation. Effective and correct decisions help in the effective and smooth functioning of an organisation.
Delegation Skills: This is the act of passing on tasks related to work to employees or subordinates working in an organisation. They should assign tasks to employees that suit them in order to maximise the outcome and meet the deadlines. The proper delegation of work helps in getting quick and easy results.
Conceptual Skills: These skills help in understanding complex situations in order to develop creative and successful solutions. A creative mind sees a problem from different angles which helps to get a solution to complex situations. Everyone might have an opinion but not all have the capability to implement the ideas, so the ability to conceptualise the ideas is crucial. Abstract thinking is highly effective in top managerial positions.
Popular Online Engineering Courses and Certifications
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Agricultural Engineer?
We have mentioned below certifications that individuals may opt for who want to establish a career as an Agricultural Engineer.
Internship Availability
The agricultural engineering internship is an important step towards finding a job after completing graduation in a career as an agricultural engineer. Internships are great opportunities for students in learning more about themselves and the companies they might work for. Internships are a great way to enhance one’s resume, make professional connections, and get recommendation letters to use for future job applications. The internships are offered in different durations ranging from two months to six months depending on the needs of the industry.
Career Path Progression for Agricultural Engineer
Junior Agricultural Engineer: A Junior Agricultural Engineer is a professional who works under the supervision of the Senior Agricultural Engineer and other senior professionals in the team. A Junior Agricultural Engineer develops and maintains agricultural machinery, structures and equipment.
Senior Agricultural Engineer: A Senior Agricultural Engineer is a professional who is responsible for designing, developing and maintaining agricultural machinery and equipment. A Senior Agricultural Engineer supervises the construction of agricultural-related infrastructures and evaluates, analyse and develops soil conservation strategies.
Agricultural Engineer Jobs and Salaries
Junior Agricultural Engineer
Permanent
- Average Salary 23000
Job Description
The Junior Agricultural Engineer job description includes plans, designs and develops fertilisation programs and increases farm production through agricultural engineering methods. A Junior Agricultural Engineer improves the processing and storage of agricultural products and implements agricultural engineer programs to make sure the quality standards are maintained in agricultural products.
Salary Description
The Junior Agricultural Engineer salary in India ranges between Rs 0.3 Lakhs to Rs 15.2 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 5.5 Lakhs. The Junior Agricultural Engineer salary in India may vary depending on the various job factors.
(Salary Source: AmbitionBox)
Senior Agricultural Engineer
- Average Salary 43000
Job Description
The Senior Agricultural Engineer job description includes counsel and educating the farmers about the latest farming issues and techniques and conducting research on the latest trends. A Senior Agricultural Engineer coordinates and interacts with the farming professionals and ensures that all state and federal agricultural laws and guidelines are followed.
Salary Description
The Senior Agricultural Engineer salary in India ranges between Rs 2.9 Lakhs to Rs 26.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 7.9 Lakhs. The Senior Agricultural Engineer salary in India may vary depending on the various job factors.
(Salary Source: AmbitionBox)
What is the job outlook for Agricultural Engineer?
The demand for agricultural engineers is more as the Indian economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, there is no dearth of agricultural engineer jobs in India. There is a good scope for agricultural engineering in India and agriculture engineering salary in India is also high as it is the most demanding career. With the increase of technology and scientific inputs in this industry, the requirement for manual labourers has decreased. Both the private and public sectors hire agricultural engineers offering good opportunities to students who become agricultural engineers.
The Indian Government has taken many initiatives to help the farmers which in return helps in the growth of the jobs for agricultural engineers. The growth of the population is one of the major factors that would create employment opportunities in this field. With the increase in population, the demand for food would also increase which would require engineers to use their skills to produce more food (crops) with the help of advanced technologies.
These factors would definitely increase jobs for agricultural engineers in the coming years. So choosing a career as an agricultural engineer would definitely help students in the future in getting sustainable employment. Scroll down to read how to become an agricultural engineer in India.
Frequently Asked Questions for Agricultural Engineer
Que. What is meant by agricultural engineering?
Ans.Agricultural engineering is a branch of engineering which deals with agricultural production. It is an amalgamation of principles and disciplines of mechanical, civil, chemical engineering and food science. From designing the farm machinery to planning the location of the farm. Everything comes under agricultural engineering.
Que. Is Agricultural Engineering a good career?
Ans.A Career as an agricultural engineer offers good opportunities, but it is a small occupation, and engineers trained in other fields, such as civil or mechanical engineering, also may compete for these jobs.
Que. Is Maths compulsory for Agricultural Engineering?
Ans.No, Maths is not a mandatory subject required to pursue agriculture engineering.
Que. What is agricultural engineering salary?
Ans.The average salary of agriculture engineers is between Rs. 2.5-4.5 lakhs per year.
Que. What do agricultural engineers do?
Ans.Agricultural engineers design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology. They also test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure that they perform properly. They design food-processing plants and supervise other operations in a firm.
Que. What do food inspector do?
Ans.The Food Inspector is responsible for measuring and analysing the safety and quality of ingredients the company purchases, products made by the company, and the processes and equipment used to convert ingredients into products.
Que. How long to become agricultural engineering?
Ans.To become an agricultural engineer, it will take at least 3 years. You will have to qualify for a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering and it might take more years if you are planning to pursue an advanced degree for higher-level positions.
Que. What should I study for agriculture engineering?
Ans.To opt for agriculture engineering, you are required to opt for physics, mathematics, chemistry and engineering subjects in your 10+2 and a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering.
Que. Is agriculture engineering a good course?
Ans.Yes, agriculture engineering a good course as it provides a rewarding career like Agriculture crop engineers, Agriculture specialists, Agriculture inspectors, farm shop managers, Agriculture researchers, environmental controls engineers, agronomists, food supervisors, microbiologists and agricultural engineers.
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Did you know?
Fact 1
Agricultural engineering originated in ancient Egypt, where early irrigation systems were developed around 4,000 BCE to optimise farming water use.
Fact 2
In 1892, John Froelich invented the first modern agricultural tractor, revolutionizing farm machinery.
Fact 3
The first self-propelled combine harvester was introduced in 1945, vastly improving grain harvesting efficiency.
Fact 4
The "Green Revolution" in the 1960s, driven by agricultural engineering, helped double global food production and reduce hunger.
Fact 5
By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 9.7 billion, increasing the demand for advanced agricultural technologies.
