CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies

Agricultural Engineers

The Benchmark Job Description below represents the specific Position Characteristics of the job used in the Salary Survey. Benchmark Job Descriptions should be inspected carefully to review the degree of matching between an organizations' Job and the Salary Survey Benchmark. Matching internal Jobs to Salary Survey Benchmark Jobs should not be done on Job Title alone. A thorough comparison of Salary Survey Benchmark to Internal Job Descriptions is recommended. A good overlap should exist on any comparisons used on critical Job Dimensions and Competencies.
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
Summary Job Description Tasks
Apply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems concerned with power and machinery, electrification, structures, soil and water conservation, and processing of agricultural products. Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.
 
Design agricultural machinery components and equipment using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
 
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.
 
Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.
 
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.
 
Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
 
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.
 
Supervise food processing or manufacturing plant operations.
 
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.
 
Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation.
 
Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems.
 
Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems.
 
Meet with clients such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.
 
Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
Important Knowledge Competencies Competency Description
Engineering and Technology Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 
Design Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 
Mathematics Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 
Physics Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
 
Mechanical Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 
Computers and Electronics Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 
English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 
Building and Construction Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
 
Production and Processing Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 
Food Production Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
 
Chemistry Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 
Public Safety and Security Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 
Biology Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
 
Administration and Management Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 
Law and Government Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 
Customer and Personal Service Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 
Economics and Accounting Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
Important Skill Competencies Competency Description
Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
 
Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
 
Writing Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
 
Complex Problem Solving Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
 
Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
 
Judgment and Decision Making Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
 
Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
 
Mathematics Using mathematics to solve problems.
 
Systems Analysis Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
 
Systems Evaluation Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
 
Science Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
 
Active Learning Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
 
Monitoring Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
 
Coordination Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
 
Time Management Managing one's own time and the time of others.
 
Social Perceptiveness Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
 
Operation Monitoring Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
 
Instructing Teaching others how to do something.
 
Learning Strategies Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
 
Persuasion Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
 
Negotiation Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
 
Technology Design Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
 
Management of Personnel Resources Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
 
Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
Important Ability Competencies Competency Description
Oral Comprehension The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
 
Written Comprehension The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
 
Inductive Reasoning The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
 
Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
 
Written Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
 
Problem Sensitivity The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
 
Deductive Reasoning The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
 
Information Ordering The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
 
Category Flexibility The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
 
Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
 
Visualization The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
 
Speech Recognition The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
 
Speech Clarity The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
 
Mathematical Reasoning The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
 
Number Facility The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
 
Selective Attention The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
 
Fluency of Ideas The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
 
Originality The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
 
Flexibility of Closure The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
 
Far Vision The ability to see details at a distance.
 
Perceptual Speed The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
 
Time Sharing The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
 
Auditory Attention The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
 
Visual Color Discrimination The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
Tools/Technology Example Product Category
Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop software Graphics or photo imaging software
 
Autodesk AutoCAD software Computer aided design CAD software
 
ESRI ArcView Map creation software
 
Eagle Point LANDCADD Computer aided design CAD software
 
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software
 
Microsoft Outlook Electronic mail software
 
Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation software
 
Microsoft Word Word processing software
 
PTC Pro/ENGINEER software Computer aided design CAD software
 
PTC Pro/Pipe Computer aided design CAD software
 
SolidWorks CAD software Computer aided design CAD software
 
Web browser software Internet browser software
 
Desktop computers Desktop computers
 
Laptop computers Notebook computers
 
Personal computers Personal computers
 
Personal digital assistants PDA Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers
 
Plotters Plotter printers
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
Prerequisite Qualification Category Education and Experience Level
Required Level of Education Bachelor's Degree
 
On-Site or In-Plant Training None
 
Related Work Experience None
Related Work Experience Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
Alternate Job Title(s)
Agricultural Engineer
Agricultural Equipment Design Engineer
Agricultural Equipment Test Engineer
Agricultural Production Engineer
Agricultural Research Engineer
Agricultural Safety and Health Program Director
Agricultural Systems Specialist
Agriculture Consultant
Agriculture Engineer
Agriculture Scientist
Assistant Professor
Automation Engineer
Conservation Engineer
Design Engineer
Engineer
Farm Equipment Engineer
Landscape Irrigation Science Professor
Permaculture Designer
Plan Service Engineer
Product Technology Scientist
Professor
Project Engineer
Research Agricultural Engineer
Research Leader
Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE)
Test Engineer
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Engineering/Scientific
Job Family: Engineering
Benchmark Title: Agricultural Engineers
 
 
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