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.
U.S. Workers
1,680
Median Salary
$84,630
10-Year Growth
+5.9%
Annual Openings
100
Typical entry: Bachelor's degree
14 of 14 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems.
AI: Fully automatable - AI and CAD/document‑generation tools can produce reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and preliminary budgets from project inputs, enabling end‑to‑end automation for routine site/system designs.
Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
AI: Fully automatable - Generative design and CAD automation can create optimized agricultural machinery components and detailed models suitable for manufacturing in many cases, enabling full automation of the design step in routine scenarios.
Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can fully create and deliver tailored educational content, run training programs, and provide ongoing advice to farmers at scale without needing continuous human instructors.
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.
AI: Partial - AI can facilitate discussions, draft revisions, and summarize feedback, but negotiation, relationship management, and final integrative decisions among stakeholders still require human involvement.
Meet with clients, such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.
AI: Partial - AI can conduct needs intake and pre‑meeting research and documentation, but in‑person trust building, nuanced local understanding and some site assessments still need humans.
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.
AI: Partial - AI can analyze water‑quality data, model pollutant transport and propose management strategies, yet local field surveys, regulatory nuance and stakeholder negotiation limit full automation.
Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation.
AI: Partial - AI can plan layouts, optimize systems and produce construction documentation and schedules, but directing on‑site construction, safety oversight and real‑time problem solving cannot be fully automated.
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.
AI: Partial - AI can run diagnostics, simulate performance, and analyze sensor data but cannot physically operate and validate complex machinery across all real-world conditions without human technicians.
Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems.
AI: Partial - AI can generate layouts, perform calculations, and optimize mechanical systems, but final engineering judgment, code compliance, and site-specific integration still require human engineers.
Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.
AI: Partial - Remote sensing, drones, and AI analysis can observe and report many environmental issues, yet in-person inspections, contractor consultations, and on-site decisions remain largely human tasks.
Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.
AI: Partial - AI can produce structural designs and construction plans, but supervising construction and handling on-site adaptation, safety, and stakeholder coordination still needs human oversight.
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.
AI: Partial - AI can model reclamation approaches, optimize designs, and predict outcomes, but project supervision, permitting, and complex field adaptations require human expertise.
Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.
AI: Partial - AI can assist heavily in sensor design, simulation, and data processing, yet end-to-end hardware development, prototyping, and validation in biological settings still depend on human engineers.
Supervise food processing or manufacturing plant operations.
AI: Partial - AI can monitor operations, optimize processes, and flag issues, but full supervisory responsibilities, personnel management, and regulatory accountability remain human roles.