Profession agricultural engineer

Agricultural engineers intervene in a variety of matters within the agriculture field in combination with engineering concepts. They design and develop machinery and equipment for an efficient and sustainable exploitation of the land. They advise on the use of resources in agricultural sites comprising the usage of water and soil, harvesting methods, and waste management.

Personality Type

• Investigative / Realistic
• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Mechanical engineering

  Discipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.

• Technical drawings

  Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.

• Mechanics

  Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

• Legislation in agriculture

  Body of regional, national and European laws enacted in the field of agriculture and forestry concerning various issues such as product quality, environmental protection and trade.

• Engineering principles

  The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.

• Engineering processes

  The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.

Skills

• Assess financial viability

  Revise and analyse financial information and requirements of projects such as their budget appraisal, expected turnover, and risk assessment for determining the benefits and costs of the project. Assess if the agreement or project will redeem its investment, and whether the potential profit is worth the financial risk.

• Adjust engineering designs

  Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

• Troubleshoot

  Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.

• Approve engineering design

  Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

• Use technical drawing software

  Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.

• Execute feasibility study

  Perform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of a project, plan, proposition or new idea. Realise a standardised study which is based on extensive investigation and research to support the process of decision making.

• Perform scientific research

  Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB