Agricultural Engineer
Who Is An Agricultural Engineer?
An agricultural engineer works on different aspects of the field. As an agricultural engineer, you will contribute in designing, improving and repairing farming machinery to increase efficiency. You might also plan the planting, harvesting and storage of food grains for optimum output. You will analyse the problems faced by farmers and use your technical skills to solve them.
For example, you may be working with farm equipment like tractors. You will have to understand the needs of the farmers and use your technical knowledge to make improvements in tractors that will enhance output.
Roles & Responsibilities
Designing, testing and improving agricultural machinery. As an agricultural engineer, you will assess problems faced by farmers regarding their equipment and solve them.
Designing food storage units. Apart from enhancing food production, you will also design units which can store food for extended periods of time.
Designing livestock homes. You will develop shelters for livestock with suitable living conditions and environments.
Advising on environmental issues. As agricultural engineers, you will analyse and assess environmental conditions that affect animal or crop production and try to overcome these problems.
Coordinating with other engineers. You will work with engineers of other disciplines to apply their knowledge to the field of agriculture.
Planning projects. You will plan reclamation projects, drainage systems and processes for improvements in agriculture-based industries.
Doing research. As agricultural engineers, you will work in research and development to come up with newer, better ways to grow crops.
Advising on pollution issues. Environmental conservation also falls under your task list. You will assess and provide advice to overcome problems like soil erosion, soil and water pollution.
Take the Mentoria career assessment test, to find out how well-suited you are as an Agricultural Engineer.
What Skills Will I Need To Have To Do This Job Well?
As exciting as this sounds, there are some things you’ll need to learn to do the job right:
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
As an agricultural engineer, you have to be observant about everything around you and the way it impacts agricultural output. Analytical skills will help you identify the problem, chalk out a plan to solve the problem and implement the plan.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
You should have an in-depth understanding of the engineering aspects involved in agriculture. Farmers may not be aware of new and upcoming methods to save their crops or farms from soil erosion, but your technical expertise can guide them towards practical solutions.
CREATIVITY
Sometimes, the problems faced by an agricultural engineer do not have straightforward answers. You will need to use your creativity and technical skills to come up with a solution.
RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility is one of the major attributes this profession demands. Your plan of action will affect the food supply of the nation. That’s a big responsibility to shoulder!
GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Communication skills will help you understand the problems faced by farmers and use their technical knowledge to solve the problem.
What Will My Workplace Look Like?
Agricultural engineers have indoor and outdoor jobs. Indoor jobs include making plans, managing projects, working with tractor manufacturing companies, irrigation companies, fertiliser companies and seed companies. Agricultural engineers working indoors have specific job timings. However, these timings may vary according to the projects they get.Outdoor jobs include field jobs which require engineers to check whether the machinery is in proper working condition, supervise environmental conditions or work on resource management projects.
Outdoor jobs are usually hectic and are not time bound. Overtime is expected during ideal weather conditions and, therefore, long hours of work are routine. Agricultural engineers also address problems that come up during rural construction projects or manufacturing operations.
What Is My Scope For Career Growth As A Agricultural Engineer?
As an entry-level engineer, you can start your career as a subordinate under an experienced engineer. After a few years of experience and satisfactory performance, you will be given small projects to handle. As you master skills along the way, you will advance to supervise a team yourself.
A few more years down the line, you will get to handle complex projects which require decision-making skills and problem-solving.
Some agricultural engineers go on to explain the technical aspects of a product to potential buyers and join the salesforce. Other agricultural engineers join research programmes on enhancing crop qualities and other aspects of agriculture.
Thinking of a career as an Agricultural Engineer? Take the Mentoria assessment test & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.
How Much Will I Get Paid?
The starting salary ranges from INR 2,50,000 to INR 4,50,000 per annum. Depending on the work efficiency, the pay may rise over time.
A lecturer earns an initial amount of INR 15,000 per month with other added benefits.
Okay, I'm sold. This is amazing
STEP 1: Class XI-XII/Junior College
To become an agricultural engineer, you must opt for the science stream in Class 11 and 12. Physics, Math and Chemistry are mandatory subjects to pursue a career in this field.
STEP 2: Entrance Exams
ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), New Delhi, conducts All India examinations for agricultural engineering courses in various colleges throughout the country.
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, offers a B. Tech course in agricultural engineering, which requires one to appear for the IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology – Joint Entrance Exam).
STEP 3: Graduation
After clearing your entrance exams, you can pursue a B. Tech. in agricultural engineering. It is a four-year course.
STEP 4: Post-graduation
If you wish to study further, you can pursue an M. Tech or PhD in Agricultural Engineering. An M.Tech course requires you to clear an entrance exam.
STEP 5: Land a Job
You can apply to various companies recruiting agricultural engineers and start your career. It could be a food processing organisation, agricultural business firms, or even agricultural research and development firms. You could also take up a job in the government sector or a teaching job at a university level.
Congratulations, you are now officially an agricultural engineer!
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