Description
Plan, implement, and monitor practices that conserve and improve soil resources while sustaining productive land use and protecting water quality. Conduct soil surveys and assessments to identify erosion risks, soil health constraints, and suitability, then design conservation systems to address them. Advise farmers, ranchers, and land managers on crop rotations, cover crops, conservation tillage, contouring, terracing, and other measures to prevent erosion and optimize soil moisture and fertility.
- • Implement nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, filter strips, and other soil practices per conservation plans.
- • Advise farmers, ranchers, and land managers on soil conservation plans, problems, and alternative solutions.
- • Monitor installation of terraces, waterways, and other practices to verify conformance with design specifications.
- • Visit sites with erosion or sediment issues to diagnose causes and recommend fixes.
- • Build and maintain working relationships with conservation districts, NRCS staff, and local boards.
- • Apply soil science, agronomy, and hydrology principles to meet soil conservation objectives.
- • Use GIS and soil databases (e.g., SSURGO) to develop land use and practice recommendations.
- • Calculate design specifications for soil conservation practices using surveys, technical guides, and manuals.
- • Serve on teams to plan and implement programs that improve soil health and watershed resilience.
- • Conduct fact-finding or mediation among landowners and agencies to resolve erosion or drainage disputes.
- • Revisit operations to evaluate implemented practices and adjust conservation plans.
- • Respond to complaints or questions about erosion control, HEL compliance, or conservation requirements.
- • Prepare cost estimates and cost-share justifications for proposed soil practices.
- • Provide technical training to agencies and partners on soil and water practice standards.
- • Analyze soil tests, residue cover, and monitoring data to determine needed corrective measures.
- • Coordinate technical, financial, and administrative assistance for soil conservation programs (e.g., EQIP, CSP).
- • Recommend integrated weed and pest management strategies that protect soil and reduce erosion.
- • Review conservation plans, easements, or permits for soil resource protection requirements.
- • Conduct surveys or studies of tillage, crop rotations, residue, or land use to inform action plans.
- • Manage field office workloads or lead cooperative soil conservation projects.
- • Plan crop rotations, cover crops, conservation tillage, contour farming, terracing, and grassed waterways.
- • Schedule and conduct audits or compliance checks of local conservation program implementation.
- • Develop irrigation and water conservation plans using ET data to reduce runoff, erosion, and salinity.
- • Review or approve updates to local soil and water conservation district plans.
- • Conduct or support field trials on cover crops, amendments, or practices and assess soil impacts.
- • Enter soil, water, and practice data into decision tools (e.g., RUSLE2, WEPS, COMET) to select techniques.
- • Compile and interpret soil survey and field data to create or refine soil maps and capability classes.
- • Review annual reports from conservation districts or watershed groups for compliance with reporting requirements.
- • Evaluate grant proposals and recommend funding for soil conservation or erosion control projects.
- • Develop emergency erosion control and rehabilitation plans after storms, floods, or wildfire.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
