Description
Advance fundamental and applied research on soil physical, chemical, biological, and mineralogical properties and their interactions with plants, water, and ecosystems. Design experiments, models, and mapping to evaluate management practices, classify and remediate soils, and provide science-based guidance for productivity, conservation, and environmental quality.
- • Design and conduct field and laboratory experiments on soil processes and functions.
- • Quantify soil responses to tillage, irrigation, fertilization, and cover crops.
- • Develop and validate soil sampling protocols, sensors, and analytical methods.
- • Classify and map soils using field morphology, lab analyses, GIS, and remote sensing.
- • Model carbon and nutrient cycling, water balance, erosion, and soil temperature.
- • Assess degraded or contaminated soils and design remediation or restoration strategies.
- • Investigate sources and effects of nutrient runoff, leaching, and poor water quality.
- • Develop and evaluate soil conservation and regenerative management practices.
- • Measure soil health indicators and microbial communities and link them to crop performance.
- • Study soil–plant interactions and root responses to salinity, compaction, and pH constraints.
- • Develop and test soil amendments such as lime, gypsum, compost, and biochar.
- • Integrate geospatial data and decision-support tools to map risk and optimize management.
- • Conduct environmental impact assessments and contribute to reclamation or conservation plans.
- • Collaborate with engineers and planners on soil issues in infrastructure and land development.
- • Research urban soils and engineered substrates for green roofs, bioswales, and urban forests.
- • Investigate transport and fate of nutrients, salts, and contaminants in soils and groundwater.
- • Develop improved measurement techniques, soil sampling devices, and QA/QC procedures.
- • Provide technical guidance to farmers, land managers, and agencies on soil use and capability.
- • Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results to stakeholders or at conferences.
- • Contribute to the development of regulatory standards for soil conservation and reclamation.
- • Maintain research plots, instrumentation, databases, and data integrity.
- • Secure funding, write proposals, and manage research budgets and compliance.
- • Supervise and mentor technicians, students, or interns in field and lab methods.
- • Evaluate composting and organic waste recycling impacts on soil properties and emissions.
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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
