What does a soil conservationist do?
A soil conservationist is a science expert who studies and monitors land conditions to develop programs and projects for sustainability and soil conservation. Their responsibilities include observing and gathering samples, conducting scientific research and laboratory analyses, coordinating with fellow experts, and maintaining records of procedures. Through their research findings, a soil conservationist draws conclusions and recommendations to address and resolve issues and improve land conditions. When it comes to employment, a soil conservationist may work for government agencies, private companies, or teach at universities.
Soil conservationist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real soil conservationist resumes:
- Review proposed wetland restoration easement and provide technical recommendations.
- Assist with computing design specifications for implementation of conservation practices, and make wetland determination maps.
- Co-Authore EIS for non-renewable energy development.
Soil conservationist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Soil Conservationists are proficient in Technical Assistance, Natural Resources, and Water Conservation. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Management skills, and Physical stamina.
We break down the percentage of Soil Conservationists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Technical Assistance, 14%
Assisted partner agencies with technical assistance on 345 conservation contracts.
- Natural Resources, 13%
Provide agricultural project development & technical expertise to Blackfeet Natural Resources Conservation Board and Tribal Members.
- Water Conservation, 12%
Assisted local Soil and Water Conservation District with annual tree sales and distribution of over 4000 trees.
- Address Resource, 9%
Provide technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers to address resource concerns on their property.
- Physical Data, 9%
Secured physical data and prepared planning maps.
- NRCS, 9%
Organized Welcome and Exit Days, and partnered with NRCS staff to provide over 10formal training sessions throughout the summer.
Most soil conservationists use their skills in "technical assistance," "natural resources," and "water conservation" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential soil conservationist responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a soil conservationist to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "conservation scientists and foresters must be able to evaluate results from field tests and experiments to determine potential impacts on soil, forest lands, and the spread of fires." Soil conservationists often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "analyzed farmers irrigation and fertilizer needs and assisted engineers in the design of more efficient irrigation systems. "
Management skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling soil conservationist duties is management skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "conservation scientists and foresters must be able to lead the forest and conservation workers and technicians they supervise." According to a soil conservationist resume, here's how soil conservationists can utilize management skills in their job responsibilities: "storm lake, ia field officecompleted over 120 crp mid-contract management reviews. "
Physical stamina. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of soil conservationists is physical stamina. This skill is critical to many everyday soil conservationist duties, as "conservation scientists and foresters may walk long distances in challenging terrain, such as steep or wooded areas, and may work in all kinds of weather conditions." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "secured physical data and prepared planning maps. "
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Compare different soil conservationists
Soil conservationist vs. Rangeland management specialist
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between soil conservationists and rangeland management specialist. For instance, soil conservationist responsibilities require skills such as "water conservation," "address resource," "physical data," and "nrcs." Whereas a rangeland management specialist is skilled in "management plans," "resource management," "blm," and "cfr." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Rangeland management specialists tend to reach similar levels of education than soil conservationists. In fact, rangeland management specialists are 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Soil conservationist vs. Land resource specialist
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, soil conservationist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "technical assistance," "natural resources," "water conservation," and "address resource." Meanwhile, a land resource specialist has duties that require skills in areas such as "federal laws," "construction projects," "cdl," and "management plans." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Land resource specialists earn lower levels of education than soil conservationists in general. They're 10.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Soil conservationist vs. Soil technician
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, soil conservationists are more likely to have skills like "natural resources," "water conservation," "address resource," and "physical data." But a soil technician is more likely to have skills like "lab tests," "aci," "test results," and "field testing."
Most soil technicians achieve a lower degree level compared to soil conservationists. For example, they're 6.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Soil conservationist vs. Erosion control specialist
Even though a few skill sets overlap between soil conservationists and erosion control specialists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a soil conservationist might have more use for skills like "technical assistance," "natural resources," "address resource," and "physical data." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of erosion control specialists require skills like "erosion control," "site inspections," "npdes," and "construction sites. "
In general, erosion control specialists hold lower degree levels compared to soil conservationists. Erosion control specialists are 10.3% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Updated January 8, 2025
