Agricultural engineers ensure uniform application of standards for grains and agricultural commodities, providing reference standards for methods and subjective guidelines, and performs analytical analysis of grains and agricultural commodities. These duties may include:
- Evaluating laboratory data to determine their validity and scientific meaning.
- Determining the major error contributions for each method and incorporates quality assurance and quality control procedures for the method being developed.
- Evaluating current methods and instruments to determine deficiencies and recommend improvements.
- Conducts experiments to evaluate new technologies proposed for an analysis.
This Position is Represented in the Following AMS Programs:
Work Environment
The work is performed both in an office setting and a laboratory setting involving the possibility of exposure to irritant chemicals and air-borne particulates. Special safety precautions and protective equipment may be required, depending on the exposure potential.
Minimum Applicant Requirements
| For GS-09 Level | For GS-11 Level and Above |
|---|---|
|
Applicants must have either: Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level. Experience may have been gained in quality assurance (machinist, on-line production work), as a commodity buyer, receiving clerk, farm experience (in a managerial, decision- making capacity), clerical (office manager, administrative assistant with decision-making responsibility), or food processing laboratory food work (managerial, technical). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). OR Education: 4-year course of study in Engineering from a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET or include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR Combination of education and experience: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. This must be demonstrated by one of the following:
Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field (e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology) provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. |
Applicants must have either: Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). OR Education: 3-years of graduate education leading to a Ph.D., or have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. |
Common Career Paths