Soil Scientist - Working conditions
Kaipūtaiao Oneone
Working Conditions
Soil scientists work in laboratories or offices. They often need to do fieldwork outdoors, on farms and in forest areas.
They may travel locally or nationally to do fieldwork, and overseas to attend conferences or to learn new techniques.
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Brent Clothier and a colleague checking on an irrigation experiment in a greenhouse
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Soil scientists spend much of their time working in labs
Equipment
Equipment soil scientists may use includes:
- computers and computer modelling software
- drying ovens, grinders and sieves (to prepare soils)
- soil corer and spade (to collect soils)
- a pH meter (to measure acidity or alkalinity)
- a spectrophotometer (to measure light intensity)
- a mass spectrometer
- a fluorimeter (to measure fluorescence)
- a luminometer (to measure light output)
- a fume cupboard
- glassware including beakers, test tubes, bottles, measuring cylinders and flasks
- microscopes and micrometre equipment (to examine and measure samples)
- lab coats.
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Soil scientists must wear lab coats for health and safety reasons
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A collection of soil samples
Hours
Soil scientists working in research institutes usually work regular, flexible hours. However, they may work longer hours when out in the field and when doing experiments.
Contact with people
Soil scientists work independently and within research teams that are made up of people working in a variety of research fields. They may supervise technicians and research assistants.
Updated
March 2010
