Agricultural engineer

Alternative titles for this job include Land-based engineer

Agricultural engineers design, develop and service agricultural, horticultural and forestry machinery and equipment.

Average salary (a year)

£25,000 Starter

to

£45,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

38 to 42

You could work

evenings / weekends occasionally

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role

University

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

• agricultural engineering
• agricultural technology
• mechanical, electrical or electronic engineering

These courses are offered by land-based engineering institutions.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
• between 1 and 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma or degree

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

College

You could do a college course to learn some of the skills and knowledge you'll need to find a trainee engineer role. 

Courses include:

• agricultural engineering
• land-based technology
• T Level in Agriculture, Land Management and Production

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to T Levels
• funding advice
• search for agricultural colleges

Apprenticeship

You may be able to apply for a place on a Land-Based Service Engineering Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

This takes around 2 years to complete and combines on-the-job training and time spent with a learning provider.

Once working, you would go on to further training to become an engineer.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

Work

You could work as an agricultural engineering technician and train on the job to become a qualified engineer.

More Information

Career tips

As well as traditional engineering and design skills, agricultural engineers often use newer technologies to improve farming sustainability like:

• development of robotic systems and machinery
• GPS data and satellite imaging
• artificial intelligence tools

Further information

You can get more advice about careers in agricultural engineering from:

• We are land-based engineering
• Institution of Agricultural Engineers
• Landbased Engineering Training and Education Committee
• The Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• knowledge of engineering science and technology
• complex problem-solving skills
• design skills and knowledge
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• analytical thinking skills
• concentration skills
• the ability to work well with others
• maths knowledge
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll usually need a driving licence to travel between sites in your region.

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As an agricultural engineer, you could:

• assess the environmental impact of agricultural production methods
• supervise projects like land drainage, reclamation and irrigation
• solve engineering problems, like designing vehicles for all ground and weather conditions
• inspect and diagnose equipment faults and fix them
• test and install new machinery, like harvesters and crop sprayers
• plan service and repair programmes for machinery and equipment
• use GPS, weather data and computer modelling to advise farmers on land use

Working environment

You could work in an office, on a farm or in a workshop.

Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could move into project management or specialist technical research and development with equipment manufacturers.

You could also register for chartered engineer status through the Institution of Agricultural Engineers. This demonstrates your skills and expertise within the industry.

You could also move into technical sales, business development, teaching or consultancy work.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for an agricultural engineer right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Are you interested in becoming an agricultural engineer?

Search for training courses near you.

Jobs In the United Kingdom

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Not what you're looking for?

Related careers

• Agricultural engineering technician
• Agricultural contractor
• Farmer
• Agronomist
• Construction plant mechanic

Skills assessment

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