Learn how to find, prepare and apply for soil science jobs available in the U.S. federal government. The information below does not constitute exact job requirements, nor does taking recommended courses guarantee your acceptance into these jobs. To look up exact federal job requirements, search for open roles at USAJOBS.
Ready to register for recommended courses?
Schedule a meeting with your advisor before registering for courses to confirm how it may affect your graduation plan.
Which federal agencies offer soil scientist jobs?
The agencies below are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is the most common federal employer of soil scientists. To see open roles, search soil in USAJOBS.
Follow the links below to see the basic requirements for example jobs at the aforementioned government agencies. Jobs having the same title may be posted by multiple agencies. More experience may be preferred, such as extracurricular or on-the-job experience - please see USAJobs.gov.
To view more specific job qualifications such as required knowledge, skills and abilities or specialized experience:
- Check General Schedule Qualification Standards under:
- Professional and Scientific Positions for the Soil Science Series 0470 and Soil Conservation Series (0457)
- Technical and Medical Support Positions for the Soil Conservation Technician Series (0458)
- Search for the above job titles, including their numbers, at https://www.usajobs.gov/ and read current job postings that interest you
The courses below cover the general knowledge areas required for federal soil science jobs. Taking these courses will help you prepare for these jobs, but does not guarantee that you will get them.
Undergraduates are expected to take ENVS 200 Introduction to Soil Science first. Please discuss with your advisor when to take these courses, prerequisites or other recommended preparation.
- ENVS 300 Soil Ecology (3 units)
- ENVS 316 Soil Fertility (3 units)
- ENVS 431 Soil Genesis & Classification (4 units)
- ENVS 462 Environmental Soil & Water Chemistry (3 units)*
- ENVS 470 Soil Physics (3 units)
*ENVS 462 can substitute for Organic Chemistry in the SPS core. Or, it can be taken as part of the agronomy subplan. It cannot be counted towards both the core and subplan.
The 400-level courses above are also offered as 500-level courses for graduate students.
When submitting a job application, uploading course descriptions in a supplemental file is advised to ensure that course content is communicated clearly to application reviewers.
All of the courses listed can count towards either core requirements or subplans in the Environmental Science (ENVS) or Sustainable Plant Systems (SPS) majors. Within the ENVS major, most of the courses count towards the Soil, Air and Water (SAW) subplan, so keep this in mind when choosing your subplan. Please consult with your advisor before choosing which courses to take when.
| Course | ENVS Subplans | SPS Subplans |
|---|---|---|
| ENVS 300 Soil Ecology | Soil, Air & Water (SAW) | All (core) |
| ENVS 316 Soil Fertility | SAW | Biosphere | All (core) |
| ENVS 431 Soil Genesis & Classification | SAW | Biosphere | Physical & Chemical Dynamics | Agronomy |
| ENVS 462 Environmental Soil & Water Chemistry* | Core | Physical & Chemical Dynamics | All (core) |
| ENVS 470 Soil Physics | SAW | Physical & Chemical Dynamics | All (core) |
*ENVS 462 can substitute for Organic Chemistry in the SPS core. Or, it can be taken as part of the agronomy subplan. It cannot be counted towards both the core and subplan.
The 400-level courses above are also offered as 500-level courses for graduate students.
For students in the Soil, Air, Water (SAW) subplan, these courses appear in multiple places:
- ENVS 300 Soil Ecology: Group 1, required
- ENVS 316 Soil Fertility: Group 1 (alternative to 300) or Group 2
- ENVS 431 Soil Genesis & Classification: Group 2 or Group 1 (alternative to 300)
- ENVS 462 Environmental Soil & Water Chemistry: Core (alternative to 340 or 464)
- ENVS 470 Soil Physics: Group 2 or Group 1 (alternative to 300)
Consider becoming a Certified or Associate Professional Soil Scientist with the Soil Science Society of America. Certification is required for certain government jobs involving issuing of land and/or soil use permits, and can strengthen your resume for many other soil science-related jobs. Learn more about why you should become certified and check out the first steps to certification.