Land-based Engineer

Land-based engineers are employed in agriculture, horticulture, forestry or environmental engineering work. They usually specialise in one of three main areas:

• machine and vehicle manufacture


• farm organisation


• field engineering.

The Work

Machine and vehicle manufacture

You could be:

• working on equipment or machinery used for cultivating, harvesting, grading and storing crops, plants and trees, and for feeding and watering animals


• researching, designing and testing new equipment and machinery, or altering existing systems.

• designing all aspects of buildings such as greenhouses, crop dryers and milking parlours so that they are as efficient as possible


• choosing and installing the computer-controlled systems which are used to manage conditions in these buildings.

• planning the best use of soil and water resources in the countryside, bearing in mind the needs of nature conservation


• designing, planning and installing systems to drain wet land, irrigate dry land or repair the damage caused by soil erosion
• researching problems associated with environmental protection and conservation. This is an increasingly important area.

Conditions

• You could work for a company which manufactures equipment and machinery or for a government department and agency.


• You might work in a college or university, teaching and carrying out research and design work.


• Your hours and conditions would vary according to the type of work.


• You would be based in an office, design laboratory or factory.


• You would also visit outdoor sites such as farms, nurseries and forestry plantations.


• Your hours might often be regular, but at times you may have to work outwith normal hours.


• Some site visits may be lengthy and you may have to spend time away from home.

Getting In

• You would normally study for a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or degree in agricultural or land-based engineering. Other relevant subjects include mechanical or environmental engineering.


• For entry to HNC and HND courses you normally need 1-2 Highers plus some Standard grades. Degree courses require 3-5 Highers. You will usually need English, Maths and one or more science or technological subjects at either Standard grade or Higher.


• Alternatively, a qualification in a related subject such as agriculture or mechanical engineering may give you entry to a postgraduate course in agricultural engineering.
• Details of accredited courses in agricultural engineering are on the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) website. They are run only at institutions in England.


• You may be able to qualify by other training routes.

What Does It Take?

You need to have:

• an interest in solving scientific and technical problems


• a creative approach to finding solutions


• practical, analytical and IT skills


• a strong sense of responsibility and awareness of health and safety


• awareness of what equipment users need


• an interest in the environment


• good business skills.

• handle a lot of complex information


• plan and organise programmes of work to meet deadlines


• explain systems and machines to other people


• work on your own and also as part of a team.

Training

• Following your HNC, HND or degree, you would do further training and gain work experience with an employer.


• At the end of this, you can register with the Engineering Council as a professional engineer - either Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng).


• For IEng you need to have either a recognised Bachelors degree or a recognised HND plus further study to Bachelors degree level.


• For CEng you need to have either a recognised Bachelors degree with honours plus a recognised Masters degree (or equivalent), or a recognised integrated Master of Engineering (MEng) degree.


• If you do not have the above qualifications, you may be able to achieve IEng or CEng by other approved routes. You can check this with the Engineering Council or with the appropriate professional engineering institution.
• You must update your knowledge throughout your career. The IAgrE offers a continuous professional development (CPD) scheme.

Getting On

• If you first qualify as IEng, you can progress to CEng after further training and experience. This can give you more opportunities.


• In large organisations, you may move on to senior engineer or head of department posts.
• You be able to move into marketing, sales or general management.


• After suitable experience, you may be able to set up your own business as a consultant, offering specialist engineering services.
• You might move into teaching or research at a college or university.


• There can be opportunities to work abroad. Developing countries need land-based engineers to advise on reducing crop failure and increasing production. They may also need advice on dealing with environmental damage caused by floods, earthquakes and wars.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work


• the size of the company or organisation you work for


• the demand for the job.

More Information

• The Engineering Council sets and maintains the standards of the engineering profession in the UK. It does so through 36 professional engineering institutions which are Licensed Members of the Engineering Council.


• The Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA) is the Sector Skills Council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies. It also provides the SEMTA Learning Helpline on 0800 282 167 and the Engineering Careers website http://www.enginuity.org.uk/

Addresses

The following organisation(s) may be able to provide further information.