Applied Plant and Soil Science: Now What?

Applied Plant and Soil Science… Now What?

What is Plant and Soil Science?

Plant and soil scientists conduct research in breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants or trees, shrubs, and nursery stock, their growth in soils, and control of pests; or study the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as they relate to plant or crop growth. Workers in these jobs may classify and map soils and investigate effects of alternative practices on soil and crop productivity.

What Can I Do with a Degree in Plant and Soil Sciences?

Agronomist

Arboriculture Researcher

Crop Nutrition Scientist

Forage Physiologist

Horticulturist

Plant Physiologist

Plant Research Geneticist

Soil Fertility Extension Specialist

Soil Scientis

Source: O*NET Online Soil and Plant Scientists

Previous internship sites by Applied Plant and Soil Science Majors

• Arnold Arboretum
• Bartlett Tree Experts
• Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
• Davey Tree Co.
• The Farm School
• The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
• Longwood Gardens
• Maine Coastal Botanical Gardens
• Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
• MassPIRG
• Native Plant Trust (Framingham)
• Nature Conservancy
• City of Northampton
• NE Sustainable Energy Association
• Triumvirate Environmental
• Trustees of Reservations
• UMass Amherst Plant and Soil Sciences
• UMass Amherst Environmental Health & Safety
• UMass Amherst Extension Office
• UMass Hydrofarm
• UMass Amherst Student Farm
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Job Placement Sites by Applied Plant and Soil Graduates (2023-2025)

• Arana Biosciences
• Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University
• Bigelow’s Nursery
• Five Forks Farm
• The Food Project
• Gasko’s Greenhouse
• Key Floral
• Mass Audubon
• Massachusetts Dept. of Conservation and Recreation
• Nourse Farms
• Noels Nursery
• Peace Corps
• Plum Brook Farm
• Sweetgum Horticulture
• West End Nursery

Career Planning Resources & Websites

Career Exploration Tools                           https://www.umass.edu/careers/career-journey/self-discovery 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook              www.bls.gov/ooh

Massachusetts Career Information System                                       http://masscis.intocareers.org 

(Click Mass Resident to login with “Amherst/01003”  Then click “Occupations” or “Assessments”)

Soil Science Society of America                https://www.soils.org/careers/

Careers in Soil Science   https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/natural-resource-concerns/soil/soil-science-career-resources

Jobs in the Green Economy                       https://www.findingearthworks.com/resources/

Plant and Soil Science Job and Internship Search Resources        

UMass Amherst Specific Job Search Resources

UMass Handshake Database of Internships & Jobs               https://umass.joinhandshake.com/

UMass Amherst Dept of Plant & Soil Sciences https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/plant-soil-sciences-bs

Plant and Soil Science Jobs/Internships

Alliance of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Societies https://www.careerplacement.org/

Center for Ecological Technology (Northampton)              https://www.cetonline.org/jobs/

Cool Works Jobs in Great Places                                            www.coolworks.com

Earthworks Jobs By Category                                                 http://earthworks-jobs.com/

Environmental Career (post resume & apply through)              https://environmentalcareer.com/

Environmental Career Opportunities (ECO)                        http://www.ecojobs.com/

Environmental Jobs                                                                 http://environmentaljobs.com

Green Jobs (store resumes &and apply through site)              http://www.greenjobs.net/

Green Job Search                                                                     www.greenjobsearch.org

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (Mass CEC)              http://www.masscec.com/work-clean-energy/jobs

Massachusetts State Jobs (click “Find Your Job” and “Dept. of Conservation and Recreation” in Agency)                                                    https://www.mass.gov/find-your-career-at-the-commonwealth

Massachusetts State Environmental Agencies                   www.mass.gov/eea/agencies

Scientists in National Parks                                                    https://www.scientistsinparks.org/

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Jobs               https://www.epa.gov/careers 

USA Jobs (for ALL Federal Govt Jobs)                                    www.usajobs.gov

World Wildlife Federation Jobs                                             https://wwf.panda.org/jobs_wwf/

General Science Jobs

Science Careers (widely defined)                                          http://jobs.sciencecareers.org 

New Scientist Jobs (widely defined)                                     http://jobs.newscientist.com/

NatureJobs (widely defined)                                                  www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/

Internships and Lab/Field Research

Campus Access List of Environmental Internships              www.campusaccess.com/internships

Cool Works Internships                                                           www.coolworks.com/internships

Ecological Society of America: Fieldwork Internships              https://www.esacareercenter.org/

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)                www.masscec.com/

National Park Service Internships (nationwide)                 https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/workwithus.htm

National Science Foundation REUs                                       https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/

UMass Office of Undergraduate Research & Studies              https://www.umass.edu/ours/ 

Professional Organizations         

Many websites for professional organizations have career information on them. You can also use them to search for networking events, meet a mentor in your field of study, find current research, search for internships or jobs, and gain insight into what direction within the field you could pursue. 

American Society of Agronomy                                             https://www.agronomy.org/

American Society for Horticultural Science                         https://ashs.org/

American Society of Plant Biologists                                     https://aspb.org/

Assoc for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Ed              www.aashe.org/resources

Assoc for Environmental Studies and Sciences                   http://aessonline.org/

National Environmental Health Association                        www.neha.org

Natl Assoc for Environmental Professionals (NAEP)          www.naep.org

Society for Conservation Biology                                           www.conbio.org

Society of Wetland Scientists                                                 http://sws.org

Soils Science Society of America                                           https://www.soils.org/

US Environmental Protection Agency                                   www.epa.gov

US NIH: Natl Institute of Environmental Health Sciences              www.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm

What Do Employers Look For? (NACE 2025 Job Outlook for Students)

Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on a Candidate’s Resume:

Problem Solving, Teamwork, Written Communication, Taking Initiative, Strong Work Ethic, Technical Skills, Verbal Communication, Flexibility/Adaptability, Analytical/Quantitative, Detail-Oriented

Factors Considered by Employers When Screening Candidates:

Academic Major, Has completed an internship in the industry, Industry experience, Has demonstrated proficiency in competencies, Has completed an internship with the organization, Has held a leadership position, Has been involved in leadership/extracurricular activities, Has held part-time jobs in college to finance education, Has done volunteer work