Agricultural Engineer
Agriculture
Apply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems concerned with power and machinery, electrification, structures, soil and water conservation, and processing of agricultural products.
Picture the job
Where you'd usually workA farm or plantation
- Partly outdoors
- Sitting for most of the day
An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. The work-style notes come from US O*NET data, so read them as a guide.
In Malaysia
In Malaysia this work is closely tied to oil palm and other plantations, irrigation and drainage (JPS), and agricultural research bodies such as MARDI and MPOB. Government engineers are hired under the general Jurutera J9 scheme, which requires Graduate Engineer registration with BEM.
- How people get into it here
- SPM (strong Maths, Physics, Chemistry) → Matrikulasi, Asasi, STPM or an engineering Diploma → Bachelor's in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering (e.g. UPM) or a related engineering degree → register with BEM as a Graduate Engineer → Professional Engineer (Ir.) after supervised experience.
- Registration required
- Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM / Lembaga Jurutera Malaysia)
- Government post
- Jurutera Gred J9 (formerly J41), e.g. at Jabatan Pertanian or JPS · starts at RM2,690 a month
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
3
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
Typical entry
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Compare routes against your results and interestsCheck what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
Quick answers
How do you become an Agricultural Engineer in Malaysia?
SPM (strong Maths, Physics, Chemistry) → Matrikulasi, Asasi, STPM or an engineering Diploma → Bachelor's in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering (e.g. UPM) or a related engineering degree → register with BEM as a Graduate Engineer → Professional Engineer (Ir.) after supervised experience. Registration with Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM / Lembaga Jurutera Malaysia) is required to practise.
What should I study to become an Agricultural Engineer?
Related fields of study: Agriculture and Mechanical Engineering. SPM subjects that help most: Physics, Additional Mathematics, Design & Technology (RBT) and Invention.
How much does an Agricultural Engineer earn in Malaysia?
We don't yet have a Malaysian source we can cite for Agricultural Engineer pay, so we show no figure.
Biotechnology & STEM · Career guide
Agricultural Engineer
Applies engineering and biological science to agricultural problems.
Work overview based on O*NET occupation sources; Malaysian study examples and context are linked below. Actual requirements depend on the programme and post.
What does the work involve?
- Design or improve agricultural systems.
- Solve machinery, structure, soil or water problems.
- Evaluate agricultural processing and production solutions.
Work settings and skills
Design, testing and site work in agricultural or biosystems projects.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
Study areas and planning after SPM
Agricultural and biosystems engineering or related engineering.
Planning example: SPM → science pre-university or a diploma meeting programme requirements → a relevant bachelor's → job applications or research training. Check each programme's special requirements and each vacancy.
UPM offers Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering with areas such as mechanisation, automation, and soil and water resources.
These are study areas to explore, not verified admission rules for every programme. Check special requirements, recognition and curriculum directly with the institution.
Further study and professional checks
Choose further study according to the area you want to deepen and the post's requirements. Compare coursework and research modes and read the university's admission criteria.
Check programme recognition and the relevant BEM registration category. Academic qualifications, Graduate Engineer registration and professional registration are separate matters; use BEM's current rules.
Check the actual vacancy before treating a qualification as sufficient. Study or training does not guarantee admission or employment.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Engineering and Technology97%
PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)
- Computers and Electronics90%
Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies
- Design87%
Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing
- Physics85%
Physics
- Mathematics85%
Additional MathematicsMathematics
- Biology82%
BiologyAdditional Science
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsOften
- Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
- Leading or coordinating othersHigh
- Handling conflict situationsRarely
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Time spent sittingMost of the time
- Time spent standingA little
- Time walking or movingA little
Where this job is heading
Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.
- Communicate results in peer-reviewed research articles or at workshops or conferences.
- Use agricultural drones for crop monitoring, irrigation management, and pest control.
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points, not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023, already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.
What beginner adverts asked for
We read 8 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.
8 of 8 were internships
Allowance or pay, when stated
RM850 – RM1,200
6 of 8 adverts printed an amount: usually between RM850 and RM1,200 a month. Many print none.
Languages named
Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia
An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Agricultural Engineers
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org