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Agronomist / Agriculture Officer

Stable

Agriculture

Advises on crop science, soil management and yield improvement for plantations, agribusiness and government agencies. Agrotechnology graduates are in demand as Malaysia pushes food security and precision agriculture.

AgricultureScience

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
  2. 2Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
  3. 3Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.
  4. 4Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
  5. 5Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
  6. 6Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
  7. 7Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment.
  8. 8Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics.
  9. 9Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.
  10. 10Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties.
  11. 11Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation.
  12. 12Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology.
  13. 13Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products.
  14. 14Develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or pests.
  15. 15Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting.
  16. 16Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning.
  17. 17Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth.
  18. 18Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems.
  19. 19Plan or supervise waste management programs for composting or farming.
  20. 20Develop ways of altering soils to suit different types of plants.
  21. 21Conduct experiments investigating how soil forms, changes, or interacts with land-based ecosystems or living organisms.
  22. 22Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations.
  23. 23Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders.
  24. 24Conduct experiments regarding causes of bee diseases or factors affecting yields of nectar or pollen.
  25. 25Study insect distribution or habitat and recommend methods to prevent importation or spread of injurious species.
  26. 26Plan or supervise land conservation or reclamation programs for industrial development projects.
  27. 27Conduct research into the use of plant species as green fuels or in the production of green fuels.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Arborist
  • Botanist
  • Scientist
  • Soil Tech
  • Agronomist
  • Pomologist
  • Soil Expert
  • Apiculturist
  • Corn Breeder
  • Entomologist

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. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationMaster's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BiologyDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional ScienceDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Biology89%

    BiologyAdditional Science

  • English Language81%

    English

  • Computers and Electronics77%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Chemistry77%

    Chemistry

  • Mathematics75%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Education and Training68%

Skills to build

CommunicationOrganisationTeamwork

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

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 discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedOften
  • Outdoors, in all weatherOften
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time walking or movingA little

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.

43%

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.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in the private market

Monthly pay from fresh grad to mid-career, from the salary guide cited on this page.

Entry

Private
RM2,500 – RM3,500

Mid-career

Private
RM4,500 – RM7,000

Government pay isn't shown: we haven't yet sourced the SSPA civil-service salary tables, and we won't estimate them.

Job demand outlook

Stable

Steady, reliable demand: a consistent number of openings.

Your readiness

How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.

Add your SPM grades to see how ready you are for this career.

Add my grades

Check 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.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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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: Soil and Plant Scientists

Source: JobStreet Salary Guide · as of May 2025

Check the salary figures yourself:JobStreet

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue