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Precision Agriculture Technician

Agriculture

Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production or management activities, such as pest scouting, site-specific pesticide application, yield mapping, or variable-rate irrigation. May use computers to develop or analyze maps or remote sensing images to compare physical topography with data on soils, fertilizer, pests, or weather.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

AgricultureData Science

What you'd do all day

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

  1. 1Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
  2. 2Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
  3. 3Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients.
  4. 4Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
  5. 5Install, calibrate, or maintain sensors, mechanical controls, GPS-based vehicle guidance systems, or computer settings.
  6. 6Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history.
  7. 7Compare crop yield maps with maps of soil test data, chemical application patterns, or other information to develop site-specific crop management plans.
  8. 8Analyze geospatial data to determine agricultural implications of factors such as soil quality, terrain, field productivity, fertilizers, or weather conditions.
  9. 9Identify spatial coordinates, using remote sensing and Global Positioning System (GPS) data.
  10. 10Analyze data from harvester monitors to develop yield maps.
  11. 11Apply precision agriculture information to specifically reduce the negative environmental impacts of farming practices.
  12. 12Demonstrate the applications of geospatial technology, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), automatic tractor guidance systems, variable rate chemical input applicators, surveying equipment, or computer mapping software.
  13. 13Draw or read maps, such as soil, contour, or plat maps.
  14. 14Recommend best crop varieties or seeding rates for specific field areas, based on analysis of geospatial data.
  15. 15Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
  16. 16Program farm equipment, such as variable-rate planting equipment or pesticide sprayers, based on input from crop scouting and analysis of field condition variability.
  17. 17Provide advice on the development or application of better boom-spray technology to limit the overapplication of chemicals and to reduce the migration of chemicals beyond the fields being treated.
  18. 18Participate in efforts to advance precision agriculture technology, such as developing advanced weed identification or automated spot spraying systems.
  19. 19Analyze remote sensing imagery to identify relationships between soil quality, crop canopy densities, light reflectance, and weather history.
  20. 20Advise farmers on upgrading Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to take advantage of newly installed advanced satellite technology.
  21. 21Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
  22. 22Identify areas in need of pesticide treatment by analyzing geospatial data to determine insect movement and damage patterns.

Also known as

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

  • Agronomist
  • Crop Consultant
  • Crop Specialist
  • Agriculture Tech
  • Field Agronomist
  • Precision Ag Tech
  • Agronomy Consultant
  • Agronomy Specialist
  • Migration Specialist
  • Precision Ag Analyst

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. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

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

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).
BusinessDraws directly on Sales and Marketing — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Sales and Marketing — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — 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.

  • Customer and Personal Service83%
  • Computers and Electronics82%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Sales and Marketing70%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Mathematics70%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language70%

    English

  • Engineering and Technology69%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

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 peopleConstant contact
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
  • Noisy environmentOften
  • Time spent sittingA little
  • Time walking or movingA little
  • Hands-on work with tools or objectsAlmost all the time

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Operate drone technology to capture aerial imagery and data for crop monitoring and analysis.

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.

23%

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.

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

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.

Asasi / Foundation

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

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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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: Precision Agriculture Technicians

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