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Agricultural technician

Also called biotechnician, aquaculture technician, viticulture technician

Agricultural technicians collect and conduct experiments and tests on agriculture and aquaculture specimens. They provide support to scientists and farmers and also analyse and report on conditions in the collected specimens' environments.

Will there be jobs?Average prospects27 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Science and engineering associate professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,600 (Bulgaria) to €6,500 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Science and engineering associate professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually post-secondary or a short degree4 in 10 have a degree. 1 in 10 train through vocational routes.Science and engineering associate professionalsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Agricultural technicians · ILO

What you'd do

Agricultural technicians · ILO
  • Preparing materials and equipment for experiments, tests and analyses
  • Collecting and preparing specimens such as soils, plant or animal cells, tissues or parts or animal organs for experiments, tests and analyses
  • Assisting with and performing experiments, tests and analyses applying methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy
  • Identifying pathogenic micro-organisms and insects, parasites, fungi and weeds harmful to crops and livestock, and assisting in devising methods of control
  • Analysing produce to set and maintain standards of quality
  • Conducting or supervising operational programmes such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programmes
  • Analysing samples of seeds for quality, purity and germination rating
  • Collecting data and estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for projects
  • Organizing maintenance and repairs of research equipment
Maintain laboratory equipmentApply safety procedures in laboratoryAnalyse scientific dataGather experimental dataAnalyse environmental data+ 4 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Agricultural Technicians"

Will there be jobs?

Average prospects

A typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as science and engineering associate professionals in the EU
7.4m7.3m7.49m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
142,000 new jobs 1,835,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Science and engineering associate professionals27
All jobs29
Right now
4 of 27 countries report a shortage of agricultural technicians, 8 a surplus.
Agricultural technicians · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,600 a month (Bulgaria) to €6,500 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually post-secondary or a short degree

Post-secondary training or a short degree in biology is the usual route.

Highest qualification of science and engineering associate professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 41%Vocational 43%General secondary 7%Basic schooling 9%
Fields that teach it
Biology · Horticulture
Vocational route, EU
1 in 10 trainees in this field
Science and maths graduates in a matching job
63% in the EU

697 institutions in the EU offer science and maths bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.26 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 9 tasks
Collecting data and estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for projects0.41
Assisting with and performing experiments, tests and analyses applying methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy0.36
Analysing produce to set and maintain standards of quality0.34
Conducting or supervising operational programmes such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programmes0.28
Analysing samples of seeds for quality, purity and germination rating0.23
Identifying pathogenic micro-organisms and insects, parasites, fungi and weeds harmful to crops and livestock, and assisting in devising methods of control0.19
Collecting and preparing specimens such as soils, plant or animal cells, tissues or parts or animal organs for experiments, tests and analyses0.17
Organizing maintenance and repairs of research equipment0.17
Preparing materials and equipment for experiments, tests and analyses0.17

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for agricultural technicians. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).