Agricultural Careers

Turf Scientist

By: Dr. Frank Flanders and Trisha Rae Stephens

Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office

Georgia Department of Education

June 2005

START

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Conduct experiments and record findings• Study plant and soil conditions and problems• Develop new technology to reduce pests • Perform experiments to determine how various conditions affects plant growth• Manage production and/or research for companies• Identify and classify species of grass and turf pests• Teach turfgrass management in college and university settings

Qualities and Skills

• Good physical condition is needed

• Manual labor is sometimes required to establish and maintain research plots• Must be patient and

persistent in carrying out research

• May require traveling• Good communication skills

Salary

In the U.S. the median wage for agricultural turf scientists is about $50,124. Half of all agricultural turf scientists earn between $37,440 and $67,329 per year. These figures change relative to location and position.

Work Environment

• Research and teaching is done both indoors and outdoors

• May be required to travel • Works at least 40 hours per week

Becoming a Turf Scientist

• In high school, take college-prep courses in horticulture, biology, botany, and chemistry in addition to core academic classes• Other extremely helpful courses include public speaking, business, accounting, Spanish, and computer science. • An internship will be beneficial for an entry level position and experience in the field during high school or while attending college.

Career Resources

American Phytopathological Society (APS) Internet: http://www.apsnet.org/visitors/about.asp

American Nursery and Landscape AssociationInternet: http://www.anla.org/

Professional Lawn Care of America Association Internet: http://www.plcaa.org/home/

Sports Turf Managers AssociationInternet: http://www.sportsturfmanager.com/

United States Golf Association – Greens SectionInternet: http://www.usga.org/turf/index.html