Agricultural Equipment Operators
On the Job
Agricultural Equipment Operators drive and control farm equipment to till soil or plant and harvest crops. They may operate stationary equipment to perform tasks like husking, shelling, or threshing.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Inspect equipment or facilities to determine condition or maintenance needs.
- Operate farming equipment.
- Operate irrigation systems.
- Apply chemical solutions to plants to protect against disease or insects or to enhance growth.
- Attach equipment extensions or accessories.
- Load agricultural or forestry products for shipment.
- Plant crops, trees, or other plants.
- Prepare materials or solutions for animal or plant use.
- Confer with managers to make operational decisions.
- Maintain forestry, hunting, or agricultural equipment.
Typical Working Conditions
- Working outdoors exposed to weather.
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Working in very hot or cold temperatures.
- The freedom to determine tasks, priorities, and goals.
- Working with a group or team.
- A work pace that is determined by the speed of equipment.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.