Also called: Controlled Environment Agriculture Engineer, Greenhouse Systems Engineer
Designs indoor farms and high-tech greenhouses where lighting, water and air are controlled by computers.
You walk through a warehouse where lettuce grows in towers under purple LED lights. Plants on the top shelf are wilting, so you check airflow sensors, find a weak fan zone, and redesign the air system.
Startup-heavy field; job security varies.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in agricultural, biological, mechanical or environmental engineering.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Agricultural Engineering, Biological & Agricultural Engineering, Biosystems Engineering, Horticulture, Mechanical Engineering.
Growing faster than average. Young industry with ups and downs.
Low risk for 10 years. AI controls lighting and climate automatically; designing, building and fixing indoor farms stays hands-on.
Classes: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agriculture CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2021.
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