Careermash
CAREERMASH (EN)FROM BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES →

Soil Scientist

Biologists study living things - from tiny cells to whole ecosystems - to understand how life works and find ways to solve problems in medicine, farming and the environment.

Soil Scientist

18

Biological Sciences

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO18%moving to63%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAY£28,000 - £35,000
NO MOATNo physical, legal or personal barrier protects this work from software.
AI helps here, but has not taken over
AI can already do some of this job, but the day-to-day work still leans on a person to decide, check and take responsibility. Nothing formally protects this job though, so the safest move is to keep building the judgement AI cannot yet copy.

Career progression path

1FIRST STEPJunior Soil ScientistIn this entry-level role, you will assist senior scientists in collecting soil samples and conducting basic analyses. You will gain hands-on experience in the field and laboratory, learning the fundamentals of soil science.£28,000 - £35,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-level Soil ScientistAt this stage, you will take on more responsibility, leading projects and collaborating with farmers and stakeholders. You will analyse complex data sets and develop recommendations for soil management.£40,000 - £55,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Soil Scientist/Head of Soil ResearchIn a senior role, you will oversee research projects, mentor junior staff, and contribute to policy development regarding soil conservation. Your expertise will shape sustainable practices at a national level.£70,000+
Careermash

Careermash: navigate your career path with real data. Explore career profiles, salary benchmarks, AI impact forecasts, and the qualifications you need to get there.

AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

Part of the Sand Education ecosystem:Spill.orgWhatSchool.aiWhatCareer.netCourseMash.org