GIS application technician; GPS applications expert; Precision agriculture applications expert.

This professional uses electronics, IT, and telecommunications to develop applications in agriculture, livestock, fishing, and aquaculture that allow for the optimisation of existing resources, whether they are natural (automated irrigation, solar energy), as well as economics (software for the profitability of crops, greenhouse control, farm management, automation of animal feeding processes, etc.). To carry out his/her tasks, he/she may use tools such as GIS (Geographic information Systems), GPS (Global positioning Systems) and electronic image processing tools, among others, that allow to know the intensity and the optimal moment for carrying out agricultural operations.

• Design, select and use equipment and widgets from the field of electronics, IT and telecommunications that may be an application in agricultural, livestock, fishing and aquaculture holdings.
• Develop applications with the help of tools provided by electronics, robotics and IT which allow to control variables and carry out actions to control the variables that act on agriculture (weather, available water, presence of a pest, nutritional status of the soil, level of soil moisture, etc.).
• Create devices for agricultural machinery (tractors, pickers, etc.) which make it possible to control different variables (tractor capacity, manure distribution, etc.) that can be optimised in order to gain an advantage, whether economic (improve output, reduce spending on phytosanitary products, etc.) or environmental (for example, not using phytosanitary techniques or manure unnecessarily and avoiding excessive use thereof, which has an impact on the environment).
• Create maps to be able to interpret the information and work with the data so that they can be a useful tool for decision making.
• Interpret data information and work with them so that they can be a useful tool in decision-making.
• Perform field testing, prototypes, contrast variables and make the appropriate modifications.
• Solve farmers and customer enquiries and make decisions based on the data extracted from these tools.
• Formulate, set out and provide policies for the acquisition of specialised electronic equipment.
• They may participate in research programmes and projects.
  

Regulated training and graduates

• Grau: Enginyeria agrícola
• Grau: Enginyeria mecatrònica
• Grau: Enginyeria en tecnologies industrials
• Grau: Enginyeria de sistemes electrònics
• Grau: Enginyeria de sistemes i serveis de telecomunicacions
• Grau: Enginyeria electrònica industrial i automàtica

Complementary training

For the exercise of this occupation, it is advisable to have a master's degree in Agronomic Engineering.
Agronomy courses (use of phytosanitary products, crops, etc.), fishing or aquaculture.
Specific courses in microelectronics, mechanics, and robotics.
Use of Information Technologies in agriculture.
Specific courses on machinery used in the primary sector.
Specific courses on the use of GIS and GPS resources.

Other specific skills

Use of advanced computer tools.
Knowledge of production in the primary sector and meteorology.
Possibility of traveling to the farms.
A sufficiently high level of English to be able to work with the relevant IT tools and bibliographic sources.

Knowledge of the rural environment and production planning adapted to the environment.
Knowledge of electromechanical devices.

Initiative: Level 2

Orientation within reach: Level 2

Analytical thought: Level 2

Planning and organisation: Level 3

Environment

People who work in this field focus their professional interests on the preservation, improvement or restoration of the environment (vegetation, fauna, flora) in both built-up areas and natural spaces. Some of the activities that represent this field are the detection, analysis and control of pollutants, the carrying out of measurements and tests in relation to climatic or environmental variables and the reduction of the harmful effects of human activity on the environment. The carrying out of these activities requires knowledge of the environment, for its planning and use, and of environmental regulations.

Technician

People who show an interest in the technical field find fulfilment in carrying out activities related to the design and manufacture of objects, machines, vehicles and/or infrastructures. These activities require the application of scientific and technical knowledge (laws of physics, calculations and mathematical formulas, properties of the materials, etc). Creativity is also necessary when coming up with optimal solutions for the functional requirements of the products to be designed. Therefore, the pragmatic application of scientific knowledge in order to develop solutions for the benefit of human beings is the main function of occupations in the technical field.

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• Work hours

  Adapted to demand according to the seasonal nature of the agricultural holding.

• Other features

  The intensive application of information technology in agriculture is a consolidated activity in the sector and part of its development is led by large companies or works on projects located within the established research framework promoted by the European Union, carried out by private companies or university research groups with or without the support of firms from the sector. It should also be remembered that productivity in the agricultural sector is subject to the European Community's agricultural policy, the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), which involves reviews, grants and restrictions depending on the type of farming and this can lead to research avenues being opened or closed.

• Professional category

  Technician

• Human resources and equipment

  An office is required to locate the ICT equipment and to work with data collected in the field. Occasionally, depending on the type of project, part of the work time will be spent in the field.

• Initial investments

  This professional will need a management system (software and hardware), vehicle and means of communication (telephone).
  Expenses necessary to start the activity (payment of licences, purchase of computers, office renting, etc.).