Regional Queensland
Regional recruitment specialist for Queensland employers, from Cairns to Toowoomba and Mount Isa. See how hard each region is to hire in, and how we help.
Agronomist recruitment for regional employers
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help rural merchandise and farm input businesses, growers, agribusinesses, consultancies and research groups hire agronomists, from graduates starting in a reseller branch to senior independent advisers. We build the crops, the territory and the advice model into every search.
Agronomy hiring at a glance
Job ads in the wider agricultural and forestry scientists group are mostly regional, and Agronomist is rated in shortage.
- national rating for Agronomist in 2026
- Shortage
- Agricultural Research Scientist is also rated in shortage; Agricultural Consultant is not. In shortage means rated S or R.1
- of agricultural and forestry scientist job ads were for regional areas
- 83%
- 29 of 35 located ads, three months to September 2026, against 29% for all jobs.2
- agronomists employed in August 2021
- 2,000
- Under the new OSCA occupation coding.3
- median full-time weekly earnings for agricultural and forestry scientists
- $2,074
- May 2025, national.4
What does an agronomist do, and which qualification do they hold?
Agricultural and forestry scientists advise farmers, rural industries and government on farming, and develop techniques for increasing productivity.4 For an agronomist that means crop monitoring, soil and plant testing, nutrition and fertiliser plans, weed, pest and disease programs, and recommendations a grower can act on that week. In August 2021, 47.4% of agronomists were employed in agriculture and 26.3% in wholesale trade, which includes rural merchandise and farm input suppliers.3
Most hold a degree: in August 2021, 70.6% of agricultural and forestry scientists had a bachelor degree or higher as their highest qualification.4 Agronomists may also hold industry accreditation for fertiliser advice and chemical training, covered in the table below.
Which licences, tickets and certifications apply to agronomists?
No state or territory licence is listed for agronomists. The accreditations that matter cover fertiliser advice and professional standing, and in New South Wales people who use pesticides at work have training rules to meet, subject to exemptions.
Licences, accreditations and training rules relevant to agronomists, with the body that issues or sets each. Checked 1 November 2026.
| Jurisdiction | Licence, ticket or certification | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| All states and territories | No occupational licence or registration is listed for agronomists or agricultural consultants3 | Agronomic advice itself |
| All states and territories | Fertcare Accredited Advisor: competence to make soil and fertiliser recommendations is assessed against standards set by ASPAC, with an audit every two years5 | Advisers making soil and fertiliser recommendations |
| All states and territories | Certified Practising Agriculturalist (CPAg) from Ag Institute Australia: at least 60 professional development points over three years6 | Recognition of continuing professional development |
| New South Wales | AQF3 pesticide training (AHCCHM307 and AHCCHM304) for unsupervised users, kept current by a five-year refresher or an EPA-approved quality assurance or stewardship program7 | Using pesticides at work; exemptions apply, and licensed applicators have separate rules |
What does an agronomist earn?
Award minimum: where the Professional Employees Award 2020 covers the role (professional scientific duties by a qualified scientist), a Level 1 scientist with a three-year degree earns at least $33.71 an hour, or $66,825 a year, from 1 July 2026.8
Market median: full-time agricultural and forestry scientists earned $57 an hour, or $2,074 a week, in May 2025. The figure is national and covers the whole group, including foresters and agricultural research scientists.4 Agronomy packages may include a vehicle, so we compare whole packages with you.
Where are agronomists in demand?
Job ads for agricultural and forestry scientists averaged 35 a month in the three months to September 2026, against 37 a year earlier, so the counts by state are small.9 Queensland holds the largest share of the group's employment.4 With so few ads, we search agronomists' networks as well as job boards.
Online job ads for agricultural and forestry scientists by state (three-month average to September 2026) and each state's share of the group's employment (February 2026).4,9
Which agronomy roles do we recruit?
Open a role for what to put in your brief.
Reseller and sales agronomists
Agronomists based in a rural merchandise or input supplier, advising growers and selling the program.
- Industry
- 26.3% of agronomists were employed in wholesale trade in August 2021.3
- Accreditation
- Fertcare Accredited Advisors are audited every two years to keep their accreditation.5
- Shortage
- Agronomist is rated in shortage for 2026.1
- What to tell us
- Crops and enterprise types, the territory and kilometres, sales targets, the vehicle, and how the role splits advice from sales.
Independent agronomists and consultants
Fee-for-service advisers who work directly for growers.
- Workforce
- 2,000 people worked as agricultural consultants in August 2021.4
- Shortage
- Agricultural Consultant is not rated in shortage for 2026.1
- Standing
- CPAg recognises an agriculturalist's continuing professional development.6
- What to tell us
- Client base, crops, whether the person brings clients, fee model and how much travel the role involves.
Research and on-farm agronomists
Agronomists who run trials for research groups, or manage cropping programs for a large grower.
- Shortage
- Agricultural Research Scientist is rated in shortage for 2026.1
- Workforce
- 3,400 people worked as agricultural scientists in August 2021.4
- Industry
- 47.4% of agronomists were employed in agriculture in August 2021.3
- What to tell us
- Trial design and statistics, crops, the cropping calendar, data systems and whether the role manages staff or contractors.
What to tell us about your agronomy role
Start with the advice model: reseller, independent, research or on-farm. Tell us the crops and enterprises, the territory and how far it ranges, whether the role carries sales targets, and the accreditations you expect, such as Fertcare.
Then the arrangements: the town base, the vehicle and phone, the busiest times of the cropping year, and the experience level, from graduate to senior adviser.
How we help you hire an agronomist
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Moving an agronomist to a country town
For an agronomy role based in a country town, tell us about housing, a partner's work and schools, because the deciding questions can be about the town itself. We raise those early, explain the territory and the vehicle, and talk through the move with anyone relocating.
If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Are you an agronomist looking for your next role?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us the crops and regions you know, the advice model you prefer, your accreditations and chemical training, and the towns you would move to. We welcome graduates and experienced agronomists.
Talk to us about your next agronomy hire
Tell us the crops, the territory and your start date.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Does an agronomist need a licence?
No occupational licence or registration is listed for agronomists.3 Fertcare accreditation covers soil and fertiliser advice. In New South Wales, unsupervised pesticide users at work generally need AQF3 training, kept current by a five-year refresher or an approved program, with some exemptions.5,7 Hire Australia asks which accreditations your role needs.
How much do agronomists earn?
Full-time agricultural and forestry scientists earned a national median of $57 an hour in May 2025.4 Where the Professional Employees Award 2020 covers the role, a scientist with a three-year degree earns at least $33.71 an hour from 1 July 2026.8 Hire Australia compares whole packages, including vehicles, with you.
Are agronomists hard to find?
Agronomist is rated in shortage for 2026.1 In the wider agricultural and forestry scientists group, 29 of 35 located job ads were for regional areas in the three months to September 2026.2 Hire Australia searches networks as well as ads for agronomists who know your crops.
What is Fertcare accreditation?
Fertcare Accredited Advisors have their competence to make soil and fertiliser recommendations assessed against standards set by ASPAC, and are audited every two years to keep the accreditation.5 Hire Australia can search for agronomists who already hold it, or who are willing to gain it.
What does it cost to use Hire Australia?
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. That applies to every agronomy role Hire Australia recruits for, from graduate agronomist to senior adviser.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.
Sources (9)
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO 2022 sheet). National ratings, ANZSCO 2022 coding, matching the job-ad and earnings groups on this page. "In shortage" means rated S or R. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by remoteness (major cities and regional), September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026; SA4 regions grouped as major city or regional. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, OSCA occupation data, 2021 Census (Tables 1, 2 and 6). OSCA 2024 coding. Table 6, Agronomist and Agricultural Consultant: "No registration or licensing requirements are listed for this occupation." Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO occupation data, February 2026 (occupation descriptions, earnings, employment and state tables). Group medians: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, national. Group employment and state shares: February 2026. 6-digit figures and highest qualification: 2021 Census. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fertilizer Australia, Fertcare Accredited Advisor (Trusted Advisors). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Ag Institute Australia, Certified Practising Agriculturalist (CPAg). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- NSW Environment Protection Authority, Compulsory pesticides training: you must also maintain your competency. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Professional Employees Award 2020 [MA000065], clause 14.1 minimum rates. Clause 4.1(a): professional scientific duties by a qualified scientist (academic schedule includes science degrees). Rates from 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by state and territory, September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026 (released 21 October 2026), rounded. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑