Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Human Advantage65%
Significant human skills needed
AI Automation RiskModerate Risk
3.2 / 10
Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.
Also Known As:Agricultural Service Worker, Applicator, Applicator Sprayer, Certified Pesticide Applicator, Chemical Applicator, Commercial Lawn Specialist, Crop Applicator, Eradicator +33 more
Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
Identify lawn or plant diseases to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
Connect hoses and nozzles selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, types of infestations, and velocities.
Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.
Supplemental Tasks (2)
Provide driving instructions to truck drivers to ensure complete coverage of designated areas, using hand and horn signals.
Plant grass with seed spreaders, and operate straw blowers to cover seeded areas with mixtures of asphalt and straw.
Emerging Tasks
New and evolving responsibilities for this role:
Establish driving routes for pesticide applications.
Record information about pesticide applications, such as the type used and amount applied.
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
56%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
16%
Less than a High School Diploma
15%
Bachelor's Degree
13%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0%
Technology & Tools
★ Hot Technologies
Facebook
Google Android
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office software
Microsoft Outlook
Software (10)
Customer database software
Geographic information system GIS systems
Materials inventory software
Rate calculation software
Unit conversion software
Tools & Equipment (26)
Air purifying respirators
Backpack sprayers
Boom sprayers
Broadcast boom sprayers
Chemical protection gloves
Chemical-resistant footwear
Chemical-resistant suits
Cold foggers
Digital flowmeters
Digital stopwatches
Electrostatic spray guns
Face masks
Handheld pump sprayers
Laptop computers
Measuring containers
Measuring tapes
Mechanical aerosol generators
Personal computers
Power sprayers
Protective face shields
Protective safety glasses
Safety goggles
Seed spreaders
Tablet computers
Thermal foggers
Truck mounted sprayers
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.