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8 | CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE 9 | CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE

Ecological Engineer

SALARY: EXPERIENCE: LAUREN KAHLE
$50,000 - $100,000 A college education in science or engineering. › Stahlbush Island Farms

WHAT DO THEY DO?
Lauren manages a biogas plant for a sustainable farm and
food-processing facility. She uses the food waste from the
farm and processing facility as a feedstock into an anaerobic
digestion system, and converts the resulting biogas into heat
and electricity. She then uses the byproduct of this process,
called digestate, as an organic fertilizer back on the farm.
Lauren also manages the nutrient recovery system, which is
another name for the food-processing wastewater system.
“ FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB labor, manage the department’s budget, keep an eye on the
Lauren’s job as the Manager of this facility is to manage

biological standing of the system and biogas production,
I like contributing to a more sustainable world. Science
manage digestate sales and feedstock coming in, keep a
and engineering are very interesting to me, and being
able to put that to use in a way that is benefiting the variety of records related to system controls and testing
results, and constantly work to improve and maintain the
planet is very fulfilling. system. As an engineer, she also does some design work.
ADVICE
I would advise students to look for related internships
or jobs during their time in school, and even reach out
to companies that they are interested in.

“

Ended up in
the biogas
Became involved in Obtained a bachelor’s plant at
research projects within the degree in ecological Stahlbush
engineering department engineering and minored in Island Farms
Joined the Ecological and started looking for both chemistry and Spanish
Engineering Student internships at OSU
Society at Oregon State
University (OSU)

Hired by Stahlbush
Island Farms and
moved into a few
Accepted a Human Resources/ different positions
Receptionist position at
Stahlbush Island Farms while
in college