← All 785 jobsFile 19-4099
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians
Mostly untouched
AI barely touches this work so far. The BLS expects 4.4% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
- Rank
- #396 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +4.4% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $62,280 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 89,500 in the US, with about 11,200 openings a year
The work, 29 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
Still yours: Test characteristics of materials or products8%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Maintain electronic, computer, or other technical equipment7%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,196 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time.
AI helps with this: Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance6%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 510 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time.
Still yours: Evaluate production inputs or outputs6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Create visual designs or displays5%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 78 conversations, and it got them there 40% of the time.
Still yours: Maintain operational records5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Analyze environmental or geospatial data5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Collect environmental or biological samples4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Analyze data to improve operations4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Prepare legal or regulatory documents4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Inspect facilities or equipment4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Develop operational or technical procedures or standards4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 1,089 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI helps with this: Design computer or information systems or applications3%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 938 conversations, and it got them there 85% of the time.
AI does this: Analyze scientific or applied data using mathematical principles3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 709 Copilot conversations and completed it 58% of the time.
Still yours: Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Advise others on business or operational matters3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 290 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI helps with this: Analyze performance of systems or equipment3%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 563 conversations, and it got them there 90% of the time.
AI helps with this: Coordinate with others to resolve problems3%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 738 conversations, and it got them there 83% of the time.
Still yours: Train others on operational or work procedures3%
AI does this in desk jobs, but in this one it is mostly hands-on.
Still yours: Prepare reports of operational or procedural activities2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Present research or technical information2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 30 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Examine financial activities, operations, or systems2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Develop professional relationships or networks2%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,715 conversations, and it got them there 95% of the time.
Still yours: Design databases2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Determine operational methods or procedures2%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 221 conversations, and it got them there 93% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
AI does this: Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 237 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
AI does this: Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 683 Copilot conversations and completed it 82% of the time.
AI does this: Advise others on the design or use of technologies1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 97 Copilot conversations and completed it 91% of the time.
Still yours: Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 104 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 11,200 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 27% of the workFood Science Technicians0% AI does, against 17% here+4.8% by 2035 · $52,130 · Associate’s degree
- Shares 25% of the workChemical Technicians6% AI does, against 17% here+4.9% by 2035 · $60,390 · Associate’s degree
- Shares 25% of the workGeological Technicians11% AI does, against 17% here+3.6% by 2035 · $53,350 · Associate’s degree
The wire
On the wire.
Nothing filed about this job yet. The latest from the Planet front:
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.16, higher than 57% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 19-4099 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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