AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 19-4021.00
Will AI replace Biological Technicians?
Biological Technicians: AI can already handle 11 of 17 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 17 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Biological Technicians, from most to least exposed. 11 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input data into databases. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings. | Observed | Efficient | |
| Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers working in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, resource management, biology, and health sciences. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Feed livestock or laboratory animals. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Examine animals and specimens to detect the presence of disease or other problems. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Monitor laboratory work to ensure compliance with set standards. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Measure or weigh compounds and solutions for use in testing or animal feed. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Place orders for laboratory equipment and supplies. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Conduct standardized biological, microbiological or biochemical tests and laboratory analyses to evaluate the quantity or quality of physical or chemical substances in food or other products. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Participate in the research, development, or manufacturing of medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties. | Observed | Standard | |
| Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities. | Observed | Efficient | |
| Set up, adjust, calibrate, clean, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory and field equipment. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Clean, maintain and prepare supplies and work areas. | Estimated | Efficient |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 3 of 17 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 14 of 17. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A standard-tier model or lower covers 95% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 69,620
- Median annual wage
- $57,510
- Middle half of earners
- $48,130 to $71,520
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +3.5%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Agricultural Technicians 77% skill overlap, about 8 months to move Exposure65
- Bioinformatics Technicians 75% skill overlap, about 9 months to move Exposure62
- Biologists 73% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure56
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians 72% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure32
- Chemical Technicians 72% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure52
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Biological Technicians and AI
Will AI replace Biological Technicians?
AI already handles 11 of the 17 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 62 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +3.5% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Biological Technicians?
62 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 3 of the 17 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 14 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Biological Technicians tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Input data into databases; Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings; Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel. They are three of the 11 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 95% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Biological Technicians, and what do they earn?
69,620 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $57,510 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +3.5% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Biological Technicians. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/biological-technicians
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