AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 19-1031.00

Will AI replace Conservation Scientists?

Conservation Scientists: AI can already handle 16 of 30 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 30 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Conservation Scientists, from most to least exposed. 16 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Compile or interpret biodata to determine extent or type of wetlands or to aid in program formulation. 80 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives. 75 Estimated Frontier 4.5
Compute cost estimates of different conservation practices, based on needs of land users, maintenance requirements, or life expectancy of practices. 75 Estimated Standard 4.0
Visit areas affected by erosion problems to identify causes or determine solutions. 75 Estimated Standard 4.0
Enter local soil, water, or other environmental data into adaptive or Web-based decision tools to identify appropriate analyses or techniques. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Respond to complaints or questions on wetland jurisdiction, providing information or clarification. 75 Estimated Standard 3.8
Manage field offices or involve staff in cooperative ventures. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Initiate, schedule, or conduct annual audits or compliance checks of program implementation by local government. 75 Estimated Standard 3.5
Conduct fact-finding or mediation sessions among government units, landowners, or other agencies to resolve disputes. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.3
Review or approve amendments to comprehensive local water plans or conservation district plans. 65 Estimated Standard 3.8
Review proposed wetland restoration easements or provide technical recommendations. 65 Estimated Standard 3.8
Review annual reports of counties, conservation districts, or watershed management organizations, certifying compliance with mandated reporting requirements. 65 Estimated Standard 3.4
Review grant applications or make funding recommendations. 65 Estimated Standard 3.4
Advise land users, such as farmers or ranchers, on plans, problems, or alternative conservation solutions. 60 Estimated Frontier 4.2
Gather information from geographic information systems (GIS) databases or applications to formulate land use recommendations. 60 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Identify or recommend integrated weed and pest management (IPM) strategies, such as resistant plants, cultural or behavioral controls, soil amendments, insects, natural enemies, barriers, or pesticides. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.4
Plan soil management or conservation practices, such as crop rotation, reforestation, permanent vegetation, contour plowing, or terracing, to maintain soil or conserve water. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.4
Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications. 50 Estimated Standard 4.3
Implement soil or water management techniques, such as nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, or filter strips, in accordance with conservation plans. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.2
Compute design specifications for implementation of conservation practices, using survey or field information, technical guides or engineering manuals. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.2
Participate on work teams to plan, develop, or implement programs or policies for improving environmental habitats, wetlands, or groundwater or soil resources. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Develop or maintain working relationships with local government staff or board members. 50 Estimated Standard 4.0
Revisit land users to view implemented land use practices or plans. 50 Estimated Standard 4.0
Develop, conduct, or participate in surveys, studies, or investigations of various land uses to inform corrective action plans. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Coordinate or implement technical, financial, or administrative assistance programs for local government units to ensure efficient program implementation or timely responses to requests for assistance. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Develop water conservation or harvest plans, using weather information systems, irrigation information management systems, or other sources of daily evapotranspiration (ET) data. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Develop soil maps. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Develop or conduct environmental studies, such as plant material field trials or wildlife habitat impact studies. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.4
Provide information, knowledge, expertise, or training to government agencies at all levels to solve water or soil management problems or to assure coordination of resource protection activities. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Analyze results of investigations to determine measures needed to maintain or restore proper soil management. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.9

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 30 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 30 of 30. 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 frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% 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
25,950
Median annual wage
$73,010
Middle half of earners
$57,700 to $91,560
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+3.4%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.

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.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Conservation Scientists and AI

Will AI replace Conservation Scientists?

AI already handles 16 of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 59 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 +3.4% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Conservation Scientists?

59 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. 0 of the 30 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 30 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Conservation Scientists tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Compile or interpret biodata to determine extent or type of wetlands or to aid in program formulation; Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives; Compute cost estimates of different conservation practices, based on needs of land users, maintenance requirements, or life expectancy of practices. They are three of the 16 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% 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 Conservation Scientists, and what do they earn?

25,950 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $73,010 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +3.4% 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: Conservation Scientists. 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/conservation-scientists

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