Will AI replace Biological Technicians?
AI reaches some of this job’s work, but most of it stays with people.
25/100
Moderate exposure
More exposed to AI than 43% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 4% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 44% of the work
What the job involves
Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Already happening(1)
- Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.
Within reach(7)
- Input data into databases.
- Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties.
- Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.
- 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.
- Place orders for laboratory equipment and supplies.
and 2 more
Out of reach(10)
- Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
- Clean, maintain and prepare supplies and work areas.
- Set up, adjust, calibrate, clean, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory and field equipment.
- Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel.
- Monitor laboratory work to ensure compliance with set standards.
and 5 more
Also called
Microbiology Technician (Microbiology Tech) · Biological Aide · Microbiology Tech · Biological Science Technician (Biological Science Tech) · Marine Fisheries Technician (Marine Fisheries Tech) · Research Associate · Babcock Tester · Bacteriology Research Assistant
Related jobs
What these numbers mean
The score is the share of this job’s work, weighted by how important and frequent each task is, that AI could do in half the time: tasks an AI model could do alone count in full, tasks that need software built on AI count half.
“AI already used” is the share of the work in tasks where people are recorded using AI today. “As AI tools mature” counts every task AI could halve, with or without extra software.
The percentile compares the score with every job’s, weighted by how many people in the US do each one. Exposure means AI could change how the work is done, not that the job goes away. These are estimates for the typical job, not predictions.
Sources
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs (task labels), Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropic Economic Index: labor market impacts (task penetration), Anthropic
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics