Will AI replace Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians?
AI reaches some of this job’s work, but most of it stays with people.
34/100
Moderate exposure
More exposed to AI than 52% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 5% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 49% of the work
What the job involves
Apply theory and principles of environmental engineering to modify, test, and operate equipment and devices used in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental problems, including waste treatment and site remediation, under the direction of engineering staff or scientists. May assist in the development of environmental remediation devices.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Already happening(1)
- Record laboratory or field data, including numerical data, test results, photographs, or summaries of visual observations.
Within reach(13)
- Maintain project logbook records or computer program files.
- Review technical documents to ensure completeness and conformance to requirements.
- Review work plans to schedule activities.
- Obtain product information, identify vendors or suppliers, or order materials or equipment to maintain inventory.
- Maintain process parameters and evaluate process anomalies.
and 8 more
Out of reach(9)
- Perform environmental quality work in field or office settings.
- Prepare and package environmental samples for shipping or testing.
- Decontaminate or test field equipment used to clean or test pollutants from soil, air, or water.
- Assist in the cleanup of hazardous material spills.
- Collect and analyze pollution samples, such as air or ground water.
and 4 more
Also called
Environmental Technician (Environmental Tech) · Environmental Tech · Air Analysis Technician (Air Analysis Tech) · Air Analysis Tech · Environmental Engineering Aide · Air Quality Instrument Specialist · EHS Engineer (Environmental, Health and Safety Engineer) · Engineer
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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