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Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health score 50 out of 100, which is elevated exposure to AI. That ranks #214 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 22 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 1 on its own and 20 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 3 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

50/ 100
Elevated
Rank
#214of 923 jobs
US workers
89,250BLS, May 2025
Median pay
$82,220a year
In real AI use
3 of 22tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

  • AI can speed this up on its own: 1 (5%)
  • AI can speed this up with extra software: 20 (91%)
  • Little or no AI speed-up: 1 (5%)
  • Plan or develop research models, using knowledge of mathematical and statistical concepts.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task
  • Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
  • Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Collect, synthesize, analyze, manage, and report environmental data, such as pollution emission measurements, atmospheric monitoring measurements, meteorological or mineralogical information, or soil or water samples.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
  • Provide advice on proper standards and regulations or the development of policies, strategies, or codes of practice for environmental management.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Prepare charts or graphs from data samples, providing summary information on the environmental relevance of the data.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Design or direct studies to obtain technical environmental information about planned projects.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Analyze data to determine validity, quality, and scientific significance and to interpret correlations between human activities and environmental effects.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Develop the technical portions of legal documents, administrative orders, or consent decrees.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use
  • Evaluate violations or problems discovered during inspections to determine appropriate regulatory actions or to provide advice on the development and prosecution of regulatory cases.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Develop methods to minimize the impact of production processes on the environment, based on the study and assessment of industrial production, environmental legislation, and physical, biological, and social environments.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Determine data collection methods to be employed in research projects or surveys.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Investigate and report on accidents affecting the environment.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Conduct applied research on environmental topics, such as waste control or treatment or pollution abatement methods.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Monitor environmental impacts of development activities.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Research sources of pollution to determine their effects on the environment and to develop theories or methods of pollution abatement or control.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Develop programs designed to obtain the most productive, non-damaging use of land.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

Similar jobs, lower exposure

Related occupations that score at least 10 points lower.

Other jobs in this field

Life, Physical, and Social Science occupations close to this one.

Questions about environmental scientists and specialists, including health and AI

Will AI replace environmental scientists and specialists, including health?

Not entirely. Parts of the job are likely to change as AI takes over routine tasks. Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health score 50 out of 100 (elevated exposure), #214 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 21 of the job's 22 tasks, 1 of them on its own, while 1 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which environmental scientists and specialists, including health tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Plan or develop research models, using knowledge of mathematical and statistical concepts".

Which environmental scientists and specialists, including health tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 3 of the 22 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as environmental scientists and specialists, including health, and what do they earn?

About 89,250 people in the US, with median pay of $82,220 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

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