Takeover Tracker
32%medium risk
Materials Engineers
vs

71 shared · 16 different

core competencies

37%medium risk
Food Scientists and Technologists

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricMaterials EngineersFood Scientists and Technologists
Risk Score31.7%36.9%
Risk TierMedium RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile49th72th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)6 / 158 / 13
Median Salary$108,310$85,310
Employment23K14K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Biology
Engineering and Technology
Design
Mechanical
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
Physics
Science
Computers and Electronics
Developing and Building Teams
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
MathematicsAI-Vulnerable

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Materials Engineers

31%

total discount

Food Scientists and Technologists

32%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Materials Engineers

6 of 15 at risk
86%Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
84%Monitor material performance and evaluate material deterioration.
76%Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
53%Review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
51%Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.

Food Scientists and Technologists

8 of 13 at risk
76%Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
72%Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
68%Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
54%Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
53%Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.

Wage Comparison

Food Scientists and Technologists earns -$23,000(-21%) vs Materials Engineers
Materials EngineersFood Scientists and Technologists
10th
$68,040$49,580
25th
$85,820$65,240
Median
$108,310$85,310
75th
$138,370$111,700
90th
$172,000$141,860

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Materials Engineers2028–2035
Food Scientists and Technologists2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Materials Engineers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Food Scientists and Technologists.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Materials Engineers

$73,987

from $108,310

Food Scientists and Technologists

$53,822

from $85,310

After adjusting for AI risk, Materials Engineers offers $20,164 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Materials

0

Unique to Food

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Regulatory Barriers
Social Intelligence
Decision Complexity
Creativity
Materials EngineersFood Scientists and Technologists
Find transitions from Materials EngineersFind transitions from Food Scientists and Technologists