Takeover Tracker
34%medium risk
Materials Scientists
vs

63 shared · 24 different

core competencies

36%medium risk
Industrial Engineers

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricMaterials ScientistsIndustrial Engineers
Risk Score34.3%35.9%
Risk TierMedium RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile63th68th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)8 / 159 / 15
Median Salary$104,160$101,140
Employment8K350K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Chemistry
Physics
Production and Processing
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
Analyzing Data or Information
Operations Analysis
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
Getting Information
Customer and Personal Service
Developing Objectives and Strategies

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Materials Scientists

31%

total discount

Industrial Engineers

31%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Materials Scientists

8 of 15 at risk
77%Test individual parts and products to ensure that manufacturer and governmental quality and safety standards are met.
70%Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold.
68%Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers.
55%Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.
53%Write research papers for publication in scientific journals.

Industrial Engineers

9 of 15 at risk
87%Complete production reports, purchase orders, and material, tool, and equipment lists.
85%Regulate and alter workflow schedules according to established manufacturing sequences and lead times to expedite production operations.
85%Record or oversee recording of information to ensure currency of engineering drawings and documentation of production problems.
55%Apply statistical methods and perform mathematical calculations to determine manufacturing processes, staff requirements, and production standards.
53%Review production schedules, engineering specifications, orders, and related information to obtain knowledge of manufacturing methods, procedures, and activities.

Wage Comparison

Industrial Engineers earns -$3,020(-3%) vs Materials Scientists
Materials ScientistsIndustrial Engineers
10th
$61,460$70,000
25th
$79,980$81,910
Median
$104,160$101,140
75th
$134,140$127,480
90th
$168,500$157,140

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Materials Scientists2028–2035
Industrial Engineers2028–2035
20242030203520402045

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

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Materials Scientists

$68,464

from $104,160

Industrial Engineers

$64,841

from $101,140

After adjusting for AI risk, Materials Scientists offers $3,624 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Materials

0

Unique to Industrial

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Decision Complexity
Creativity
Regulatory Barriers
Fine Manipulation
Materials ScientistsIndustrial Engineers
Find transitions from Materials ScientistsFind transitions from Industrial Engineers