Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or the health of the population. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.
AI Impact Summary
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health faces moderate AI displacement risk with a score of 32/100. This occupation has higher AI displacement risk than 51% of all analyzed occupations. Of 22 analyzed tasks, 1 are highly automatable, particularly routine cognitive tasks. Strong protective factors — including social intelligence, creativity, or regulatory barriers — significantly reduce effective risk.
Skill Impact Analysis
AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)
High reliance on Reading Comprehension is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
High reliance on Information Ordering is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
High reliance on Mathematics is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
High reliance on Mathematics is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
AI-Resistant Skills (11)
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Instructing is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Persuasion is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
AI-Augmented Skills (7)
Recommended Courses
Courses matched to Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health skill gaps, ranked by relevance to your displacement risk profile.
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Upskill to Reduce Risk
Courses addressing your most AI-vulnerable skills
SQL Fundamentals Skill Track
by DataCamp
Estimated Impact
AI-Augmentation Tools
Learn to work alongside AI and boost your productivity
Creative Writing Specialization
by Wesleyan University
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Strengthen Your Edge
Double down on skills AI can't replicate
Leading People and Teams Specialization
by University of Michigan
Estimated Impact
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Risk reduction and salary impact are estimates based on skill gap analysis, course relevance, and labor market data. Actual results vary by individual circumstance.
Education & Training
Percentage of workers at each education and training level
Education Level
Prior Experience Needed
Work experience required to enter this job
Training Provided After Hiring
How long it typically takes to learn on the job
How AI Impacts Each Task
22 tasks analyzed
Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements.
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.
Analyze data to determine validity, quality, and scientific significance and to interpret correlations between human activities and environmental effects.
Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
Develop the technical portions of legal documents, administrative orders, or consent decrees.
Provide advice on proper standards and regulations or the development of policies, strategies, or codes of practice for environmental management.
Prepare charts or graphs from data samples, providing summary information on the environmental relevance of the data.
Evaluate violations or problems discovered during inspections to determine appropriate regulatory actions or to provide advice on the development and prosecution of regulatory cases.
Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations.
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.
Determine data collection methods to be employed in research projects or surveys.
Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials.
Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff.
Design or direct studies to obtain technical environmental information about planned projects.
Plan or develop research models, using knowledge of mathematical and statistical concepts.
Investigate and report on accidents affecting the environment.
Conduct applied research on environmental topics, such as waste control or treatment or pollution abatement methods.
Monitor environmental impacts of development activities.
Research sources of pollution to determine their effects on the environment and to develop theories or methods of pollution abatement or control.
Develop programs designed to obtain the most productive, non-damaging use of land.
| Task | AI Capability | Risk | Time % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public. | 20Estimated | 23.0% | 6% | |
| Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements. | 50Estimated | 47.0% | 5% | |
| 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. | 47.92Observed | 46.2% | 8% | |
| Analyze data to determine validity, quality, and scientific significance and to interpret correlations between human activities and environmental effects. | 55.65Observed | 49.3% | 7% | |
| Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings. | 57.83Observed | 38.1% | 6% | |
| Develop the technical portions of legal documents, administrative orders, or consent decrees. | 70Estimated | 55.0% | 3% | |
| Provide advice on proper standards and regulations or the development of policies, strategies, or codes of practice for environmental management. | 56.53Observed | 37.6% | 4% | |
| Prepare charts or graphs from data samples, providing summary information on the environmental relevance of the data. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 4% | |
| Evaluate violations or problems discovered during inspections to determine appropriate regulatory actions or to provide advice on the development and prosecution of regulatory cases. | 41.3Observed | 43.5% | 5% | |
| Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations. | 25Estimated | 37.0% | 6% | |
| 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. | 50Estimated | 47.0% | 3% | |
| Determine data collection methods to be employed in research projects or surveys. | 51.52Observed | 47.6% | 3% | |
| Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials. | 35.3Observed | 63.3% | 6% | |
| Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control. | 60Estimated | 51.0% | 5% | |
| Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff. | 15Estimated | 21.0% | 4% | |
| Design or direct studies to obtain technical environmental information about planned projects. | 45Estimated | 45.0% | 4% | |
| Plan or develop research models, using knowledge of mathematical and statistical concepts. | 60.3Observed | 51.1% | 3% | |
| Investigate and report on accidents affecting the environment. | 30Estimated | 39.0% | 4% | |
| Conduct applied research on environmental topics, such as waste control or treatment or pollution abatement methods. | 50Estimated | 47.0% | 4% | |
| Monitor environmental impacts of development activities. | 60Estimated | 51.0% | 4% | |
| Research sources of pollution to determine their effects on the environment and to develop theories or methods of pollution abatement or control. | 50Estimated | 47.0% | 3% | |
| Develop programs designed to obtain the most productive, non-damaging use of land. | 55Estimated | 49.0% | 3% |
Protective Factors
Total protective discount: 30.5%
Essential Soft Skills
Traits that are hard for AI to replicate
Wage & Employment (2024)
Median Wage
$80,060
per year
Mean Wage
$88,640
per year
Employment
85K
workers
Wage Range
$50,130 - $134,830
10th - 90th pct
Wage Distribution
Explore other career paths
Compare displacement risk across occupations and find careers with stronger long-term prospects.
Alternate Career Paths
See all transitionsRange Managers
25%Median salary: $67,950
Higher risk than 18% of other occupations
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
29%Median salary: $72,860
Higher risk than 31% of other occupations
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
29%Median salary: $99,240
Higher risk than 33% of other occupations
Environmental Engineers
29%Median salary: $104,170
Higher risk than 34% of other occupations
Hydrologists
32%Median salary: $92,060
Higher risk than 50% of other occupations
Soil and Water Conservationists
32%Median salary: $67,950
Higher risk than 50% of other occupations
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
33%Higher risk than 55% of other occupations
Chemists
36%Median salary: $84,150
Higher risk than 68% of other occupations
Validation Engineers
38%Median salary: $117,750
Higher risk than 74% of other occupations
Environmental Compliance Inspectors
40%Median salary: $78,420
Higher risk than 79% of other occupations
Sales Managers
25%Higher risk than 20% of other occupations
Chief Executives
26%Higher risk than 23% of other occupations
General and Operations Managers
28%Higher risk than 29% of other occupations
Marketing Managers
30%Higher risk than 38% of other occupations
Advertising and Promotions Managers
31%Higher risk than 43% of other occupations
Computer and Information Systems Managers
31%Higher risk than 45% of other occupations
Recommendations
Skills to Develop
These skills are at risk from AI automation. Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health professionals should diversify beyond them.
- Reading Comprehension
High reliance on Reading Comprehension is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Information Ordering
High reliance on Information Ordering is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Mathematics
High reliance on Mathematics is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Mathematics
High reliance on Mathematics is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Memorization
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Skills to Leverage
These human-centric skills remain difficult for AI to replicate. Double down here.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Leadership
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Complex Problem Solving
Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Coordination
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Instructing
Instructing is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Tools to Adopt
AI can amplify these skills. Learn the tools that augment rather than replace your work.
- Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Writing
Writing will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Active Learning
Active Learning will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Monitoring
Monitoring will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Judgment and Decision Making
Judgment and Decision Making will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
Score History
Risk score over 2 scoring runs
overall change