Nanosystems Engineers
Architecture and Engineering Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2199.09
Design, develop, or supervise the production of materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition, applying principles of nanoscale physics and electrical, chemical, or biological engineering.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Very high· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.066
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.30
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only25 rated tasks · 23 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (92.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies.O*NET Task ID 16531 | 1.0 |
Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.O*NET Task ID 16537 | 1.0 |
Prepare nanotechnology-related invention disclosures or patent applications.O*NET Task ID 16538 | 1.0 |
Conduct research related to a range of nanotechnology topics, such as packaging, heat transfer, fluorescence detection, nanoparticle dispersion, hybrid systems, liquid systems, nanocomposites, nanofabrication, optoelectronics, or nanolithography.O*NET Task ID 16546 | 1.0 |
Develop catalysis or other green chemistry methods to synthesize nanomaterials, such as nanotubes, nanocrystals, nanorods, or nanowires.O*NET Task ID 19674 | 1.0 |
Develop green building nanocoatings, such as self-cleaning, anti-stain, depolluting, anti-fogging, anti-icing, antimicrobial, moisture-resistant, or ultraviolet protectant coatings.O*NET Task ID 19675 | 1.0 |
Reengineer nanomaterials to improve biodegradability.O*NET Task ID 19677 | 1.0 |
Supervise technologists or technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production.O*NET Task ID 16532 | 0.5 |
Identify new applications for existing nanotechnologies.O*NET Task ID 16534 | 0.5 |
Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.O*NET Task ID 16535 | 0.5 |
Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy.O*NET Task ID 16536 | 0.5 |
Develop processes or identify equipment needed for pilot or commercial nanoscale scale production.O*NET Task ID 16539 | 0.5 |
Provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems.O*NET Task ID 16540 | 0.5 |
Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems.O*NET Task ID 16542 | 0.5 |
Coordinate or supervise the work of suppliers or vendors in the designing, building, or testing of nanosystem devices, such as lenses or probes.O*NET Task ID 16543 | 0.5 |
Design or engineer nanomaterials, nanodevices, nano-enabled products, or nanosystems, using three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) software.O*NET Task ID 16544 | 0.5 |
Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes.O*NET Task ID 16545 | 0.5 |
Apply nanotechnology to improve the performance or reduce the environmental impact of energy products, such as fuel cells or solar cells.O*NET Task ID 19669 | 0.5 |
Design nano-based manufacturing processes to minimize water, chemical, or energy use, as well as to reduce waste production.O*NET Task ID 19670 | 0.5 |
Design nano-enabled products with reduced toxicity, increased durability, or improved energy efficiency.O*NET Task ID 19671 | 0.5 |
Design nanoparticle catalysts to detect or remove chemical or other pollutants from water, soil, or air.O*NET Task ID 19672 | 0.5 |
Design nanosystems with components such as nanocatalysts or nanofiltration devices to clean specific pollutants from hazardous waste sites.O*NET Task ID 19673 | 0.5 |
Integrate nanotechnology with antimicrobial properties into products, such as household or medical appliances, to reduce the development of bacteria or other microbes.O*NET Task ID 19676 | 0.5 |
Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques.O*NET Task ID 16533 | 0.0 |
Engineer production processes for specific nanotechnology applications, such as electroplating, nanofabrication, or epoxy.O*NET Task ID 16541 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (25)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies. | Core |
| Supervise technologists or technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production. | Core |
| Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques. | Core |
| Identify new applications for existing nanotechnologies. | Core |
| Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use. | Core |
| Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy. | Core |
| Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations. | Core |
| Develop processes or identify equipment needed for pilot or commercial nanoscale scale production. | Core |
| Provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems. | Core |
| Engineer production processes for specific nanotechnology applications, such as electroplating, nanofabrication, or epoxy. | Core |
| Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems. | Core |
| Coordinate or supervise the work of suppliers or vendors in the designing, building, or testing of nanosystem devices, such as lenses or probes. | Core |
| Design or engineer nanomaterials, nanodevices, nano-enabled products, or nanosystems, using three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) software. | Core |
| Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes. | Core |
| Conduct research related to a range of nanotechnology topics, such as packaging, heat transfer, fluorescence detection, nanoparticle dispersion, hybrid systems, liquid systems, nanocomposites, nanofabrication, optoelectronics, or nanolithography. | Core |
| Apply nanotechnology to improve the performance or reduce the environmental impact of energy products, such as fuel cells or solar cells. | Core |
| Design nano-enabled products with reduced toxicity, increased durability, or improved energy efficiency. | Core |
| Prepare nanotechnology-related invention disclosures or patent applications. | Supplemental |
| Design nano-based manufacturing processes to minimize water, chemical, or energy use, as well as to reduce waste production. | Supplemental |
| Design nanoparticle catalysts to detect or remove chemical or other pollutants from water, soil, or air. | Supplemental |
| Design nanosystems with components such as nanocatalysts or nanofiltration devices to clean specific pollutants from hazardous waste sites. | Supplemental |
| Develop catalysis or other green chemistry methods to synthesize nanomaterials, such as nanotubes, nanocrystals, nanorods, or nanowires. | Supplemental |
| Develop green building nanocoatings, such as self-cleaning, anti-stain, depolluting, anti-fogging, anti-icing, antimicrobial, moisture-resistant, or ultraviolet protectant coatings. | Supplemental |
| Integrate nanotechnology with antimicrobial properties into products, such as household or medical appliances, to reduce the development of bacteria or other microbes. | Supplemental |
| Reengineer nanomaterials to improve biodegradability. | Supplemental |
0.54/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy. | E2 structured facilities |
| Engineer production processes for specific nanotechnology applications, such as electroplating, nanofabrication, or epoxy. | E0 none |
| Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Conduct research related to a range of nanotechnology topics, such as packaging, heat transfer, fluorescence detection, nanoparticle dispersion, hybrid systems, liquid systems, nanocomposites, nanofabrication, optoelectronics, or nanolithography. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Apply nanotechnology to improve the performance or reduce the environmental impact of energy products, such as fuel cells or solar cells. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Develop catalysis or other green chemistry methods to synthesize nanomaterials, such as nanotubes, nanocrystals, nanorods, or nanowires. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Develop green building nanocoatings, such as self-cleaning, anti-stain, depolluting, anti-fogging, anti-icing, antimicrobial, moisture-resistant, or ultraviolet protectant coatings. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Integrate nanotechnology with antimicrobial properties into products, such as household or medical appliances, to reduce the development of bacteria or other microbes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Reengineer nanomaterials to improve biodegradability. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 17-2199 group (Engineers, all other), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 167K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 173K
- Change (2025–35)
- +3.7%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $122,930
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23319 | 그 외 금속‧재료공학 기술자 및 연구원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2149Engineering Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
This unit group covers engineering professionals not classified elsewhere in Minor Group 214: Engineering Professionals (excluding Electrotechnology) or in Minor Group 215: Electrotechnology Engineers. For instance, the group includes those who conduct research and advise on or develop engineering procedures and solutions concerning workplace safety, biomedical engineering, optics, materials, nuclear power generation and explosives.
Tasks
- In such cases tasks would include -
- (a) applying knowledge of engineering to the design, development and evaluation of biological and health systems and products such as artificial organs, prostheses and instrumentation;
- (b) designing devices used in various medical procedures and imaging systems such as magnetic resonance imaging, and devices for automating insulin injections or controlling body functions;
- (c) designing components of optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, lasers, optical disc systems and other equipment that utilize the properties of light;
- (d) designing, testing, and coordinating the development of explosive ordnance material to meet military procurement specifications;
- (e) designing and overseeing construction and operation of nuclear reactors and power plants and nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems;
- (f) designing and developing nuclear equipment such as reactor cores, radiation shielding and associated instrumentation and control mechanisms;
- (g) assessing damage and providing calculations for marine salvage operations;
- (h) studying and advising on engineering aspects of particular manufacturing processes, such as those related to glass, ceramics, textiles, leather products, wood and printing;
- (i) identifying potential hazards and introducing safety procedures and devices.
Example occupations
Biomedical engineer · Explosive ordnance engineer · Marine salvage engineer · Materials engineer · Nuclear power generation engineer · Optical engineer · Quantity surveyor · Safety engineer
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- nanoengineerESCO 2149.9.1Same scope
Nanoengineers combine the scientific knowledge of atomic and molecular particles with engineering principles for applications in a varied array of fields. They apply findings in chemistry, biology, and materials engineering, etc. They use technological knowledge for the improvement of existing applications or the creation of micro objects.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H1206 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure R&D en industrie | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| K2402 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure de recherche scientifique | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2439 | Ingenieros no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 2469 | Ingenieros técnicos no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 26324 | Berufe in der Mikrosystemtechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 051 | 自然科学系研究者 | Related, not a match |
| 072 | 電気・電子・電気通信技術者（通信ネットワーク技術者を除く）（開発） | Related, not a match |
| 079 | その他の製造技術者（開発） | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources