Soil and Plant Scientists
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-1013.00
Conduct research in breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants or trees, shrubs, and nursery stock, their growth in soils, and control of pests; or study the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as they relate to plant or crop growth. May classify and map soils and investigate effects of alternative practices on soil and crop productivity.
- 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
0.051
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, 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
0.29–0.40· 2 ISCO-08 groups
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.
ILO value for each linked ISCO-08 group
- ISCO-08 2131Biologists, Botanists, Zoologists and Related Professionals0.40
- ISCO-08 2132Farming, Forestry and Fisheries Advisers0.29
Task-level exposure
Show 21 hidden tasks27 rated tasks · 26 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (96.3%)
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
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.19-1013.00 | 0.117784.1 |
Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products.19-1013.00 | 0.00815.8 |
Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders.19-1013.00 | 0.00594.2 |
Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.19-1013.00 | 0.00443.2 |
Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.19-1013.00 | 0.00221.5 |
Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations.19-1013.00 | 0.00161.2 |
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 |
|---|---|
Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.O*NET Task ID 9021 | 0.5 |
Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.O*NET Task ID 9022 | 0.5 |
Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.O*NET Task ID 9023 | 0.5 |
Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.O*NET Task ID 9024 | 0.5 |
Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.O*NET Task ID 9025 | 0.5 |
Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.O*NET Task ID 9026 | 0.5 |
Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties.O*NET Task ID 9027 | 0.5 |
Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology.O*NET Task ID 9028 | 0.5 |
Conduct experiments investigating how soil forms, changes, or interacts with land-based ecosystems or living organisms.O*NET Task ID 9029 | 0.5 |
Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics.O*NET Task ID 9030 | 0.5 |
Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning.O*NET Task ID 9031 | 0.5 |
Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth.O*NET Task ID 9033 | 0.5 |
Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation.O*NET Task ID 9034 | 0.5 |
Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.O*NET Task ID 9035 | 0.5 |
Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products.O*NET Task ID 9036 | 0.5 |
Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems.O*NET Task ID 9037 | 0.5 |
Develop ways of altering soils to suit different types of plants.O*NET Task ID 9038 | 0.5 |
Study insect distribution or habitat and recommend methods to prevent importation or spread of injurious species.O*NET Task ID 9039 | 0.5 |
Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders.O*NET Task ID 9040 | 0.5 |
Conduct research into the use of plant species as green fuels or in the production of green fuels.O*NET Task ID 19750 | 0.5 |
Develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or pests.O*NET Task ID 19751 | 0.5 |
Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations.O*NET Task ID 19753 | 0.5 |
Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting.O*NET Task ID 19754 | 0.5 |
Plan or supervise waste management programs for composting or farming.O*NET Task ID 20198 | 0.5 |
Plan or supervise land conservation or reclamation programs for industrial development projects.O*NET Task ID 20199 | 0.5 |
Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment.O*NET Task ID 23903 | 0.5 |
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®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (27)
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 |
|---|---|
| Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops. | Core |
| Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion. | Core |
| Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity. | Core |
| Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies. | Core |
| Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates. | Core |
| Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects. | Core |
| Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties. | Core |
| Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology. | Core |
| Conduct experiments investigating how soil forms, changes, or interacts with land-based ecosystems or living organisms. | Core |
| Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics. | Core |
| Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth. | Core |
| Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation. | Core |
| Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests. | Core |
| Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products. | Core |
| Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems. | Core |
| Develop ways of altering soils to suit different types of plants. | Core |
| Develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or pests. | Core |
| Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting. | Core |
| Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment. | Core |
| Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning. | Supplemental |
| Study insect distribution or habitat and recommend methods to prevent importation or spread of injurious species. | Supplemental |
| Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders. | Supplemental |
| Conduct experiments regarding causes of bee diseases or factors affecting yields of nectar or pollen. | Supplemental |
| Conduct research into the use of plant species as green fuels or in the production of green fuels. | Supplemental |
| Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations. | Supplemental |
| Plan or supervise waste management programs for composting or farming. | Supplemental |
| Plan or supervise land conservation or reclamation programs for industrial development projects. | Supplemental |
0.14/ 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 |
|---|---|
| Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates. | E0 none |
| Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties. | E0 none |
| Conduct experiments investigating how soil forms, changes, or interacts with land-based ecosystems or living organisms. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning. | E0 none |
| Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Conduct experiments regarding causes of bee diseases or factors affecting yields of nectar or pollen. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 20K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 21K
- Change (2025–35)
- +6.7%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $78,850
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21114 | 농학 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 21115 | 임학 연구원 | This occupation is broader | 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 2131Biologists, Botanists, Zoologists and Related Professionals
- ISCO-08 2132Farming, Forestry and Fisheries Advisers
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.
- agricultural scientistESCO 2132.1This occupation is narrower
Agricultural scientists research and study soil, animals and plants with the objective of improving agricultural processes, the quality of agricultural products or the impact of agricultural processes on the environment. They plan and implement projects such as development projects on behalf of clients or institutions.
- agronomistESCO 2132.2This occupation is broader
Agronomists provide consulting services to companies, agricultural cooperatives, agronomical crop growers and horticultural crop growers on the cultivation of food crops. They study the science, technology and business related to growing plants. They examine crops and perform experiments in order to improve crop yields and farms' production. Agronomists also examine the most effective ways to harvest and cultivate plants.
- soil scientistESCO 2133.11This occupation is broader
Soil scientists research and study the scientific discipline concerning soil. They advise on how to improve soil quality to support nature, food production or human infrastructure using surveying techniques, irrigation techniques and erosion reduction measures. They make sure to conserve and restore land suffering from intense farming or human interaction.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| F1119 | Pédologue | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| A1303 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure d'études et de recherche agricoles | Overlapping, not the sameprovisional |
| K2419 | Botaniste | Overlapping, not the sameprovisional |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2422 | Ingenieros agrónomos | This occupation is narrower |
| 2421 | Biólogos, botánicos, zoólogos y afines | Related, not a match |
| 2423 | Ingenieros de montes | Related, not a match |
| 2427 | Enólogos | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 12104 | Berufe im Gartenbau (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 41244 | Berufe in der Biologie (Botanik) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 11104 | Berufe in der Landwirtschaft (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Overlapping, not the same |
| 42114 | Berufe in der Geotechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 11184 | Berufe in der Landwirtschaft (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 11604 | Berufe im Weinbau - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
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 | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 061 | 農林水産技術者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
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