Biochemists and Biophysicists
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-1021.00
Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.
- 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
0.076
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
0.40
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 only24 rated tasks · 18 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (75.0%)
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
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % | APIRaw / share % |
|---|---|---|
Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes.19-1021.00 | 0.045945.5 | 0.041553.9 |
Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.19-1021.00 | 0.017917.7 | —0 |
Research how characteristics of plants or animals are carried through successive generations.19-1021.00 | 0.00979.6 | 0.00202.5 |
Investigate the nature, composition, or expression of genes or research how genetic engineering can impact these processes.19-1021.00 | 0.00454.5 | 0.008210.7 |
Produce pharmaceutically or industrially useful proteins, using recombinant DNA technology.19-1021.00 | 0.00383.8 | 0.00253.2 |
Study the chemistry of living processes, such as cell development, breathing and digestion, or living energy changes, such as growth, aging, or death.19-1021.00 | 0.00353.5 | —0 |
Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.19-1021.00 | 0.00333.3 | —0 |
Research the chemical effects of substances, such as drugs, serums, hormones, or food, on tissues or vital processes.19-1021.00 | 0.00333.3 | —0 |
Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.19-1021.00 | 0.00282.8 | —0 |
Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.19-1021.00 | 0.00282.8 | —0 |
Study the mutations in organisms that lead to cancer or other diseases.19-1021.00 | 0.00191.9 | 0.022729.6 |
Develop methods to process, store, or use foods, drugs, or chemical compounds.19-1021.00 | 0.00151.5 | —0 |
| Not observed on any surface — 11 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states. | ||
Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work. | —0 | —0 |
Develop or execute tests to detect diseases, genetic disorders, or other abnormalities. | —0 | —0 |
Study spatial configurations of submicroscopic molecules, such as proteins, using x-rays or electron microscopes. | —0 | —0 |
Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. | —0 | —0 |
Isolate, analyze, or synthesize vitamins, hormones, allergens, minerals, or enzymes and determine their effects on body functions. | —0 | —0 |
Design or perform experiments with equipment such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers. | —0 | —0 |
Develop or test new drugs or medications intended for commercial distribution. | —0 | —0 |
Prepare pharmaceutical compounds for commercial distribution. | —0 | —0 |
Research transformations of substances in cells, using atomic isotopes. | —0 | —0 |
Examine the molecular or chemical aspects of immune system functioning. | —0 | —0 |
Design or build laboratory equipment needed for special research projects. | —0 | —0 |
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 |
|---|---|
Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes.O*NET Task ID 12929 | 1.0 |
Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.O*NET Task ID 12932 | 1.0 |
Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.O*NET Task ID 21168 | 1.0 |
Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.O*NET Task ID 12930 | 0.5 |
Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.O*NET Task ID 12931 | 0.5 |
Develop or execute tests to detect diseases, genetic disorders, or other abnormalities.O*NET Task ID 12933 | 0.5 |
Develop or test new drugs or medications intended for commercial distribution.O*NET Task ID 12934 | 0.5 |
Study the mutations in organisms that lead to cancer or other diseases.O*NET Task ID 12935 | 0.5 |
Study spatial configurations of submicroscopic molecules, such as proteins, using x-rays or electron microscopes.O*NET Task ID 12936 | 0.5 |
Study the chemistry of living processes, such as cell development, breathing and digestion, or living energy changes, such as growth, aging, or death.O*NET Task ID 12937 | 0.5 |
Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules.O*NET Task ID 12938 | 0.5 |
Research the chemical effects of substances, such as drugs, serums, hormones, or food, on tissues or vital processes.O*NET Task ID 12940 | 0.5 |
Research how characteristics of plants or animals are carried through successive generations.O*NET Task ID 12941 | 0.5 |
Develop methods to process, store, or use foods, drugs, or chemical compounds.O*NET Task ID 12942 | 0.5 |
Investigate the nature, composition, or expression of genes or research how genetic engineering can impact these processes.O*NET Task ID 12943 | 0.5 |
Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.O*NET Task ID 12944 | 0.5 |
Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.O*NET Task ID 12948 | 0.5 |
Examine the molecular or chemical aspects of immune system functioning.O*NET Task ID 12950 | 0.5 |
Prepare pharmaceutical compounds for commercial distribution.O*NET Task ID 12939 | 0.0 |
Produce pharmaceutically or industrially useful proteins, using recombinant DNA technology.O*NET Task ID 12945 | 0.0 |
Isolate, analyze, or synthesize vitamins, hormones, allergens, minerals, or enzymes and determine their effects on body functions.O*NET Task ID 12946 | 0.0 |
Design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers.O*NET Task ID 12947 | 0.0 |
Research transformations of substances in cells, using atomic isotopes.O*NET Task ID 12949 | 0.0 |
Design or build laboratory equipment needed for special research projects.O*NET Task ID 12951 | 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®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (24)
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 |
|---|---|
| Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes. | Core |
| Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes. | Core |
| Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work. | Core |
| Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences. | Core |
| Develop or execute tests to detect diseases, genetic disorders, or other abnormalities. | Core |
| Develop or test new drugs or medications intended for commercial distribution. | Core |
| Study the mutations in organisms that lead to cancer or other diseases. | Core |
| Study spatial configurations of submicroscopic molecules, such as proteins, using x-rays or electron microscopes. | Core |
| Study the chemistry of living processes, such as cell development, breathing and digestion, or living energy changes, such as growth, aging, or death. | Core |
| Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. | Core |
| Research the chemical effects of substances, such as drugs, serums, hormones, or food, on tissues or vital processes. | Core |
| Research how characteristics of plants or animals are carried through successive generations. | Core |
| Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology. | Core |
| Isolate, analyze, or synthesize vitamins, hormones, allergens, minerals, or enzymes and determine their effects on body functions. | Core |
| Design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers. | Core |
| Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research. | Core |
| Research transformations of substances in cells, using atomic isotopes. | Core |
| Examine the molecular or chemical aspects of immune system functioning. | Core |
| Design or build laboratory equipment needed for special research projects. | Core |
| Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research. | Core |
| Prepare pharmaceutical compounds for commercial distribution. | Supplemental |
| Develop methods to process, store, or use foods, drugs, or chemical compounds. | Supplemental |
| Investigate the nature, composition, or expression of genes or research how genetic engineering can impact these processes. | Supplemental |
| Produce pharmaceutically or industrially useful proteins, using recombinant DNA technology. | Supplemental |
0.57/ 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 |
|---|---|
| Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes. | E0 none |
| Develop or execute tests to detect diseases, genetic disorders, or other abnormalities. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Develop or test new drugs or medications intended for commercial distribution. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Study the mutations in organisms that lead to cancer or other diseases. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Study spatial configurations of submicroscopic molecules, such as proteins, using x-rays or electron microscopes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Study the chemistry of living processes, such as cell development, breathing and digestion, or living energy changes, such as growth, aging, or death. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Research the chemical effects of substances, such as drugs, serums, hormones, or food, on tissues or vital processes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Research how characteristics of plants or animals are carried through successive generations. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Isolate, analyze, or synthesize vitamins, hormones, allergens, minerals, or enzymes and determine their effects on body functions. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Research transformations of substances in cells, using atomic isotopes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Examine the molecular or chemical aspects of immune system functioning. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Design or build laboratory equipment needed for special research projects. | E0 none |
| Prepare pharmaceutical compounds for commercial distribution. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Develop methods to process, store, or use foods, drugs, or chemical compounds. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Investigate the nature, composition, or expression of genes or research how genetic engineering can impact these processes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Produce pharmaceutically or industrially useful proteins, using recombinant DNA technology. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 35K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 40K
- Change (2025–35)
- +12.3%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $127,410
- Typical education needed for entry
- Doctoral or professional 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21112 | 의학 연구원 | This occupation is narrower | 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
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals study living organisms and their interactions with each other and with the environment, and apply this knowledge to solve human health and environmental problems. They work in diverse fields such as botany, zoology, ecology, marine biology, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, toxicology, physiology, bacteriology and virology.
Tasks
- (a) undertaking research in laboratories and in the field to increase scientific knowledge of living organisms; to discover new information; to test hypotheses; to solve problems in areas such as the environment, agriculture and health; and to develop new products, processes and techniques for pharmaceutical, agricultural and environmental use;
- (b) designing and conducting experiments and tests;
- (c) gathering human, animal, insect and plant specimens and data, and studying their origin, development, chemical and physical form, structure, composition, and life and reproductive processes;
- (d) examining living organisms using a variety of specialised equipment, instruments, technologies and techniques such as electron microscopes, telemetry, global positioning systems, biotechnology, satellite imaging, genetic engineering, digital imaging analysis, polymerase chain reaction and computer modelling;
- (e) identifying, classifying, recording and monitoring living organisms and maintaining databases;
- (f) writing scientific papers and reports detailing research and any new findings which are then made available to the scientific community in scientific journals or at conferences for scrutiny and further debate;
- (g) designing and carrying out environmental impact assessments to identify changes caused by natural or human factors;
- (h) providing advice to governments, organizations and businesses in areas such as conservation, management of natural resources, the effects of climate change and pollution.
Example occupations
Animal behaviourist · Bacteriologist · Biochemist · Biologist · Biomedical researcher · Biotechnologist · Botanist · Cell geneticist · Marine biologist · Microbiologist · Molecular biologist · Molecular geneticist · Pharmacologist · Zoologist
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.
- biochemistESCO 2131.4.2This occupation is broader
Biochemists study and perform research on the reactions caused by chemicals in living organisms. This includes performing research for the development or improvement of chemical-based products (e.g. medicine) aimed at improving the health of living organisms and at better understanding their reactions.
- biophysicistESCO 2131.4.4This occupation is broader
Biophysicists study the existing relation between living organisms and physics. They conduct research on living organisms based on the methods of physics that aim to explain the complexity of life, predict patterns, and draw conclusions about aspects of life. Biophysicists' research fields cover DNA, proteins, molecules, cells, and environments.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| K2402 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure de recherche scientifique | This occupation is narrower |
| H1206 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure R&D en industrie | Related, not a match |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2421 | Biólogos, botánicos, zoólogos y afines | This occupation is narrower |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 41284 | Berufe in der Biologie (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 41484 | Berufe in der Physik (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - 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 |
| 077 | 化学技術者（開発） | 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