Molecular and Cellular Biologists
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-1029.02
Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization.
- 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
0.245
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
0.40
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 only22 rated tasks · 18 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (81.8%)
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, manuscripts, and meeting presentations.19-1029.02 | 0.033448.3 | 0.020946.2 |
Conduct applied research aimed at improvements in areas such as disease testing, crop quality, pharmaceuticals, and the harnessing of microbes to recycle waste.19-1029.02 | 0.015422.4 | 0.012227.0 |
Participate in all levels of bioproduct development, including proposing new products, performing market analyses, designing and performing experiments, and collaborating with operations and quality control teams during product launches.19-1029.02 | 0.007811.3 | 0.008619.0 |
Evaluate new technologies to enhance or complement current research.19-1029.02 | 0.00537.7 | 0.00163.5 |
Instruct undergraduate and graduate students within the areas of cellular or molecular biology.19-1029.02 | 0.00365.3 | —0 |
Develop guidelines for procedures such as the management of viruses.19-1029.02 | 0.00192.7 | —0 |
Design molecular or cellular laboratory experiments, oversee their execution, and interpret results.19-1029.02 | 0.00172.4 | —0 |
Direct, coordinate, organize, or prioritize biological laboratory activities. | —0 | 0.00194.2 |
| Not observed on any surface — 13 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. | ||
Verify all financial, physical, and human resources assigned to research or development projects are used as planned. | —0 | —0 |
Coordinate molecular or cellular research activities with scientists specializing in other fields. | —0 | —0 |
Supervise technical personnel and postdoctoral research fellows. | —0 | —0 |
Provide scientific direction for project teams regarding the evaluation or handling of devices, drugs, or cells for in vitro and in vivo disease models. | —0 | —0 |
Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis. | —0 | —0 |
Monitor or operate specialized equipment such as gas chromatographs and high pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers. | —0 | —0 |
Maintain accurate laboratory records and data. | —0 | —0 |
Develop assays that monitor cell characteristics. | —0 | —0 |
Compile and analyze molecular or cellular experimental data and adjust experimental designs as necessary. | —0 | —0 |
Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation. | —0 | —0 |
Evaluate new supplies and equipment to ensure operability in specific laboratory settings. | —0 | —0 |
Confer with vendors to evaluate new equipment or reagents or to discuss the customization of product lines to meet user requirements. | —0 | —0 |
Design databases such as mutagenesis libraries. | —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 |
|---|---|
Maintain accurate laboratory records and data.O*NET Task ID 16807 | 1.0 |
Design databases, such as mutagenesis libraries.O*NET Task ID 16812 | 1.0 |
Write grant applications to obtain funding.O*NET Task ID 23904 | 1.0 |
Prepare or review reports, manuscripts, or meeting presentations.O*NET Task ID 23905 | 1.0 |
Verify all financial, physical, and human resources assigned to research or development projects are used as planned.O*NET Task ID 16796 | 0.5 |
Participate in all levels of bioproduct development, including proposing new products, performing market analyses, designing and performing experiments, and collaborating with operations and quality control teams during product launches.O*NET Task ID 16797 | 0.5 |
Develop guidelines for procedures such as the management of viruses.O*NET Task ID 16799 | 0.5 |
Coordinate molecular or cellular research activities with scientists specializing in other fields.O*NET Task ID 16800 | 0.5 |
Confer with vendors to evaluate new equipment or reagents or to discuss the customization of product lines to meet user requirements.O*NET Task ID 16801 | 0.5 |
Provide scientific direction for project teams regarding the evaluation or handling of devices, drugs, or cells for in vitro and in vivo disease models.O*NET Task ID 16804 | 0.5 |
Instruct undergraduate and graduate students within the areas of cellular or molecular biology.O*NET Task ID 16808 | 0.5 |
Evaluate new technologies to enhance or complement current research.O*NET Task ID 16809 | 0.5 |
Direct, coordinate, organize, or prioritize biological laboratory activities.O*NET Task ID 16810 | 0.5 |
Develop assays that monitor cell characteristics.O*NET Task ID 16811 | 0.5 |
Design molecular or cellular laboratory experiments, oversee their execution, and interpret results.O*NET Task ID 16813 | 0.5 |
Compile and analyze molecular or cellular experimental data and adjust experimental designs as necessary.O*NET Task ID 16814 | 0.5 |
Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation.O*NET Task ID 16815 | 0.5 |
Conduct applied research aimed at improvements in areas such as disease testing, crop quality, pharmaceuticals, and the harnessing of microbes to recycle waste.O*NET Task ID 16816 | 0.5 |
Evaluate new supplies and equipment to ensure operability in specific laboratory settings.O*NET Task ID 16798 | 0.0 |
Supervise technical personnel and postdoctoral research fellows.O*NET Task ID 16802 | 0.0 |
Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis.O*NET Task ID 16805 | 0.0 |
Monitor or operate specialized equipment, such as gas chromatographs and high pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers.O*NET Task ID 16806 | 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 (22)
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 |
|---|---|
| Verify all financial, physical, and human resources assigned to research or development projects are used as planned. | Core |
| Evaluate new supplies and equipment to ensure operability in specific laboratory settings. | Core |
| Develop guidelines for procedures such as the management of viruses. | Core |
| Coordinate molecular or cellular research activities with scientists specializing in other fields. | Core |
| Supervise technical personnel and postdoctoral research fellows. | Core |
| Provide scientific direction for project teams regarding the evaluation or handling of devices, drugs, or cells for in vitro and in vivo disease models. | Core |
| Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis. | Core |
| Monitor or operate specialized equipment, such as gas chromatographs and high pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers. | Core |
| Maintain accurate laboratory records and data. | Core |
| Instruct undergraduate and graduate students within the areas of cellular or molecular biology. | Core |
| Evaluate new technologies to enhance or complement current research. | Core |
| Direct, coordinate, organize, or prioritize biological laboratory activities. | Core |
| Develop assays that monitor cell characteristics. | Core |
| Design molecular or cellular laboratory experiments, oversee their execution, and interpret results. | Core |
| Compile and analyze molecular or cellular experimental data and adjust experimental designs as necessary. | Core |
| Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation. | Core |
| Conduct applied research aimed at improvements in areas such as disease testing, crop quality, pharmaceuticals, and the harnessing of microbes to recycle waste. | Core |
| Write grant applications to obtain funding. | Core |
| Prepare or review reports, manuscripts, or meeting presentations. | Core |
| Participate in all levels of bioproduct development, including proposing new products, performing market analyses, designing and performing experiments, and collaborating with operations and quality control teams during product launches. | Supplemental |
| Confer with vendors to evaluate new equipment or reagents or to discuss the customization of product lines to meet user requirements. | Supplemental |
| Design databases, such as mutagenesis libraries. | Supplemental |
0.37/ 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 |
|---|---|
| Evaluate new supplies and equipment to ensure operability in specific laboratory settings. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Monitor or operate specialized equipment, such as gas chromatographs and high pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Develop assays that monitor cell characteristics. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Conduct applied research aimed at improvements in areas such as disease testing, crop quality, pharmaceuticals, and the harnessing of microbes to recycle waste. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Participate in all levels of bioproduct development, including proposing new products, performing market analyses, designing and performing experiments, and collaborating with operations and quality control teams during product launches. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 19-1029 group (Biological scientists, all other), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 60K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 62K
- Change (2025–35)
- +4.7%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $98,920
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21111 | 생물학 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.
- biologistESCO 2131.4This occupation is narrower
Biologists study living organisms and life in its broader extent in combination with its environment. Through research, they strive to explain the functional mechanisms, interactions, and evolution of organisms.
- biochemistESCO 2131.4.2Overlapping, not the same
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.
- bioinformatics scientistESCO 2131.3Overlapping, not the same
Bioinformatics scientists analyse biological processes using computer programmes. They maintain or construct databases containing biological information. Bioinformatics scientists gather and analyse biological data and may also assist scientists in various fields, including in biotechnology and pharmaceutics. They perform scientific research and statistical analyses, and report on their findings. Bioinformatics scientists may also collect DNA samples, discover data patterns and conduct genetic research.
- biophysicistESCO 2131.4.4Overlapping, not the same
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.
- microbiologistESCO 2131.4.9Overlapping, not the same
Microbiologists study and research the life forms, characteristics, and processes of microscopic organisms. They study microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, etc. in order to diagnose and counteract the effects that these microorganisms might have in animals, in the environment, in the food industry, or in the health care industry.
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 narrowerprovisional |
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 |
| 41283 | Berufe in der Biologie (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | 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 |
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