Skip to content
Singulariki

Park Naturalists

Occupation · SOC 19-1031.03

Plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform public of historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local park.

Also called: Naturalist · Park Guide · Park Naturalist · Park Ranger · Environmental Education Specialist · Environmental Educator · Interpretive Naturalist · Natural Resource Educator · Park Activities Coordinator · Park Interpretive Specialist · Camp Ranger · Interpretation Park Ranger

Job family: Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Take this to your AI
Download .md

A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch /roles/role-19-1031-03/context.md directly.

AI work map

A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.

57th-percentile task overlap — yet about 2,500 openings a year (+3.4% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

Measure Rank vs all occupations Percentile Score
Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate 50th 0.1
LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) High 71st 0.8
AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Moderate 52nd 0.2

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.2), with simple added tooling (β 0.5), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.8). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.

Historical automation estimate (2013)

A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.

Frey–Osborne probability 0.0 · 12th percentile among occupations · Low

How AI is actually used in this job

Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.

Prepare and present illustrated lectures and interpretive talks about park features. 0.2%

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

Outlook About average · +3.4% by 2034
Projected annual openings 2,500
Employment 2024 → 2034 28,500 → 29,500

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient

The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.

38% mean task exposure (2025)
74th percentile of 427 placed occupations
+3 pts shift 2023 → 2025
International occupation (ISCO-08) Task exposure (2025) Most tasks fall in
Environmental Protection Professionals · 2133 38% Minimal

Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.

Tasks

All 18 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

Emerging tasks

Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.

  • Train staff and volunteers on park programs.

Work activities

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service 4.5
Education and Training 4.0
English Language 3.8
Public Safety and Security 3.6
Biology 3.6
Communications and Media 3.4
History and Archeology 3.3
Law and Government 3.3
Geography 3.3

Essential skills

Speaking 4.1
Reading Comprehension 3.9
Active Listening 3.9
Writing 3.8
Critical Thinking 3.6
Active Learning 3.3
Learning Strategies 3.3
Monitoring 3.1

Abilities

Oral Expression 4.1
Speech Clarity 4.1
Oral Comprehension 4.0
Written Comprehension 3.8
Written Expression 3.8
Speech Recognition 3.8
Deductive Reasoning 3.6
Problem Sensitivity 3.5
Near Vision 3.5
Inductive Reasoning 3.4
Information Ordering 3.4
Fluency of Ideas 3.3
Far Vision 3.3
Originality 3.1
Category Flexibility 3.1

Transferable skills

Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Service Orientation 3.5
Instructing 3.3
Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
Coordination 3.1
Complex Problem Solving 3.1
Time Management 3.0
Management of Personnel Resources 3.0

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

Showing the top 40 of 41.

Tools & technology

Example Category
Microsoft Office software Office suite software Hot technology In demand
Adobe Acrobat Document management software Hot technology
Facebook Web page creation and editing software Hot technology
Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP Web platform development software Hot technology
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software Hot technology
Microsoft Outlook Electronic mail software Hot technology
Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation software Hot technology
Microsoft Word Word processing software Hot technology
Adobe PageMaker Desktop publishing software
Email software Electronic mail software
Mapping software Map creation software
MicroFocus GroupWise Electronic mail software
Web browser software Internet browser software

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

E-Mail 4.9
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General 4.6
Telephone Conversations 4.6
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 4.5
Contact With Others 4.4
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team 4.3
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled 4.3
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals 4.1
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities 4.0
Public Speaking 3.9
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions 3.8
Freedom to Make Decisions 3.7
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled 3.7
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results 3.5
Physical Proximity 3.5
Outdoors, Under Cover 3.4
Health and Safety of Other Workers 3.3
Frequency of Decision Making 3.2
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment 3.1
Spend Time Sitting 3.1
Spend Time Standing 3.1
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers 3.0
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable 3.0
Written Letters and Memos 3.0
Time Pressure 2.9
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures 2.9
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings 2.8
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate 2.7
Level of Competition 2.7
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks 2.7
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People 2.7
Conflict Situations 2.6
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls 2.5
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions 2.5
Spend Time Walking or Running 2.4
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets 2.4
Exposed to Contaminants 2.1
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body 2.0
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions 2.0
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling 2.0

How to get in

Job zone
Zone 4 — Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
Related experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Preparation level
SVP (7.0 to < 8.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

What to study: Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences , Biological and Biomedical Sciences , Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies , Natural Resources and Conservation . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Bachelor's Degree 49.8%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) 25.7%
High School Diploma 10.9%
Master's Degree 10.2%
Some College Courses 2.1%
Post-Secondary Certificate 1.4%

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Interest areas

Nature/Outdoors 6.2
Teaching/Education 5.1
Public Speaking 5.1
Personal Service 4.4
Humanities 3.5
Media 3.3
Life Science 3.3
Protective Service 2.9
Management/Administration 2.8

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Social 4.9
Realistic 4.4
Investigative 4.2
Artistic 3.7
Enterprising 3.5
Conventional 3.4

Work styles

Dependability 3.0

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

$45k10th$53k25th$68kMedian$88k75th$108k90th
Annual wages by percentile — U.S. (BLS OEWS). The light band spans the 10th–90th percentile; the darker band is the middle half (25th–75th); the line is the median.
29k202430k2034 (proj.)+3.4% · About average
Projected U.S. employment, 2024–2034 (BLS Employment Projections). A labor-market forecast for the occupation, not an AI-impact forecast.
10th percentile $45,260
25th percentile $53,190
Median (50th) $67,950
75th percentile $87,980
90th percentile $107,720
People employed 25,590

Wages and employment are reported by BLS for the broader occupation group this specialty belongs to (SOC 19-1031), not for the specialty alone.

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Industry Workers National median pay
Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector 5,250 $62,940
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector 1,170 $72,010
Educational Services · Sector 830 $64,110
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation · Sector 330 $49,980
Engineering Services · National industry 270 $76,020
Testing Laboratories and Services · National industry 90 $66,330
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector 50 $76,990
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing · Sector — $77,590

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Industry Concentration Workers
Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector 7.15× 5,250
Engineering Services · National industry 1.41× 270
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation · Sector 0.75× 330
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector 0.65× 1,170
Educational Services · Sector 0.37× 830

Part of the Energy & Natural Resources and Public Service & Safety career clusters.

Exposure quadrant: AI task-overlap percentile vs Median pay Park Naturalists sits at the 57th percentile of AI task-overlap and the 58th percentile of median pay, placed here against 11 adjacent occupations on the same two axes. Lower overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · lower pay Lower overlap · lower pay Park Naturalists Forest and Conservation Technicians Foresters Recreation Workers Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary AI task-overlap percentile → ↑ Median pay
AI task-overlap percentile (horizontal) vs. median-pay percentile (vertical), across all scored occupations. This occupation is highlighted; related occupations are plotted alongside it. Overlap measures shared tasks with AI, not automation.

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Park Naturalists — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Skills that travel

Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.

Adjacent roles

Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.

Paths in

How people typically prepare for this work.

Zoom out

On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 74th percentile of 427 international occupations.

Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation

Park Naturalists show 57th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,500 annual U.S. openings

  • Park Naturalists rank in the 57th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
  • The occupation is projected to see about 2,500 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • BLS projects employment to be about average (+3.4%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • Median annual pay is $67,950, across about 25,590 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Park Naturalists show 57th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,500 annual U.S. openings

• Park Naturalists rank in the 57th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE)
• The occupation is projected to see about 2,500 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• BLS projects employment to be about average (+3.4%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• Median annual pay is $67,950, across about 25,590 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024))

Source: Singulariki — "Park Naturalists". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-1031-03
Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom

Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Park Naturalists." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-1031-03

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Park Naturalists. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-1031-03

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-role-19-1031-03,
  title  = {Park Naturalists},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-1031-03}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.

Embed this chart

Paste this into any page. It links back here for attribution.