# Chemists

> Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.

- **SOC code:** 19-2031.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-2031-00
- **Also known as:** Analytical Chemist, Chemist, Research Chemist, Scientist, Air Quality Chemist, Chemical Lab Scientist (Chemical Laboratory Scientist), Forensic Chemist, Product Development Chemist
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- Conduct quality control tests.
- Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- Prepare test solutions, compounds, or reagents for laboratory personnel to conduct tests.
- Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
- Compile and analyze test information to determine process or equipment operating efficiency or to diagnose malfunctions.
- Confer with scientists or engineers to conduct analyses of research projects, interpret test results, or develop nonstandard tests.
- Evaluate laboratory safety procedures to ensure compliance with standards or to make improvements as needed.
- Direct, coordinate, or advise personnel in test procedures for analyzing components or physical properties of materials.
- Purchase laboratory supplies, such as chemicals, when supplies are low or near their expiration date.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Chemistry _(knowledge)_
- Science _(essential_skill)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Written Expression _(ability)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Speaking _(essential_skill)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Chemistry _(Specialized Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Writing _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Complex Problem Solving _(Common Skill)_
- Active Learning _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology, in demand)_
- C _(hot technology)_
- C++ _(hot technology)_
- Extensible markup language XML _(hot technology)_
- Hypertext markup language HTML _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Access _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Visio _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Visual Basic _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Oracle Java _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 64th percentile (Moderate) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 60th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 54th percentile (Moderate) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 77th percentile (High) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 29th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 4.9% growth (About average); 6.3k annual openings; 86.8k → 91k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $84,150; 83,250 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 34% automation, 62% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 4.0 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** learning.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques. _(16.7% of measured AI use; learning)_
- Study effects of various methods of processing, preserving, or packaging on composition or properties of foods. _(0.7% of measured AI use; learning)_
- Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis. _(0.6% of measured AI use; learning)_
- Confer with scientists or engineers to conduct analyses of research projects, interpret test results, or develop nonstandard tests. _(0.5% of measured AI use; feedback loop)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- Help me study effects of various methods of processing, preserving, or packaging on composition or properties of foods.
- Help me induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- Help me confer with scientists or engineers to conduct analyses of research projects, interpret test results, or develop nonstandard tests.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-2031-00_