# Biological Technicians

> Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.

- **SOC code:** 19-4021.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-4021-00
- **Also known as:** Biological Technician, Laboratory Technician, Research Associate, Research Technician, Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Biological Science Lab Tech), Biological Science Technician, Marine Fisheries Technician, Research Assistant
- **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):
- Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties.
- Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
- Participate in the research, development, or manufacturing of medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations.
- Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel.
- Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.
- Provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers working in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, resource management, biology, and health sciences.
- Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.
- Input data into databases.
- Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination.
- Set up, adjust, calibrate, clean, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory and field equipment.
- Clean, maintain and prepare supplies and work areas.
- Feed livestock or laboratory animals.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Biology _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Active Listening _(essential_skill)_
- Science _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Information Ordering _(ability)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Biology _(Specialized Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Active Learning _(Common Skill)_
- Writing _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft .NET Framework _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Acrobat _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(hot technology)_
- ESRI ArcGIS software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Access _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Project _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- SAS _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 44th percentile (Moderate) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 56th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 52nd percentile (Moderate) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 27th percentile (Low) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 39th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 3.5% growth (About average); 9.1k annual openings; 82.7k → 85.6k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $52,000; 76,190 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

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

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 41% automation, 55% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 4.0 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** directive.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings. _(11.7% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Conduct research or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals. _(0.6% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Participate in the research, development, or manufacturing of medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations. _(0.5% of measured AI use; learning)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.
- Help me conduct research or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
- Help me participate in the research, development, or manufacturing of medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations.

## 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-19-4021-00_