Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
The short answer
This job is expected to meaningfully change. AI can already assist with or automate many of its tasks. In New York State, the number of these jobs is expected to grow over the next decade, with about 506 openings expected each year.
Where your job stands
Compared with other New York jobs, this one is in the second most exposed fifth for how much AI could touch it. That doesn't mean the job goes away—it means more of its tasks are the kind AI can help with.
How much AI could touch this job
Looking at the job itself, AI could help with more than half of this job's tasks.
What this means
Compared with other New York jobs, this one is in the second most exposed fifth, out of 656 jobs we could rank. Read more in the methodology.
What AI can and can’t help with in this job
The score comes from the real, day-to-day tasks of this job—not a guess about the job as a whole. Below are the tasks that matter most in this job, split by whether AI can help with them.
AI can help with or automate about 98% of the tasks in this job.
Tasks AI can help with or automate
Provide analytical support for policy briefs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or climate change.
AI could help, but needs extra software
Propose new or modified policies involving use of traditional and alternative fuels, transportation of goods, and other factors relating to climate and climate change.
AI could help, but needs extra software
Develop environmental restoration project schedules and budgets.
AI could help, but needs extra software
Provide technical direction on environmental planning to energy engineers, biologists, geologists, or other professionals working to develop restoration plans or strategies.
AI could help, but needs extra software
Identify environmental impacts caused by products, systems, or projects.
AI could help, but needs extra software
Tasks AI can't do much of
Supervise and provide technical guidance, training, or assistance to employees working in the field to restore habitats.
AI is unlikely to speed this up
Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff.
AI is unlikely to speed this up
Jobs you could switch to
If you're thinking about a change, these are jobs your experience already fits—related work you could move into. Pick your area to see local options.
See related jobs in
The closest matches by the skills they use—each has projected openings in New York State, pays within reach of your job now, and is no more exposed to AI than your job. Each card shows what the move would take.
Conservation Scientists
Very similar workslightly less pay122 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays slightly less—$79,144 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree.
Getting ready typically takes two to four years.
Skills you already have
- English Language
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Biology
New skills to build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- History and Archeology
- Public Safety and Security
Soil and Plant Scientists
Very similar workslightly less pay42 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays slightly less—$79,980 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree.
Getting ready typically takes more than four years.
Skills you already have
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
New skills to build
- Food Production
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Education and Training
- Mechanical
Urban and Regional Planners
Similar work+9% pay215 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 9% more—$92,140 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
A step up—usually requires a master's degree.
Getting ready typically takes more than four years.
Skills you already have
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Reading Comprehension
- Written Expression
- English Language
New skills to build
- Geography
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Transportation
- Law and Government
- Customer and Personal Service
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Similar work+5% pay73 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 5% more—$88,826 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree.
Getting ready typically takes more than four years.
Skills you already have
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
New skills to build
- Geography
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Science
Managers, All Other
Similar work+101% pay5,092 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 101% more—$170,007 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree, with less than 5 years of experience.
Getting ready typically takes two to four years.
Skills you already have
- English Language
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
New skills to build
- Administration and Management
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Public Safety and Security
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Somewhat similar work+112% pay1,869 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 112% more—$178,657 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree, with 5 years or more of experience.
Getting ready typically takes two to four years.
Skills you already have
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Expression
New skills to build
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Quality Control Analysis
Chief Executives
Somewhat similar work+211% pay1,033 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 211% more—$262,311 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree, with 5 years or more of experience.
Getting ready typically takes more than four years.
Skills you already have
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Reading Comprehension
- Written Expression
New skills to build
- Administration and Management
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Sales and Marketing
- Customer and Personal Service
- Management of Financial Resources
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
Somewhat similar work+23% pay152 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 23% more—$104,134 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree.
Getting ready typically takes two to four years.
Skills you already have
- English Language
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Expression
New skills to build
- Building and Construction
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Somewhat similar work+17% pay1,913 openings/yrLess exposed than your job nowPays about 17% more—$98,402 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree.
Getting ready typically takes two to four years.
Skills you already have
- Oral Expression
- English Language
- Problem Sensitivity
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
New skills to build
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Medicine and Dentistry
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Somewhat similar work+25% pay96 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 25% more—$105,513 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
A step up—usually requires a doctoral or professional degree.
Getting ready typically takes more than four years.
Skills you already have
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
New skills to build
- Education and Training
- Chemistry
- Instructing
- Biology
- Learning Strategies
Civil Engineers
Somewhat similar work+26% pay1,146 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 26% more—$106,668 vs your $84,461 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires a bachelor's degree.
Getting ready typically takes two to four years.
Skills you already have
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Reading Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
New skills to build
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Building and Construction
- Operations Analysis
- Visualization