Will AI replace materials scientists?

Unlikely, though parts of the work are changing. About 1h 34m of an 8-hour shift goes to tasks touched by AI working on its own. The other 6h 26m (81%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 8.3% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 2 of 16 tasks, about 1h 34m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers. (53m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Perform experiments and computer modeling to study the nature, structure, and physical and chemical properties of metals and their alloys, and their responses to applied forces. (41m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

Not in workplaces like this one, based on a 2026 review of robot deployments. 6 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here.

6h 26m of a typical shift, or 81%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Conduct research on the structures and properties of materials, such as metals, alloys, polymers, and ceramics, to obtain information that could be used to develop new products or enhance existing ones. (1h 22m a shift)
• Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications. (53m a shift)
• Plan laboratory experiments to confirm feasibility of processes and techniques used in the production of materials with special characteristics. (35m a shift)
• Supervise and monitor production processes to ensure efficient use of equipment, timely changes to specifications, and project completion within time frame and budget. (29m a shift)
• Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold. (23m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 57% carry high or very high responsibility for other workers' safety
• 52% talk face to face with others every day

For the 1 task in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 16h 58m for a person alone and about 52m with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers (about 16h 58m alone, 52m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the Scientific Research & Development sector are at 84% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 19.9% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 600 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $117,790 a year ($56.63 an hour), 131% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $66,820 and $197,290 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 8.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 9,300 jobs in 2035. It expects about 600 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 8,470 people in the U.S., roughly 0.01% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 686th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 9,300 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a bachelor's degree: about 62% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 4 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: bachelor's degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Science, Operations Analysis, Mathematics, Complex Problem Solving
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 6h 26m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: R, Python, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

Yes. Occupational experts recently added these to the official task list, a sign of how the work itself is shifting. New tasks aren't rated for AI or robots yet:

• Review and select materials for products to meet product design and cost requirements.

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Materials Engineers (0m touched, $113k median pay)
• Chemical Engineers (0m touched, $125k median pay)
• Microsystems Engineers (50m touched, $123k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 2 observed in real AI use, 14 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.