Will AI replace stationary engineers and boiler operators?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 4h 12m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 3h 48m (48%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 3.1% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 8 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 4h 12m of a typical shift. 5 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here. For 5 physical tasks, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

• Operate or tend stationary engines, boilers, and auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, compressors, or air-conditioning equipment, to supply and maintain steam or heat for buildings, marine vessels, or pneumatic tools. (1h 24m a shift; e.g. Unattended Machinery Space (UMS / DNV E0, LR UMS) engine-room automation, in use)
• Monitor and inspect equipment, computer terminals, switches, valves, gauges, alarms, safety devices, and meters to detect leaks or malfunctions and to ensure that equipment is operating efficiently and safely. (54m a shift; e.g. Spot (Boston Dynamics) 'Energy Dog', in use)
• Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly. (36m a shift; e.g. Spot (with Smart Inspection analytics), in use)
• Monitor boiler water, chemical, and fuel levels, and make adjustments to maintain required levels. (30m a shift; e.g. Nalco 3D TRASAR Automation for Boilers with Corrosion Stress Monitor (paper mill steam plant), in use)

3h 48m of a typical shift, or 48%, 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:

• Perform or arrange for repairs, such as complete overhauls, replacement of defective valves, gaskets, or bearings, or fabrication of new parts. (42m a shift)
• Analyze problems and take appropriate action to ensure continuous and reliable operation of equipment and systems. (36m a shift)
• Maintain daily logs of operation, maintenance, and safety activities, including test results, instrument readings, and details of equipment malfunctions and maintenance work. (36m a shift)
• Clean and lubricate boilers and auxiliary equipment and make minor adjustments as needed, using hand tools. (24m a shift)
• Activate valves to maintain required amounts of water in boilers, to adjust supplies of combustion air, and to control the flow of fuel into burners. (18m 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:

• 93% carry high or very high responsibility for other workers' safety
• 75% work in very hot or cold conditions at least weekly
• 71% say a mistake would be very or extremely serious

On Indeed, job postings in the Production & Manufacturing sector are at 124% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 12.6% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 3,200 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 $78,620 a year ($37.80 an hour), 54% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $50,590 and $125,390 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 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 32,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 3,200 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 28,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.02% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 490th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 32,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a post-secondary certificate: about 47% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 3 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: vocational school or associate'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: Operations Monitoring, Repairing, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 3h 48m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint

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:

• Geothermal Technicians (51m touched, $49k median pay)
• Control and Valve Installers and Repairers (19m touched, $74k median pay)
• Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (46m touched, $77k median pay)
• Power Plant Operators (3h 26m touched, $102k median pay)
• Biofuels Processing Technicians (3h 42m touched, $62k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 8 with robots in real deployments, 17 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.