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How exposed to AI is a Industrial Ecologist?

Of the 38 tasks O*NET lists for industrial ecologists, 17 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 1 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
EcologistEnvironmental ConsultantEnvironmental Protection Agency CounselorResearch ScientistResearcher
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
38
tasks rated for this occupation
100%
hold a degree, from a survey of 23
77k
people do this job in the US
2 of 60
least protected in science

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

17
  • Identify environmental impacts caused by products, systems, or projects
  • Identify or develop strategies or methods to minimize the environmental impact of industrial production processes
  • Analyze changes designed to improve the environmental performance of complex systems and avoid unintended negative consequences
  • Conduct environmental sustainability assessments, using material flow analysis (MFA) or substance flow analysis (SFA) techniques
  • Redesign linear, or open-loop, systems into cyclical, or closed-loop, systems so that waste products become inputs for new processes, modeling natural ecosystems
  • Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public
  • Perform analyses to determine how human behavior can affect, and be affected by, changes in the environment
  • Recommend methods to protect the environment or minimize environmental damage from industrial production practices
  • Carry out environmental assessments in accordance with applicable standards, regulations, or laws
  • Plan or conduct field research on topics such as industrial production, industrial ecology, population ecology, and environmental production or sustainability
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of industrial ecology programs, using statistical analysis and applications
  • Identify or compare the component parts or relationships between the parts of industrial, social, and natural systems
  • Research sources of pollution to determine environmental impact or to develop methods of pollution abatement or control
  • Promote use of environmental management systems (EMS) to reduce waste or to improve environmentally sound use of natural resources
  • Research environmental effects of land and water use to determine methods of improving environmental conditions or increasing outputs, such as crop yields
  • Conduct applied research on the effects of industrial processes on the protection, restoration, inventory, monitoring, or reintroduction of species to the natural environment
  • Investigate accidents affecting the environment to assess ecological impact

Only with software built on top

20
  • Identify sustainable alternatives to industrial or waste-management practices
  • Review research literature to maintain knowledge on topics related to industrial ecology, such as physical science, technology, economy, and public policy
  • Examine local, regional, or global use and flow of materials or energy in industrial production processes
  • Monitor the environmental impact of development activities, pollution, or land degradation
  • Build and maintain databases of information about energy alternatives, pollutants, natural environments, industrial processes, and other information related to ecological change
  • Translate the theories of industrial ecology into eco-industrial practices
  • Develop alternative energy investment scenarios to compare economic and environmental costs and benefits
  • Examine societal issues and their relationship with both technical systems and the environment
  • Create complex and dynamic mathematical models of population, community, or ecological systems
  • Forecast future status or condition of ecosystems, based on changing industrial practices or environmental conditions
  • Apply new or existing research about natural ecosystems to understand economic and industrial systems in the context of the environment
  • Prepare plans to manage renewable resources
  • Plan or conduct studies of the ecological implications of historic or projected changes in industrial processes or development
  • Perform environmentally extended input-output (EE I-O) analyses
  • Investigate the impact of changed land management or land use practices on ecosystems
  • Develop or test protocols to monitor ecosystem components and ecological processes
  • Provide industrial managers with technical materials on environmental issues, regulatory guidelines, or compliance actions
  • Conduct scientific protection, mitigation, or restoration projects to prevent resource damage, maintain the integrity of critical habitats, and minimize the impact of human activities
  • Conduct analyses to determine the maximum amount of work that can be accomplished for a given amount of energy in a system, such as industrial production systems and waste treatment systems
  • Investigate the adaptability of various animal and plant species to changed environmental conditions

Cannot be sped up

1
  • Review industrial practices, such as the methods and materials used in construction or production, to identify potential liabilities and environmental hazards
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.