Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological, agricultural, and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems.
23,480 people do this job in the US. $109,370 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 66%
- 14%
- 20%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 1%. Today's estimate: 2%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 30 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare technical reports, data summary documents, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications.Done more than monthly by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 7% | 1.7 work days6.7 h to 4.2 work days | 1%Half by Nov 2027 | |
| Develop statistical models or simulations, using statistical or modeling software.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 7% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 1%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals.Done more than yearly by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 7% | 4.2 work days2.1 work days to 3.5 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Adapt or design computer hardware or software for medical science uses.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 7% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 4.2 work weeks | 0%Half by May 2029 | |
| Develop models or computer simulations of human biobehavioral systems to obtain data for measuring or controlling life processes.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 7% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 4.2 work weeks | 0%Half by May 2029 | |
| Design or conduct follow-up experimentation, based on generated data, to meet established process objectives.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 7% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 2.5 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Design or direct bench or pilot production experiments to determine the scale of production methods that optimize product yield and minimize production costs.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 7% | 1.7 work weeks2.1 work days to 1.2 work months | Stays with people | |
| Design or develop medical diagnostic or clinical instrumentation, equipment, or procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 2 work weeks2.5 work days to 1.6 work months | 0%Half by Sep 2029 | |
| Manage teams of engineers by creating schedules, tracking inventory, creating or using budgets, or overseeing contract obligations or deadlines.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 7% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 2.5 work days | 8%Half by Sep 2027 | |
| Develop bioremediation processes to reduce pollution, protect the environment, or treat waste products.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 5% | 3.3 work weeks4.2 work days to 2.4 work months | 0%Half by Dec 2029 | |
| Develop methodologies for transferring procedures or biological processes from laboratories to commercial-scale manufacturing production.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 work weeks2.1 work days to 1.5 work months | 0%Half by Aug 2029 | |
| Write documents describing protocols, policies, standards for use, maintenance, and repair of medical equipment.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 4% | 1 work day3.3 h to 3.1 work days | 6%Half by Sep 2027 |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians10% now, 19% by 2028
- Nanosystems Engineers2% now, 32% by 2028
- Bioinformatics Scientists5% now, 60% by 2028
- Biochemists and Biophysicists1% now, 46% by 2028
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists5% now, 34% by 2028
- Bioinformatics Technicians17% now, 78% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
- Scientific Research and Development Services5,360 people
- Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing2,460 people
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing2,010 people
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing1,870 people
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools1,620 people
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).