Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
Construct, assemble, or rebuild machines, such as engines, turbines, and similar equipment used in such industries as construction, extraction, textiles, and paper manufacturing.
34,000 people do this job in the US. $53,710 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 9%
- 0%
- 91%
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, 8%. Today's estimate: 8%.
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 . 12 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fasten or install piping, fixtures, or wiring and electrical components to form assemblies or subassemblies, using hand tools, rivet guns, or welding equipment.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 20% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Rework, repair, or replace damaged parts or assemblies.Done daily by most who do it. | 13% | 1.7 h25 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Inspect, operate, and test completed products to verify functioning, machine capabilities, or conformance to customer specifications.Done daily by most who do it. | 12% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Lay out and drill, ream, tap, or cut parts for assembly.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Read and interpret assembly blueprints or specifications manuals, and plan assembly or building operations.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 38 min17 min to 1.7 h | 98%Half by now | |
| Position or align components for assembly, manually or using hoists.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 25 min8 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Set and verify parts clearances.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 38 min13 min to 1.4 h | Stays with people | |
| Set up and operate metalworking machines, such as milling or grinding machines, to shape or fabricate parts.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 7% | 1.7 h33 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Assemble systems of gears by aligning and meshing gears in gearboxes.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Remove rough spots and smooth surfaces to fit, trim, or clean parts, using hand tools or power tools.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 25 min8 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Verify conformance of parts to stock lists or blueprints, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauges, or micrometers.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 25 min8 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Maintain and lubricate parts or components.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 25 min13 min to 50 min | Stays with people |
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.
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers4% now, 4% by 2028
- Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers5% now, 5% by 2028
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers3% now, 3% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers17% now, 17% by 2028
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics15% now, 17% by 2028
- Rail Car Repairers3% now, 3% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing19,090 people
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing5,420 people
- Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)2,920 people
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing2,320 people
- Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services580 people
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).