Microbiologists
Investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Includes medical microbiologists who study the relationship between organisms and disease or the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.
18,940 people do this job in the US. $87,990 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 60%
- 4%
- 36%
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, 0%. Today's estimate: 1%.
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 . 14 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investigate the relationship between organisms and disease, including the control of epidemics and the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.Done daily by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 2%Half by Jul 2028 | |
| Study growth, structure, development, and general characteristics of bacteria and other microorganisms to understand their relationship to human, plant, and animal health.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 2%Half by Jul 2028 | |
| Develop new products and procedures for sterilization, food and pharmaceutical supply preservation, or microbial contamination detection.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work weeks1.7 work days to 1.5 work months | 0%Half by Oct 2029 | |
| Research use of bacteria and microorganisms to develop vitamins, antibiotics, amino acids, grain alcohol, sugars, and polymers.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work weeks1.7 work days to 1.5 work months | 0%Half by Oct 2029 | |
| Study the structure and function of human, animal, and plant tissues, cells, pathogens, and toxins.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 9% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 2%Half by Jul 2028 | |
| Monitor and perform tests on water, food, and the environment to detect harmful microorganisms or to obtain information about sources of pollution, contamination, or infection.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 2.5 h50 min to 1 work day | Stays with people | |
| Prepare technical reports and recommendations, based upon research outcomes.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 1.3 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 4%Half by Dec 2027 | |
| Examine physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics, using microscope, to identify and classify microorganisms in human, water, and food specimens.Done hourly or more by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 6% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 5% | 1.3 h25 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Observe action of microorganisms upon living tissues of plants, higher animals, and other microorganisms, and on dead organic matter.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 3.3 h50 min to 2.1 work days | Stays with people | |
| Provide laboratory services for health departments, community environmental health programs, and physicians needing information for diagnosis and treatment.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 1.7 h38 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 1.3 h25 min to 5 h | 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.
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).