Non-Destructive Testing Specialists
Test the safety of structures, vehicles, or vessels using x-ray, ultrasound, fiber optic or related equipment.
$78,350 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 21%
- 7%
- 71%
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, 15%. Today's estimate: 17%.
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 . 16 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examine structures or vehicles such as aircraft, trains, nuclear reactors, bridges, dams, and pipelines, using non-destructive testing techniques.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 11% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 3.3 work days | Stays with people | |
| Develop or use new non-destructive testing methods, such as acoustic emission testing, leak testing, and thermal or infrared testing.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 11% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.3 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Make radiographic images to detect flaws in objects while leaving objects intact.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 8% | 1.7 h50 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Visually examine materials, structures, or components for signs of corrosion, metal fatigue, cracks, or other flaws, using tools and equipment such as endoscopes, closed-circuit television systems, and fiber optics.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 8% | 1.7 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Supervise or direct the work of non-destructive testing trainees or staff.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 1.7 h38 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Identify defects in solid materials, using ultrasonic testing techniques.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 1.3 h38 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Interpret or evaluate test results in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications, or procedures.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 50 min17 min to 3.3 h | 78%Half by now | |
| Produce images of objects on film, using radiographic techniques.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Interpret the results of all methods of non-destructive testing (NDT), such as acoustic emission, electromagnetic, leak, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, neutron radiographic, radiographic, thermal or infrared, ultrasonic, vibration analysis, and visual testing.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 50 min25 min to 2.5 h | 95%Half by now | |
| Document non-destructive testing methods, processes, or results.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 5% | 1.3 h25 min to 5 h | 63%Half by now | |
| Conduct liquid penetrant tests to locate surface cracks by coating objects with fluorescent dyes, cleaning excess penetrant, and applying developer.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 5% | 1.3 h38 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Map the presence of imperfections within objects, using sonic measurements.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 5% | 1.7 h38 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.
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians4% now, 17% by 2028
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians17% now, 55% by 2028
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians16% now, 49% by 2028
- Automotive Engineering Technicians13% now, 19% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians17% now, 49% by 2028
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers28% now, 30% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.