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AI Automation Index
Will AI Replace Microsystems Engineers?
Task-level automation exposure for Microsystems Engineers: 31 O*NET tasks scored against their work activities, plus the simulator.
E-E-A-T Verified
Developed & audited by Gini Loh Automation Exposure
50%
weighted task index
31 of 31 tasks scored
Median Salary
$122,930 / year
BLS OEWS, May 2025 — this exact occupation
Employment Level
High
154,070 people hold this job — size, not growth
Projected 2025–35
+3.7%
employment change
8,800 openings a year · BLS line item
Pay by state
BLS OEWS publishes 53 state estimates for this occupation. Each is its own survey estimate, not the national median adjusted for local prices.
$76,100 – $162,070
Highest medians
New Mexico $162,070
Alabama $152,550
District of Columbia $151,920
Virginia $148,160
Alaska $142,390
Lowest medians
Kansas $76,100
Arkansas $76,940
Puerto Rico $81,370
Nebraska $88,490
Tennessee $96,640
State figures come from the 17-2199 row in the May 2025 state panel. States where the estimate was suppressed or too small to publish are absent.
What the score is made of
Each task is mapped to its work activities, scored for AI automation potential, and weighted by how important those activities are to the job. These are the components.
Automation potential 50%
Importance-weighted mean of the scored tasks. This is the headline index.
Physical work 2%
Share of weighted tasks in hands-on or machine-operating work activities.
Judgment & influence 35%
Share in analysis, decisions, teaching, directing, advising, or caring for others.
Routine administration 14%
Share in documenting, recording, and administrative activities.
Rewritten by O*NET 0%
Share of weighted tasks O*NET rewrote in a recent update. Reported, not folded into the score.
Consequence of error 0/100
Low
O*NET's own rating of how serious an uncorrectable mistake would be here — respondents, not us. Deliberately not in the index: the score measures what AI can do with the task content, and multiplying it by stakes would be our judgment dressed as data.
Constituent Task Mix
31 tasks for this occupation, weighted by work-activity importance. Shares below are of total task weight, not task count.
High exposure (≥ 60% of the task is automatable) 27%
9 tasks
Medium exposure (≥ 35%) 65%
19 tasks
Low exposure (below 35%) 7%
3 tasks
How would you survive?
Move your week away from the high-exposure tasks and toward the ones that need judgment. The simulator recalculates the index as you shift the mix.
Simulate Upskilling →Constituent Tasks
#16503 · Core · 50% automatable
Create schematics and physical layouts of integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) components or packaged assemblies consistent with process, functional, or package constraints.
visual inspection — Drafts equipment graphics; engineering accuracy human
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
#16497 · Core · 60% automatable
Investigate characteristics such as cost, performance, or process capability of potential microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device designs, using simulation or modeling software.
data analysis — AI builds computational models; engineer validates assumptions
Create models of engineering designs or methods.
#16492 · Core · 82% automatable
Create or maintain formal engineering documents, such as schematics, bills of materials, components or materials specifications, or packaging requirements.
text generation — Draft technical design docs from provided details
Document technical design details.
#16505 · Core · 68% automatable
Conduct analyses addressing issues such as failure, reliability, or yield improvement.
data analysis — Quantitative failure analysis; domain judgment needed
Conduct quantitative failure analyses of operational data.
#16485 · Core · 66% automatable
Plan or schedule engineering research or development projects involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
decision support — Algorithmic scheduling with human oversight of constraints
Devise research or testing protocols. Schedule operational activities.
#16495 · Core · 68% automatable
Propose product designs involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, considering market data or customer requirements.
text generation — Assemble proposal documents from provided content
Prepare proposal documents.
#16502 · Core · 78% automatable
Develop formal documentation for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, including quality assurance guidance, quality control protocols, process control checklists, data collection, or reporting.
text generation — Draft procedural documents from provided content
Prepare procedural documents.
#16490 · Core · 55% automatable
Communicate operating characteristics or performance experience to other engineers or designers for training or new product development purposes.
interpersonal — Conferring with technical staff on plans is relational work
Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
#16498 · Supplemental · 55% automatable
Evaluate materials, fabrication methods, joining methods, surface treatments, or packaging to ensure acceptable processing, performance, cost, sustainability, or availability.
information retrieval — Process research aided; plant observation needs humans
Research industrial processes or operations.
#16494 · Supplemental · 22% automatable
Refine final microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design to optimize design for target dimensions, physical tolerances, or processing constraints.
decision support — Nano-scale design needs lab synthesis and physical validation
Design micro- or nano-scale materials, devices, or systems.
#16508 · Supplemental · 30% automatable
Conduct harsh environmental testing, accelerated aging, device characterization, or field trials to validate devices, using inspection tools, testing protocols, peripheral instrumentation, or modeling and simulation software.
data analysis — AI interprets results; human runs physical tests
Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
#16489 · Supplemental · 65% automatable
Develop or file intellectual property and patent disclosure or application documents related to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, products, or systems.
text generation — Draft disclosures; legal accountability human
Prepare contracts, disclosures, or applications.
#16504 · Supplemental · 35% automatable
Conduct or oversee the conduct of prototype development or microfabrication activities to ensure compliance to specifications and promote effective production processes.
interpersonal — Directing design work needs accountability and judgment
Direct design or development activities.
#16506 · Supplemental · 45% automatable
Conduct experimental or virtual studies to investigate characteristics and processing principles of potential microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
information retrieval — Tech landscape synthesis aided; prototyping human
Research engineering applications of emerging technologies.
#16499 · Supplemental · 45% automatable
Devise microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) production methods, such as integrated circuit fabrication, lithographic electroform modeling, or micromachining.
decision support — AI models process systems; engineer validates feasibility
Design industrial processing systems.
#16500 · Supplemental · 48% automatable
Develop or validate specialized materials characterization procedures, such as thermal withstand, fatigue, notch sensitivity, abrasion, or hardness tests.
text generation — AI drafts technical methods; expert validates feasibility
Conduct validation tests of equipment or processes. Develop technical methods or processes.
#16507 · Supplemental · 42% automatable
Validate fabrication processes for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), using statistical process control implementation, virtual process simulations, data mining, or life testing.
decision support — AI aids process inspection; physical verification is human
Inspect operational processes.
#16491 · Supplemental · 40% automatable
Demonstrate miniaturized systems that contain components, such as microsensors, microactuators, or integrated electronic circuits, fabricated on silicon or silicon carbide wafers.
interpersonal — Operational procedure training needs live demonstration
Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
#16484 · Supplemental · 35% automatable
Manage new product introduction projects to ensure effective deployment of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices or applications.
interpersonal — Directing design work needs accountability and judgment
Direct design or development activities.
#16493 · Supplemental · 35% automatable
Conduct acceptance tests, vendor-qualification protocols, surveys, audits, corrective-action reviews, or performance monitoring of incoming materials or components to ensure conformance to specifications.
decision support — AI can plan/analyze tests; execution is physical
Conduct validation tests of equipment or processes.
#16486 · Supplemental · 45% automatable
Develop or implement microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processing tools, fixtures, gages, dies, molds, or trays.
decision support — AI models process systems; engineer validates feasibility
Design industrial processing systems.
#16488 · Supplemental · 78% automatable
Develop customer documentation, such as performance specifications, training manuals, or operating instructions.
text generation — Draft procedural documents from provided content
Prepare procedural documents.
#16487 · Supplemental · 55% automatable
Identify, procure, or develop test equipment, instrumentation, or facilities for characterization of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications.
decision support — Procurement drafting and comparison; human commits funds
Select tools, equipment, or technologies for use in operations or projects. Design electromechanical equipment or systems. Purchase materials, equipment, or other resources.
#16501 · Supplemental · 60% automatable
Develop or validate product-specific test protocols, acceptance thresholds, or inspection tools for quality control testing or performance measurement.
decision support — Protocols drafted; scientific validity human-owned
Devise research or testing protocols.
#16496 · Supplemental · 8% automatable
Oversee operation of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication or assembly equipment, such as handling, singulation, assembly, wire-bonding, soldering, or package sealing.
physical manipulation — Microscopic precision control is fine manual dexterity
Operate precision equipment to control microscopic or nanoscopic processes.
#19656 · Core · 55% automatable
Consider environmental issues when proposing product designs involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
data analysis — Impact assessment aided; site-specific data human
Investigate the environmental impact of projects.
#19657 · Core · 45% automatable
Design or develop energy products using nanomaterials or nanoprocesses, such as micro-nano machining.
decision support — AI assists energy system design; engineer accountable
Design energy production or management equipment or systems.
#19658 · Core · 38% automatable
Design or develop industrial air quality microsystems, such as carbon dioxide fixing devices.
decision support — AI aids emission system design; engineering validation human
Design systems to reduce harmful emissions.
#19659 · Core · 50% automatable
Design or develop sensors to reduce the energy or resource requirements to operate appliances, such as washing machines or dishwashing machines.
decision support — AI drafts electronics; engineer validates and tests
Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.
#19660 · Core · 50% automatable
Design sensors or switches that require little or no power to operate for environmental monitoring or industrial metering applications.
decision support — AI drafts electronics; engineer validates and tests
Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.
#19661 · Core · 35% automatable
Research or develop emerging microelectromechanical (MEMS) systems to convert nontraditional energy sources into power, such as ambient energy harvesters that convert environmental vibrations into usable energy.
decision support — AI assists system design; engineering and site validation human
Design alternative energy systems.
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How this was scored
- 1. Tasks. O*NET task statements for this occupation, from a release whose newest record is dated 08/2026.
- 2. Work activities. Each task maps to 1–5 Detailed Work Activities; each activity belongs to one of 41 Generalized Work Activities that O*NET rates for importance (1–5) in this occupation.
- 3. Automation potential. Every work activity carries one score for how far current AI can perform it end-to-end. Tasks inherit the mean of their activities.
- 4. Weighting. Task weight = 0.35 + 0.65 × (importance − 1)/4, scaled by how often the task is performed and by 0.7 for Supplemental tasks. Importance is the task's own O*NET rating where it exists (18,369 of 18,838 tasks); the rest inherit their work activities' importance. The index is the weighted mean.
Check: across the 910 occupations where O*NET also rates how far machine speed sets the pace, this index moves opposite to it (Spearman ρ = -0.49). The more a job is paced by equipment, the less of its task content AI can address — the relationship you would expect if the scoring is working.
Sources · O*NET 31.0 (task records to 08/2026) · BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS projections 2025-2035 · rubric v2.1 · tasks for O*NET, not a forecast
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