Animal technician
16.9K UK workers · typical pay £22,500 · entry route GCSEs grades 4-9 (A*-C). Projected headcount change: +3% to 2035.
Real Claude.ai usage mapped to this occupation's SOC group, Apr+May 2026, CC-BY. Claude users only; task times model-estimated; augment/automate is how AI is used, not a count of jobs lost. Method →
The core responsibilities of this role involve physical care, handling, and observation of live animals in a laboratory or research setting, which cannot be automated by AI. While AI may assist with environmental monitoring and record-keeping, the requirement for manual dexterity and real-time human assessment of animal welfare ensures low exposure.
While cheaper labor could increase the frequency of monitoring and data collection, the total volume of work is fundamentally gated by the number of animals in research facilities and strict ethical licensing limits.
Headcount drifts +3% across 12 years.
Change the scenario in the nav to reshape this curve.
UK employment share by region, SOC-joined to 3111.
Relatively balanced: 52.0% women.
Five roles with transferable skills and better demand dynamics.
animal-technician · dataset 2026.03 · CC-BY-4.0