Engine and other machine assemblers
SOC Code: 51-2031
Engine and other machine assemblers carries a 18% AI exposure score (Low automation risk), with a median annual wage of $52,540 and -21.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 38,400 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 18% AI exposure, Engine and other machine assemblers sits 19 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 4% of them. It ranks among the more AI-resilient roles in the dataset.
Career outlook score
44/100
Engine and other machine assemblers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage D $52,540
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -21.1%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A+ 18% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Engine and other machine assemblers in the Low band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry on a declining BLS line
Typical entry is HS / some college (333/832) while growth is Declining (111/832). This is the crowded high-risk corner of the map - automation and headcount pressure compound without a degree moat.
Where Engine and other machine assemblers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Engine and other machine assemblers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
18% Among the lowest lower than 96% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Engine and other machine assemblers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Engine and other machine assemblers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Engine and other machine assemblers's Low automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 51-2031) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Engine and other machine assemblers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Engine and other machine assemblers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Read and interpret assembly blueprints or specifications manuals, and plan assembly or building operations.
- 2. Inspect, operate, and test completed products to verify functioning, machine capabilities, or conformance to customer specifications.
- 3. Position or align components for assembly, manually or using hoists.
- 4. Set and verify parts clearances.
- 5. Verify conformance of parts to stock lists or blueprints, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
- 6. Fasten or install piping, fixtures, or wiring and electrical components to form assemblies or subassemblies, using hand tools, rivet guns, or welding equipment.
- 7. Remove rough spots and smooth surfaces to fit, trim, or clean parts, using hand tools or power tools.
- 8. Lay out and drill, ream, tap, or cut parts for assembly.
- 9. Rework, repair, or replace damaged parts or assemblies.
- 10. Assemble systems of gears by aligning and meshing gears in gearboxes.
Key Skills Required
- Operations Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Quality Control Analysis
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operation and Control
Knowledge Areas
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
- Design
- Education and Training
- English Language
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Engine and other machine assemblers?
Engine and other machine assemblers has an AI exposure score of 18%, indicating a low level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Engine and other machine assemblers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Engine and other machine assemblers is projected to decline by 21.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 38,400 workers.
What skills are needed for Engine and other machine assemblers?
Key skills for Engine and other machine assemblers include Operations Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Quality Control Analysis, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Engine and other machine assemblers earn?
The median annual wage for Engine and other machine assemblers is $52,540, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Engine and other machine assemblers?
The typical entry-level education for Engine and other machine assemblers is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Engine and other machine assemblers?
Engine and other machine assemblers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Low automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Engine and other machine assemblers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (18% here).
- Electrical power-line installers and repairers · AI exposure 18%
- Glaziers · AI exposure 18%
- Healthcare social workers · AI exposure 18%
- Mechanical door repairers · AI exposure 18%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-21.1% here).
- Grinding and polishing workers, hand · growth -21.2%
- Telemarketers · growth -22.1%
- Order clerks · growth -17.2%
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks · growth -16.7%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Engine and other machine assemblers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Engine and other machine assemblers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).