Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians evaluate design drawings, prepare layouts and drawings of parts and assembly, usually in three-dimensional design software, recommend design changes, review blueprints, build and assemble parts, set up and run tests, compare results with specifications and make cost estimates. They help engineers turn designs into working products.
The short answer: low exposure to generative AI, with slow growth. The ILO's 2025 index rates mechanical engineering technicians as not exposed, with a score of 0.26. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, slower than average, with about 3,100 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed mechanical engineering technicians are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering Technicians | Not exposed | 0.26 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | Grow 1% | About 3,100 |
The BLS says these technicians will continue to be needed to help engineers plan and design increasingly complex mechanical products, equipment and systems. However, it says automation of routine engineering and design tasks also may reduce the need for workers in this occupation.
What automation is taking on
- Routine engineering and design tasks, as the BLS describes.
- Drafting layouts and drawings in design software.
- Recording and comparing test results.
What stays with mechanical engineering technicians
- Building and testing: assembling parts and running tests on real units.
- Judgment: recommending design changes for reliability and safety.
- Complex work: helping engineers with increasingly complex products and systems.
- Checking AI help: generated designs and calculations can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
The BLS expects routine design work to be automated while complex products still need technicians. Hands-on building and testing stay central. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace engineers?, will AI replace electro-mechanical technicians? and will AI replace drafters?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for mechanical engineering technicians at $74,510 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: associate's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace mechanical engineering technicians?
The BLS projects 1 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,100 openings a year, and says automation of routine engineering and design tasks may reduce the need for these workers.
How exposed are mechanical engineering technicians to AI?
The ILO rates mechanical engineering technicians as not exposed, with a score of 0.26.
What keeps demand going?
The BLS says they will still be needed to help engineers design increasingly complex mechanical products, equipment and systems.
What do mechanical engineering technicians do?
They prepare drawings in design software, build and assemble parts, run tests, compare results with specifications and estimate costs.