Bioinformatics Scientists
Machines can already do 62% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 87%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Bioinformatics Scientists in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 62% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 25% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 87% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 55,850 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $98,920 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 62% for contact with people.
- Also called: Bioinformaticist, Bioinformatics Programmer, Bioinformatics Research Associate, Computational Biology Scientist.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyze large molecular datasets, such as raw microarray data, genomic sequence data, or proteomics data, for clinical or basic research purposes | 15% | 60% to 90% | |
| Develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs | 13% | 82% to 97% | |
| Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies | 9% | 69% to 89% | |
| Communicate research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports | 9% | 70% to 95% | |
| Create novel computational approaches and analytical tools as required by research goals | 7% | 35% to 65% | |
| Compile data for use in activities, such as gene expression profiling, genome annotation, or structural bioinformatics | 6% | 55% to 85% | |
| Design and apply bioinformatics algorithms including unsupervised and supervised machine learning, dynamic programming, or graphic algorithms | 6% | 76% to 96% | |
| Manipulate publicly accessible, commercial, or proprietary genomic, proteomic, or post-genomic databases | 6% | 78% to 97% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills bioinformatics scientists use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists79% of tasks by 2035 · US median $122,570
- Hydrologists68% of tasks by 2035 · US median $96,600
- Biochemists and Biophysicists63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $127,410
- Operations Research Analysts82% of tasks by 2035 · US median $88,940
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Bioinformatics Scientists?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of bioinformatics scientists?
Machines can do 62% of the tasks of bioinformatics scientists today and 87% by 2035. Most of the routine work moves to machines, and the people in the job move to oversight, judgement and client work.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 19-1029.01 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Bioinformatics Scientists: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/bioinformatics-scientists/