Installation & Repair · SOC 49-9012
Meter reading and data entry face real automation pressure, but hands-on valve repair and field calibration remain resistant.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: Smart meter automation will reduce routine meter-reading tasks in 5-10 years, but calibration and valve repair remain too complex and safety-critical for AI displacement.
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$53,990 median pay
$37,120 median pay
$92,560 median pay
$59,810 median pay
$63,760 median pay
AI job-risk card
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door is 22/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
22 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Meter reading and data entry into field computers, Hazard reporting and field documentation, Routine inspection routing and scheduling. Harder to automate: Disassembly and repair of regulators and thermostats, Instrument calibration at pressure and temperature, Electrical meter testing with safety protocols, On-site judgment calls during gas or hazardous conditions.
Lean into Smart meter and IoT sensor infrastructure, Instrument calibration and metrology, Utility safety regulations (DOT Pipeline Safety), Data analysis for predictive maintenance. Consider roles such as Utility field supervisor or Instrumentation and controls technician or Smart grid infrastructure technician.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.