Occupation · 2026 assessment

MLOps Engineer

The MLOps Engineer role combines repeatable operations with decisions that require professional context. The index measures task exposure to AI, software automation and robotics—not the probability that the occupation disappears.

Low risk level Search jobs ↗
How risk may change

A forecast estimate, not a guaranteed scenario.

21%2026
27%2028
34%2030
44%2035

Which tasks are exposed

Risk applies to individual tasks—not to a person or an entire occupation.

TaskRisk
Generating routine code and configuration46%
Preparing tests and technical documentation42%
Classifying errors and analyzing logs36%
Data migrations and routine integrations36%
Architecture and technical trade-offs15%
Security and production accountability4%

Task map

AI replaces ↔ AI augments

Each task is positioned by AI capability and the degree of human involvement still required.

  1. 1Generating routine code and configurationAI 46% · human 74%
  2. 2Preparing tests and technical documentationAI 42% · human 84%
  3. 3Classifying errors and analyzing logsAI 36% · human 75%
  4. 4Data migrations and routine integrationsAI 36% · human 76%
  5. 5Architecture and technical trade-offsAI 15% · human 80%
  6. 6Security and production accountabilityAI 4% · human 94%

Why technology can change this work

  • code, configuration and documentation are already digital
  • routine code, tests and technical text can be generated automatically
  • many outputs can be checked with tests and static analysis

What protects the occupation

  • architecture decisions and production accountability
  • understanding business constraints and legacy systems
  • a large share of value comes from human judgement, trust or personal accountability
  • security and complex system integration

United States · before tax

Average pay and outlook

Estimated nominal monthly pay. The scenario reflects sector, demand and task resilience; it is not a guarantee of income.

2026$11 100per month
2035$16 050scenario estimate
2026: $11 10020262027: $11 55020272028: $12 05020282029: $12 55020292030: $13 10020302031: $13 60020312032: $14 20020322033: $14 80020332034: $15 40020342035: $16 0502035
Find jobs ↗The partner link may contain referral parameters. Data benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ↗

Job search and transitions

Find work with a lower risk index

Compare adjacent paths and open a current search for the selected occupation.

Skills you already have

  • systems thinking
  • software-system understanding
  • debugging
  • requirements work

Skills to build

  • AI-agent-assisted development
  • architecture and system design
  • AI-generated code security
  • observability and DevOps
CurrentMLOps Engineer · 21%
→
Keepsystems thinking · software-system understanding · debugging
→
AddAI-agent-assisted development · architecture and system design · AI-generated code security

Sources and update

Updated: 2026-09-25 · Assessment confidence: Medium

International Labour Organization · 2025Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure

Nearly 30,000 tasks; a global assessment of GenAI exposure across detailed occupational groups.

World Economic Forum · 2025The Future of Jobs Report 2025

A survey of more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers across 55 economies.

O*NET Resource Center · 2026O*NET Database

Occupational, task, skill and work-context structure.