Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Science and research / 19-3091.00

Anthropologists and Archeologists

Study the origin, development, and behavior of human beings. May study the way of life, language, or physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world. May engage in systematic recovery and examination of material evidence, such as tools or pottery remaining from past human cultures, in order to determine the history, customs, and living habits of earlier civilizations.

US jobs
8,990
Median wage
$70,770 a year
Job family
Science and research

Can agents do the work of anthropologists and archeologists?

We read the evidence for the whole job family, Science and research: Some tasks (no change in 12 months)

Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.

Evidence: CORE-Bench, declared solved.

0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.

  • 21%Research historical or social issuesNot measured
  • 6%Train others on operational or work proceduresNot measured
  • 5%Collect information about patients or clientsNot measured
  • 5%Present research or technical informationNot measured
  • 5%Teach academic or vocational subjectsNot measured
  • 5%Record images with photographic or audiovisual equipmentNot measured
  • 4%Prepare proposals or grant applicationsNot measured
  • 4%Direct scientific or technical activitiesNot measured

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in science and research, not always this occupation's tasks.

Direct evidence

Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.

  • CORE-Benchby Princeton UniversityTask level · CORE-Bench-Hard accuracy (public test set)
    95.5%Claude Code + Claude Opus 4.5 (after manual regrading) · 3 Dec 2025
    Solved

Also relevant

These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
  • Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
  • Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
  • Plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations.
  • Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
  • Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
  • Identify culturally specific beliefs and practices affecting health status and access to services for distinct populations and communities, in collaboration with medical and public health officials.
  • Apply traditional ecological knowledge and assessments of culturally distinctive land and resource management institutions to assist in the resolution of conflicts over habitat protection and resource enhancement.
  • Lead field training sites and train field staff, students, and volunteers in excavation methods.
  • Conduct participatory action research in communities and organizations to assess how work is done and to design work systems, technologies, and environments.
  • Develop and test theories concerning the origin and development of past cultures.
  • Research, survey, or assess sites of past societies and cultures in search of answers to specific research questions.
Other job titles for this occupation (28)

American Indian Policy Specialist · Applied Anthropologist · Applied Cultural Anthropologist · Archaeologist · Communication and Folklore Specialist · Forensic Anthropologist · Historical Archaeologist · Research Archaeologist · Researcher · Anthropologist · Archaeological Field Technician · Archaeological Technician (Archeological Tech) · Archeologist · Cultural Resources Specialist · Cultural Resources Technician · Egyptologist · Ethnoarchaeologist · Ethnologist · Excavator · Field Archaeologist · Investigator · Medical Anthropologist · Physical Anthropologist · Policy Specialist · Political Anthropologist · Project Archaeologist · Public Policy Specialist · Research Anthropologist