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Professionals · code 2523

Computer network professionals

Computer network professionals research, analyse, design, test and recommend strategies for network architecture and development. They implement, manage, maintain and configure network hardware and software, and monitor, troubleshoot and optimize performance. Tasks include - (a) analysing, developing, interpreting and evaluating complex system design and architecture specifications, data models and diagrams in the development, configuration and integration of computer systems; (b) researching, analysing, evaluating and monitoring network infrastructure to ensure that networks are configured to operate at optimal performance; (c) assessing and recommending improvements to network operations and integrated hardware, software, communications and operating systems; (d) providing specialist skills in supporting and troubleshooting network problems and emergencies; (e) installing, configuring, testing, maintaining and administering new and upgraded networks, software database applications, servers and workstations; (f) preparing and maintaining procedures and documentation for network inventory, and recording diagnosis and resolution of network faults, enhancements and modifications to networks and maintenance instructions; (g) monitoring network traffic and activity, capacity and usage to ensure continued integrity and optimal network performance. Examples of the occupations classified here: - Communications analyst (computers) - Network analyst Some related occupations classified elsewhere: - Systems analysts - 2511 - Network administrator - 2522

Most of the tasks are affected. It ranks 383 of 427 for holding up against AI.

Also known as

  • ICT network architect
  • ICT capacity planner
  • ICT network engineer

Job titles from the EU's ESCO list. Search for any of them on the jobs page and you'll end up here.

48.4
Holds up
against AI Exposed: Gradient 3

AI could take on 51.6 of 100, on average
so it holds up at 100 − 51.6 = 48.4

That's the whole sum, and you can check it against the ILO's study.

36.6
How hands-on
out of 100

From O*NET, averaged across 2 US jobs

30
How fiddly
and cramped

finger skill 34.9 · hand skill 29.5 · cramped spaces 25.8 · averaged

Kind of hands-on work · hands-on under 50 Less than half hands-on

Less than half of this job is hands-on. Robots still matter, but for a smaller part of the work, so we don't sort it any further.

estimated O*NET 31.0 BLS occupational crosswalk chain ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC (Aug 2012, rev. Jun 2015); 2010 to 2018 SOC (Nov 2017); O*NET-SOC 2019 taxonomy data 0.7-work-setting measures chosen by Frey & Osborne (2017) · the grouping is a sorting, not a measurement

What this number leaves out This job rates 36.6 out of 100 for how hands-on it is. The score above only looks at AI tools, not robots, but for work this far from the physical that matters less.

The tasks behind the score

The score is the average of these. A job is really a bundle of tasks, and an average can hide how uneven that bundle is.

The task AI could do most of scores 58.5, while the average is 51.6. A big gap means some of this job is wide open to AI and some of it barely at all. That's quite different from a job where everything sits somewhere in the middle, even when the averages match.

  1. 58.5

    Analysing, developing, interpreting and evaluating complex system design and architecture specifications, data models and diagrams in the development, configuration and integration of computer systems

    Medium
  2. 56.5

    Assessing and recommending improvements to network operations and integrated hardware, software, communications and operating systems

    Medium
  3. 56.5

    Preparing and maintaining procedures and documentation for network inventory, and recording diagnosis and resolution of network faults, enhancements and modifications to networks and maintenance instructions

    Medium
  4. 53

    Researching, analysing, evaluating and monitoring network infrastructure to ensure networks are configured to operate at optimal performance

    Medium
  5. 48

    Monitoring network traffic and activity, capacity and usage to ensure continued integrity and optimal network performance.

    Low
  6. 45

    Installing, configuring, testing, maintaining and administering new and upgraded networks, software database applications, servers and workstations

    Low
  7. 43.5

    Providing specialist skills in supporting and troubleshooting network problems and emergencies

    Low

7 tasks · the High to Very Low labels are the ILO's

from the source Working Paper 140, Generative AI and Jobs 2025 index data 0.7-work-setting

Helped, or replaced?

The score above can't tell a tool that makes you faster from one that does the task instead of you. Jobs and Skills Australia looked at those two things separately, and this is their result, matched to this job.

One Australian job matches, but only partly: not everyone in it does this job. Treat the numbers as a rough guide.

AI helps you
71
AI does it for you
45

Helping wins by 26 points.

estimated Our Gen AI Transition (Gen AI Capacity Study) September 2025 detailed data release data 0.7-work-setting matched to Australian jobs 2631

Compared with similar jobs

There are 92 jobs in the “Professionals” group, averaging 61.5. This one is below that.