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Robotics Engineers

Under the title Robotics Engineers, workers research, design, develop, or test robotic applications. O*NET rates it as considerable preparation, which usually means a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. It leans on critical thinking, systems analysis, and reading comprehension. One core duty is to review or approve designs, calculations, or cost estimates. With a code of RIC, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Investigative interests also help, rated 5.6 out of 7. The job can ask you to process or interpret signals or sensor data. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking helping, teaching or caring for people.

What they do

Research, design, develop, or test robotic applications.

Main tasks

  • Review or approve designs, calculations, or cost estimates.
  • Process or interpret signals or sensor data.
  • Debug robotics programs.
  • Build, configure, or test robots or robotic applications.
  • Create back-ups of robot programs or parameters.
  • Provide technical support for robotic systems.

Skills

  • Critical Thinking
  • Systems Analysis
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Complex Problem Solving

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on critical thinking and systems analysis.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want helping people to be at the center of your work. Social rates 1.5 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Automation Engineer
  • Autonomous Vehicle Design Engineer
  • Design Engineer
  • Factory Automations Engineer
  • Research Engineer

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.