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There’s something about the idea of robots that really sparks the imagination. They’re cutting-edge, versatile, autonomous, capable of performing incredible feats of precision and power, and overall just possibly the coolest technological development of the modern age. 

So it’s no surprise that there are a lot of people out there right now looking to work alongside them. The robotics field is one that’s brimming with opportunity and excitement. Most large manufacturing plants have already incorporated both industrial and collaborative robots into their processes, and the field is only continuing to grow. 

Even better, there are opportunities for various points of entry into working with robotics. The general idea of a “robotics engineer” isn’t actually so simple as that. There are robotics technicians, robotics specialists, and robotics integrators, each level having its own educational and skill requirements. Depending on which of these paths you pursue, the robotics engineer’s education requirements can vary significantly, and this gets even more complicated when you look at the specific requirements of individual manufacturers.

Depending on which of these paths you pursue, the robotics engineer’s education requirements can vary significantly, and this gets even more complicated when you look at the specific requirements of individual manufacturers.

Let’s take a look at what each of those positions entails and how to get started on your path to a robotics engineering career. 

What Do Robotics Engineers Do on a Daily Basis?

The first step to understanding what you’ll need to learn to work in robotics is understanding what robotics workers actually do. Roles in the field of robotics can basically be divided into one of these four types: operation, repair, programming, and planning. 

The base level of robotics roles is the robotics technician job. Becoming a technician generally requires less formal education than the other two, but it still calls for mechanical aptitude and hands-on experience. 

Robotics technicians are essentially on the manufacturing floor alongside the robots making sure they’re operating normally and aiding in their processes. Technicians need to be able operate the robots via their user interfaces and troubleshoot when something goes wrong. They need to be able to carry out basic maintenance and understand how each robot functions. 

While robotics technicians take on some of the task work you may associate with robotics engineering, the following two career paths are a bit more aligned with the term. If you’re exploring how to become a robotics engineer, this may not be the ideal path straight toward engineering, but it will get you working with robots in the shortest possible timeframe.

Robotics specialists are the people who plan how each robot is going to fit within a manufacturer’s process. They need to be able to see the bigger picture and decide where and how a manufacturing workflow can be improved with the inclusion of an industrial or collaborative robot. Much of the training and education from this tier also aligns nicely with robotics engineer education requirements, making this a great place to start if that’s where you’d like your career to take you.

Essentially, the robotics specialist is the subject matter expert in the robotic systems that are on the manufacturing floor. They have to have a complete understanding of how the system presently operates so that they can make decisions about how to alter and improve it. 

Robotics specialists require more training and education than technicians, and are a logical next step from the technician in a robotics career path. 

Robotics Integrators are engineers who are experts in automation and robotics. So what do robotics engineers do? They design entire robotics systems based on their understanding of how robots function and how they can theoretically improve manufacturing processes. This is the career path most in alignment with the overall idea of robotics engineering. 

Traditionally, integrators are contractors that a manufacturing company will bring in to help design and implement new systems of robots. However, more and more companies are hiring their own integrators to be permanent staff. 

Integrators must meet the highest robotics engineer education requirements, backed with hands-on experience, and are highly sought after in manufacturing companies all around the world. 

Is Robotics Engineering More Mechanical or Electrical?

The answer is yes. Robotics involves aspects of both mechanical and electrical engineering, with the addition of automation and software engineering depending on your specific role.  Depending on your specific role, the robotics engineer education requirements may be higher or lower, but you’ll absolutely need information found within these two fields.

However, the most important thing for getting started in working with robots is having a basic understanding of mechanics. That doesn’t mean you have to be a mechanical engineer, though. If you’ve ever worked on car engines or assembled your own electronics, that’s a good start. 

All that being said, both electrical and mechanical engineers can pretty easily enter careers in robotics, as much of what they would need to learn is covered within the purview of electrical or mechanical engineering, with the remaining education focusing on areas that they haven’t previously worked in. 

How to Become a Robotics Engineer, Integrator, Specialist or Technician

If you’re interested in beginning a career in robotics, there are a lot of paths open to you. If you’re looking to get in at the ground floor as a robot technician, both experience and knowledge will help you greatly along the way. 

The problem is that there are so many paths to obtaining the skills you need that it can all be a bit overwhelming at first. That’s where we come in. 

We created RoboticsCareer.org to help connect people like you with the education, robotics apprenticeships, and training programs that will get you on the right path. The search tool on the home page can sort through thousands of programs and institutions from all around the country to find the best options for your location and specific needs. 

So what are you waiting for? Navigate to our search tool and start your career path today! 

About The Author

Lisa Masciantonio 

Chief Workforce Officer

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute 

Lisa Masciantonio is the Chief Workforce Officer for the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute. She joined the ARM Institute in May 2017 as the Director of Membership and Outreach.  She moved to the position of Chief Workforce Officer in 2019 and she is responsible for driving the Education & Workforce Development vision for ARM in conjunction with the ARM membership, the federal and state government partners, and other expert stakeholders. 

Lisa brings with her over 25 years of experience as a performance-driven leader with notable success in cultivating and executing business strategies and formulating long-term strategic client relationships.  She has proven success in developing business solutions, commercialization of products, technology transfer, and technological initiatives that have supported organizational growth, improved staff productivity, and increased value to many communities of practice. Critical to her success is the ability to increase awareness and drive thought leadership position by designing and executing innovative programs as well as developing and launching new, value-add offerings for ongoing competitiveness. Lisa received a Bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University and 2 Master’s degrees from Carnegie Mellon University. 

In 2021, Lisa was recognized as one of 20 world-wide Exceptional Women in Robotics and Automation by SME. In 2022, she was recognized by the Pittsburgh Business Times as a Women of Influence and was also part of the inaugural Technical.ly Pittsburgh RealLIST Connectors list, which recognizes the top 100 influential leaders in Pittsburgh tech.