Architecture & Engineering
Robotics Engineers
Also called: Automation Engineer, Autonomous Vehicle Design Engineer, Design Engineer, Factory Automations Engineer
US median pay
$122,930
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+3.7%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
8,800
166,700 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Research, design, develop, or test robotic applications.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Design end-of-arm tooling.
- Design robotic systems, such as automatic vehicle control, autonomous vehicles, advanced displays, advanced sensing, robotic platforms, computer vision, or telematics systems.
- Supervise technologists, technicians, or other engineers.
- Design software to control robotic systems for applications, such as military defense or manufacturing.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Systems Analysis3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Troubleshooting3.6/5
- Time Management3.6/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.6/5
- Operations Monitoring3.6/5
- Technology Design3.4/5
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology4.8/5
- Design4.6/5
- Computers and Electronics4.5/5
- Mechanical4.2/5
- Mathematics4.2/5
- English Language4.0/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree50%
- Master's degree17%
- Associate's degree17%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.