Robotics Engineer

Typical Salary

£27,500 To £55,500

Typical Hours

37 to 40 a week

9am to 5pm

How To Become a Robotics Engineer

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You can do a degree or postgraduate qualification in:

artificial intelligence and robotics
mechatronics
robotics engineering
mechanical engineering
electronics engineering
computer science
mathematics

2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and physics

a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

You can do a college course, which may help you to find a job as a robotics technician. Relevant courses include:

Level 3 Certificate in Robotics and Automation
Level 4 Diploma in Computing
Higher National Certificate in Electrical or Electronic Engineering

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

1 or 2 A levels, a level 3 diploma or relevant experience for a level 4 or level 5 course

Apprenticeship

You could do a degree apprenticeship in a robotics specialism. Apprenticeship examples include:

control and technical support engineering
software development
manufacturing engineering
embedded electronic systems design
electro-mechanical engineering

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You could start as a robotics technician or junior engineer and study for a degree on the job to qualify.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of engineering science and technology
knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
maths knowledge
design skills and knowledge
excellent verbal communication skills
the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
thinking and reasoning skills
complex problem-solving skills
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Day To Day Tasks

Your exact duties will depend on what part of a project you work on. You could:

research what customers want to automate
design processes and parts using computer aided design
build and test prototypes
analyse data from robot sensors and cameras
write technical reports on project progress, risks and issues
find and fix faults
research news ways to use robots and artificial intelligence
demonstrate finished products to customers

Working Environment

Career Path & Progression

You could become a lead engineer, with overall responsibility for managing a project.

You could also specialise in a particular area of robotics, for example self-driving vehicles, space exploration, surgical instruments or deep ocean research.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

You'll find it useful to join robotics engineering groups or take part in robotics design competitions to build up your skills and knowledge.

Further information

You can discover more about careers in engineering and robotics from The Institution of Engineering and Technology and the UK-RAS Network.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.