Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RCI

Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians

Operate, test, maintain, or adjust unmanned, automated, servomechanical, or electromechanical equipment. May operate unmanned submarines, aircraft, or other equipment to observe or record visual information at sites such as oil rigs, crop fields, buildings, or for similar infrastructure, deep ocean exploration, or hazardous waste removal. May assist engineers in testing and designing robotics equipment.

Also called: Electro-Mechanic, Electromechanical Technician (EM Technician), Electronics Technician (Electronics Tech), Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech), Automation Technician (Automation Tech), Electromechanical Assembler (EM Assembler), Process Control Tech, Product Test Specialist.

O*NET 17-3024.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $73,900; Middle half earn $59,780 to $88,540. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Post-Secondary Certificate; 32% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 3 of 5; Medium preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034: +1% · Slower than average; 15,000 jobs in 2024, projected 15,100. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians".

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Develop, test, or program new robots.
Test performance of electromechanical assemblies, using test instruments such as oscilloscopes, electronic voltmeters, or bridges.
Install or program computer hardware or machine or instrumentation software in microprocessor-based systems.
Read blueprints, schematics, diagrams, or technical orders to determine methods and sequences of assembly.
Modify, maintain, or repair electrical, electronic, or mechanical components, equipment, or systems to ensure proper functioning.
Prepare written documentation of electromechanical test results.
Inspect parts for surface defects.
Install electrical or electronic parts and hardware in housings or assemblies, using soldering equipment and hand tools.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Monitoring3.8 / 5
Critical Thinking3.6 / 5
Reading Comprehension3.3 / 5
Active Listening3.1 / 5
Writing3.1 / 5
Speaking3.1 / 5

Knowledge areas

Computers and Electronics4.1 / 5
Mechanical3.7 / 5
Engineering and Technology3.6 / 5
English Language3.2 / 5
Production and Processing3.1 / 5
Mathematics3.1 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic100
Investigative56
Artistic6
Social0
Enterprising0
Conventional60

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

electromechanical engineering technician · DE Elektronikmechaniker/Elektronikmechanikerin · FR technicien électromécanicien/technicienne électromécanicienne
mechatronics engineering technician · DE Maschinenbautechniker Mechatronik/Maschinenbautechnikerin Mechatronik · FR technicien mécatronique/technicienne mécatronique
robotics engineering technician · DE Robotiktechniker/Robotiktechnikerin · FR technicien en robotique/technicienne en robotique
mechatronics assembler · DE Mechatronikmonteur/Mechatronikmonteurin · FR monteur en mécatronique/monteuse en mécatronique

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Quality assurance technicians (3115)36,100 employed
Science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c. (3119)38,000 employed
Engineering technicians (3113)74,200 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Technicians and associate professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Technicians and associate professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€50,992
Austria	€46,986
Germany	€44,473
Netherlands	€42,448
Ireland	€41,613
Sweden	€41,155
Italy	€34,882
France	€34,816
Spain	€29,757
Portugal	€18,080
Poland	€12,108

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the middle third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.30. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-3024).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test