Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RCI

Robotics Technicians

Build, install, test, or maintain robotic equipment or related automated production systems.

Also called: Automation Technician, Electrical and Instrumentation Technician (E and I Technician), Instrument Specialist, Process Control Technician, Instrument and Automation Technician, Instrument Technician, Instrumentation and Controls Technician, Instrumentation and Process Controls Technician.

O*NET 17-3024.01

At a glance

US median annual pay: $73,900; Middle half earn $59,780 to $88,540. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree; 45% 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.

Make repairs to robots or peripheral equipment, such as replacement of defective circuit boards, sensors, controllers, encoders, or servomotors.
Troubleshoot robotic systems, using knowledge of microprocessors, programmable controllers, electronics, circuit analysis, mechanics, sensor or feedback systems, hydraulics, or pneumatics.
Install, program, or repair programmable controllers, robot controllers, end-of-arm tools, or conveyors.
Maintain service records of robotic equipment or automated production systems.
Modify computer-controlled robot movements.
Perform preventive or corrective maintenance on robotic systems or components.
Align, fit, or assemble components, using hand tools, power tools, fixtures, templates, or microscopes.
Attach wires between controllers.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.9 / 5
Critical Thinking3.9 / 5
Active Listening3.8 / 5
Writing3.3 / 5
Speaking3.3 / 5
Active Learning3.1 / 5

Knowledge areas

Computers and Electronics4.4 / 5
Engineering and Technology4.4 / 5
Mechanical3.7 / 5
Design3.5 / 5
Mathematics3.5 / 5
English Language3.5 / 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.

Realistic99
Investigative48
Artistic0
Social2
Enterprising6
Conventional61

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)

automation engineer · DE Automatisierungsingenieur/Automatisierungsingenieurin · FR ingénieur en automatismes/ingénieure en automatismes
mechatronics engineer · DE Ingenieur Mechatronik/Ingenieurin Mechatronik · FR ingénieur mécatronicien/ingénieure mécatronicienne
robotics engineer · DE Ingenieur Robotik und Autonome Systeme/Ingenieurin Robotik und Autonome Systeme · FR ingénieur en robotique/ingénieure en robotique
microsystem engineering technician · DE Mikrosystemtechniker/Mikrosystemtechnikerin · FR technicien en ingénierie des microsystèmes/technicienne en ingénierie des microsystèmes
mechatronics engineering technician · DE Maschinenbautechniker Mechatronik/Maschinenbautechnikerin Mechatronik · FR technicien mécatronique/technicienne mécatronique
automation engineering technician · DE Techniker Automatisierungstechnik/Technikerin Automatisierungstechnik · FR technicien en ingénierie de l’automation/technicienne en ingénierie de l’automation

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Quantity surveyors (2453)45,300 employed
Quality assurance technicians (3115)36,100 employed
Quality control and planning engineers (2481)35,700 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.

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