If you are looking for a tech career that is set for major growth in the next decade, look no further than robotics. Robotics is expected to revolutionize multiple industries in coming years, including aerospace, electronics, logistics and fulfillment, textiles, and the automotive industry, to name a few.
There is no shortage of tech companies interested in pursuing research and development in the field of robotics. For instance, American Robotics, a non-profit founded by Carnegie Mellon University, is leading the Advanced Robotics Manufacturing (ARM) Institute, an organization whose stated 10-year goals include:
- Increasing worker productivity by 30 percent
- Ensuring that 30 percent of small to midsize enterprises adopt robotic technology
- Creating 510,000 new manufacturing jobs in the US
- Providing an ecosystem in which major industrial robotics manufacturers will emerge
Such goals underscore the rising interest in robotics across multiple industries and help to ensure that a career in robotics is a good choice for current job seekers everywhere.
Rock Stars of the Robotics World
If you want to make a big splash in the world of robotics, you might get some inspiration from some notable people in the field. Here are just a few of the rock stars of robotics.
Rodney Brooks: Former director of CSAIL, MIT’s Computers Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and current chairman and CTO of Rethink Robotics, is best known for his research into behavior based robotics. According to his TED Talks bio, Brooks’ current mission at Rethink Robotics is “to apply advanced robotic intelligence to manufacturing and physical labor.” Along the way, he has been developed robots that are used in oil well exploration, manufacturing, and even robotic surgery.
Geoffrey Hinton: Dividing his time between research at Google and the University of Toronto, where he is now an emeritus distinguished professor, Hinton leverages his extensive background as a cognitive psychologist and a computer scientist to advance the development of deep learning and multi-layered neural net technologies. Google’s profile of Hinton notes: “His research group in Toronto made major breakthroughs in deep learning that have revolutionized speech recognition and object classification.”
Oussama Khatib: Director of the Stanford Robotics Lab, Khatib’s research focus is on autonomous robots, cooperative robots, human-centered robotics, haptic interaction, dynamic simulation, virtual environments, augmented teleoperation, and human-friendly robot design.
Jitendra Malik: Currently the Arthur J. Chick Professor in the Computer Science Division, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, UC Berkeley, Malik is one of the most frequently cited researchers in engineering. His research includes work on computer vision, computational modeling of biological vision, computer graphics and machine learning.
If the examples of these roboticists have inspired you to pursue a career in robotics, read on for the nitty-gritty details about work in the field.
Top Locations for Robotics Research and Development
If you are thinking of relocating to get a job in robotics, you might want to consider moving to California, where Sunnyvale, San Jose, Valencia, Berkeley, and the San Francisco Bay area are all top spots for robotics research and development.
Other robotic tech hot spots include Boston and Bedford, MA; Rochester and Novi, MI; and Bothell, WA.
Top Companies in Robotics
Top employers looking for robotic tech talent include:
Rethink Robotics: Co-founded by robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks
iRobot: Another brainchild of former founder Rodney Brooks, iRobot is responsible for products such as Roomba, the vacuuming robot, and other robotic cleaning tools.
Accuray: Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Accuray develops and manufactures state-of-the-art radiation therapy equipment and robotic radiosurgical technologies.
FANUC Robotics: Part of FANUC’s global network of companies, FANUC American Corporation is headquartered in Michigan and offers industry-leading products and services for robotics, CNC systems, and factory automation solutions.
Advanced Bionics: Advanced Bionics concentrates its efforts on developing and manufacturing advanced cochlear implant systems that are designed for those with moderate to profound hearing loss.
Mayfield Robotics: Headquartered in Redwood City, CA, Mayfield Robotics has designed a home robot named Kuri, which TechCrunch describes as being like “an Amazon Echo designed by Pixar.”
Other interesting companies that hire tech workers skilled in robotics include 3D Robotics, Autel Robotics, Fetch Robotics, INF Robotics, and Automotive Robotics. Most of the top tech companies also have teams dedicated to projects which involve robotics, making it a field of study that is ripe for the picking if you have an interest in the subject.
Educational Requirements and Robotics Career Path
Perhaps one of the most interesting things about choosing a career in robotics is that it is an interdisciplinary career, meaning that roboticists come from a variety of educational backgrounds and specialties and use their expertise in different areas within the scope of robotics.
Robotiq notes that, at a minimum, you must start with a strong understanding of Mathematics and Physics. Other good options to pursue include:
- Computer Science
- Information Systems
- Product Design
- Design and Technology
- Various Engineering specialties such as Bioengineering, Electronics, Mechatronics, and Mechanical Engineering
NASA’s Career Corner provides some real world advice from robotics specialists at NASA regarding career paths that led them to their current work in robotics.
Study.com notes that there are two common levels of robotics specialists: technicians and engineers. Technicians may begin working with an associate’s degree and continue their education and skills training on the job. Engineers usually begin with a bachelor’s degree, but they, too, learn much on the job.
Specialties in the field of robotics include machine automation, medical robotics, cybernetics, quantum mechanical systems, air traffic management and more. The opportunities for working on intriguing projects in a number of industries are a big draw for those interested in a robotics career.
According to Paysa data gathered from thousands of job descriptions for robotics workers across multiple industries, top skills required include:
- Robotics
- C
- Training
- Computer Science
- Management
- Programming
- Manufacturing
- Testing
- Communication
- Analysis
Salary and Compensation for Popular Robotics Jobs
Paysa collects and analyzes salary and compensation data from tech jobs all over the US. Here is a short list of some of the top robotics jobs across the nation and their associated salaries:
| Role | Average Market Salary |
| Robotics Engineer | $125k |
| Robotics Instructor | $119k |
| Senior Research Scientist | $161k |
| Systems Engineer | $118k |
Exploring Your Options in Robotics
Robotics is a fast-growing field with a plethora of exciting project choices and specialties to explore. If you relish problem solving in an innovative environment, robotics may be just the career for you. For more information about jobs in robotics and their associated skills requirements and compensation patterns, visit Paysa. To learn the skills and build a portfolio of projects needed to land a career in robotics, consider the Robotics Nanodegree Program from Udacity.