What to Know if You Want to Be a Robotics Engineer

marzo 14, 2022 Publicar un comentario

If you lot are looking to begin a career in the burgeoning robotics industry, there are many potential paths you may choose to take. You lot might, for example, seek a position as a roboticist or as a mechatronics engineer —2 very common job titles held past those who work in the field of robotics.

Another mutual job title held by those who choose to get into the field is that of a robotics engineer. Below we explore the responsibilities, salary potential, and job outlook of robotics engineers and offer a step-past-pace guide to breaking into the field.

What does a robotics engineer practise?

Robotics is a multidisciplinary field which brings together a number of singled-out branches of engineering science—including mechanical, electronic, figurer, and systems applied science—to back up a vast number of industries. While the manufacturing manufacture is an important one, robotics can also be leveraged in industries equally diverse as aerospace, transportation, automotive, medicine, and everything in betwixt.

As a consequence, robotics engineers can be responsible for performing a wide range of duties related to those discrete branches of applied science, all depending on the system they piece of work for and the industry that it operates within.

"Robotics engineers have a broad range of responsibilities," says Krassimir Marchev , PhD, Professor of Practice for Northeastern's Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics program. "That's why, at Northeastern, we teach our engineers to be able to footstep in and answer to whatsoever of the many needs of a company that might hire them, whether it be designing, installing, programming, educational activity, or maintaining robots and automation systems."

Robotics Engineer Salary & Job Outlook

According to PayScale, the average annual salary of a robotics engineer as of August 2020 is $82,969 per year. It is worth noting, however, that salaries can range from a low of $59,000 to a high of $123,000 depending on a number of primal factors, such equally the industry an individual works in, their geographic location, and the size of the employer.

To aid you directly compare some of these factors, nosotros have compiled data about each beneath.

Robotics Engineer Annual Bacon by Location

All Locations: $82,969
Los Angeles: $101,736
San Francisco: $100,352
Boston: $84,723
Seattle: $84,000
Houston: $eighty,000
New York City: $75,000
Washington, D.C.: $74,000
Detroit: $70,000
Chicago: $67,000

Robotics Engineer Annual Salary by Experience

All Sizes: $82,969
Entry Level: $73,789
Early Career: $81,330
Mid-Career: $92,836
Experienced: $99,000
Late Career: $120,079

Have an Interdisciplinary Approach to an Ever-Evolving Field

Acquire how Northeastern's avant-garde robotics caste can advance your career.

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Additionally, depending on the specific company that an private works for, someone may do all of the piece of work of a robotics engineer but have a different job championship. Below are the boilerplate almanac salaries of other, related robotics titles:

Roboticist: $88,000
Software Engineer: $85,708
Control Systems Engineer: $80,050
Automation Engineer: $76,020
Electric Engineer: $75,815
Mechanical Engineer: $seventy,885
Manufacturing Engineer: $69,457
Civil Engineer: $66,547

How to Become a Robotics Engineer

i. Earn a related degree.

According to Marchev, a bachelor's degree is the minimum required level of educational activity that someone who wants to work equally an entry-level robotics engineer will need to reach.

While the degree needs to be in a field related to robotics, many fields of written report can fulfill this requirement. Though some colleges may offer a bachelor'south caste specifically in robotics engineering, most employers will also consider applicants who have earned a caste in mechanical, electrical, software, or computer science engineering.

Every bit working as a robotics engineer requires that an individual has a firm understanding of multiple fields of engineering, Marchev recommends earning a caste that will expose you to these fields. One possible degree to do but that is a bachelor of science in mechatronics , which is designed to specifically gear up students for a career working in robotics or automation.

Consider This: For robotics engineers who aim to advance past entry-level roles, a graduate caste is all simply required by employers today. This avant-garde robotics training can be incredibly benign for aspiring robotics engineers, as it provides the exposure to industry-standard equipment, integration with other cadre robotics disciplines, and hands-on learning opportunities required of mid- to senior-level employees.

two. Develop the required skills.

At that place are certain skill sets required of robotics engineers that can only be acquired through the pursuit of advanced educational activity.

"If I can say anything about the skills needed by a robotics engineer, one word comes to heed: interdisciplinary," Marchev says, calling upon his extensive industrial experience in the fields of robotics and advanced manufacturing.

Robotics engineers need to have a house understanding of the following domains:

Fundamental technology
Automation principles
Manufacturing operations
Programming
Mathematics
Statistics
Process command
Textile science and engineering science

Marchev stresses that the final point on that listing—material science and how it relates to applied science science—is especially important for robotics engineers.

"Over fourth dimension, materials wear and performance deteriorates," he says. "This affects the way that a robot will perform. Particularly when designing robots for a particular application, a robotics engineer has to be enlightened of what materials take to be used and how they volition behave in the surround in which these machines are used."

It's important, then, that you choose a caste that will prepare you to work in the field by helping you to develop these skills.

At a minimum, students should carefully review the curriculum outlined for a item degree to ensure that they will acquire everything outlined to a higher place. They should also aim to find a plan that offers experiential learning opportunities in the class of internships or co-ops, which will allow students to gain real, hands-on experience in the field and cement their skills.

3. Consider an advanced degree.

Though a bachelor's degree is thought to be the bare minimum required level of education for robotics engineers, many employers will now but consider job applicants who have earned at least a master's degree, such as a Primary of Science in Robotics .

Alongside an edge in a competitive task market, an advanced degree will assist you to deepen your skills and expertise, empowering you to be more effective and authoritative in your role. A chief's in robotics tin also open the possibility of advocacy into senior-level and leadership positions.

Keep in Mind: While anyone working as a robotics engineer can benefit from earning an MS in robotics, it can be specially helpful for individuals who did non report robotics at the undergraduate level. This might include those who earned a available's degree in a related co-operative of engineering science, such as mechanical or electrical engineering.

Wherever you are in your journeying to becoming a robotics engineer, if you are considering earning a graduate degree in the field, it'south crucial that you find a plan that you know will prepare you for your desired career path. The right degree volition be one that focuses on edifice not just knowledge, but skills, and volition ideally offer experiential learning opportunities that allow you lot to put your didactics into action.

Learn More: Is a Master's in Robotics Worth Information technology?

The Main of Scientific discipline in Robotics at Northeastern fulfills all of these requirements and more.

On top of a curriculum meant to provide a well-rounded overview of the field, students in Northeastern's program tin can declare a concentration in one of iii fields, including mechanical technology, electric engineering, or computer science. Doing and so tin open up the door to a variety of niche chore opportunities later on graduation.

Students also have the opportunity to complete co-op placements with some of the world'south biggest robotics companies, including Toyota Inquiry Institute, Google, Apple, iRobot, Boston Dynamics, Bluefin Robotics, and more.

Taking the Offset Stride Toward Your Future

If you are considering becoming a robotics engineer, you lot can rest assured in knowing that the career will be a lucrative, sustainable, and rewarding ane. Though no two robotics engineers will e'er accept exactly the aforementioned career path, post-obit the steps outlined above tin exist an excellent way to interruption into and advance within the field.

Explore Northeastern's primary's in robotics program for more than information nearly how earning your degree tin can launch your robotics career.

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