Robotics Engineer
Design and build robots and the software that lets them sense, plan and move in the real world.
This UK robotics engineer career guide covers what the role involves day to day, typical salary at each stage, the usual entry route, the skills employers expect, and related careers worth comparing.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £35,000 - £50,000
- Mid-career salary
- £55,000 - £85,000
- Senior salary
- £95,000 - £150,000+
- Work environment
- Office or remote, desk-based
- Time to entry
- 3 - 6 years
- Degree required
- Usually required
- Category
- AI, Data and Automation
What a Robotics Engineer does
Design and build robots and the software that lets them sense, plan and move in the real world.
- Industrial Robotics - Program and integrate factory and warehouse robots.
- Mobile Robotics - Build AMRs and self-driving platforms.
- Surgical / Medical Robotics - Develop robots for surgical and clinical settings.
- Robot Software Engineering - ROS / ROS2 stacks, simulation and integration.
How to become a Robotics Engineer
- Look up Robotics Engineer roles on LinkedIn or Indeed and read 5 real job ads
- Talk to someone already working as a Robotics Engineer - even a 15-minute call helps
- Find one beginner course or qualification used by people in this role
- Build one small piece of evidence you've explored this (project, shadowing, short course)
- Apply to one entry-level role or related opportunity within the next month
Key skills
- ROS
- C++ / Python
- Control theory
- Mechanical sense
- Debugging hardware