A person who is responsible for building robots and robotic systems is known as a robotic engineer.

The main responsibility of robotic engineers is to design and build robots and robotic systems.

While the history of using robots in various industries and occupations goes back many years, in recent years this field has been considered by large organizations and manufacturing industries.

Technology analysts believe that the job market and the amount of liquidity in the IT field will skyrocket in the next few years and that robots will become efficient enough to easily make their way into people’s homes.

Robotic engineering is one of the most important and influential professions in the field of information technology, which is rapidly becoming pervasive.

To be more precise, if you invest in robotic engineering, you have guaranteed your future career, because, in the next two decades, you will feel the tangible presence of robots.

An old and deep-rooted science

The science of robotics and robots has been used sparingly by industries and manufacturing plants since the mid-20th century, even when technology was not as advanced as it was in the 21st century.

Technology experts predict that robots will be widely used in factories and manufacturing units, healthcare, energy, and mining industries in the next few years.

However, the advent of robots is not limited to these industries, and companies are trying to design robots with general applications that can be used at home.

An important point to note about robotics engineering and the expertise of robotic engineers is the combined skills that this group of engineers has.

Typically, robotic engineers specialize in one or more of the following areas:

Computer Prototype Design and Preparation: Robotic engineers use advanced 3D modeling software such as AutoCAD, Blender, Inventor, and SolidWorks to design prototype robotic systems and address their design flaws.

Construction: Robotic engineers specialize in the practical construction of robots, the construction of tools, and the development of the processes that lead to the construction of robots. In developed countries, robotic engineers can use 3D printers such as Roboze and 3DP professionally.

Research and development:

Robotic systems often need to be redesigned and modified, so robotic engineers are at the forefront of research and development.

So it is not surprising that we see graduates in this field working as researchers in universities. In general, robotic engineers have sufficient knowledge of soft skills such as critical thinking, analysis, and interaction with others.

Robotic engineers have specific job descriptions, no matter where they work. These people are responsible for designing robots with accurate, safe, fast, and cost-effective operation so that the replacement of robots with human labor, in the long run, is economically justified for organizations.

Like most IT jobs, robotic engineering jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree. Currently, prestigious universities in the country accept students in various fields in the field of robotics and mechatronics.

 What is Robotic Engineering?

Are you interested in electronics, programming, and mechanics? Do you like to solve complex problems? If the answer to these questions is yes, a job in robotics engineering is a good option for you.

The job of a robotics engineer is one of the jobs that specialists work behind the scenes and are responsible for building robots and robotic systems.

Systems that are capable of performing tasks that humans are unable to perform or are repetitive, tedious, or dangerous to humans. Robotic engineers try to make the process safer, easier, and more efficient by presenting innovative and creative designs.

What are the main courses in Robotics Engineering?

As mentioned, some people prefer to study robotics directly. Robotics engineering courses in Iran are divided into two groups of main and specialized courses.

Main courses include specialized language, electromagnetism, engineering mathematics, electrical workshop, welding, and sheet metal workshop, machine tool, and tool-making workshop, industrial drawing, static, material strength, component design, dynamics, machine dynamics, fluid mechanics, electrical circuits, direct electric machines, and Alternates are logic circuits, systems analysis, linear control systems, undergraduate project, internship, mathematics, differential equations, computer programming, numerical computing, physics.

Specialized courses also include the design of mechanisms, power electronics, and actuators, robotics, ‌ principles of microcomputers, mechanical vibrations, robot laboratory, robot sensors, robot control, propulsion systems, dependent circuits, fuzzy control, neural networks, computer-aided design, electrical measurement, Bearings and lubrication, laboratory of vibration and dynamics of machines, materials science, modern control.

(Many courses in this field come with a lab). As you can see, the courses in this field are a combination of computer, mechanics, and electricity.

What does a robotics engineer do?

Unlike other engineering disciplines, a robotics engineer needs a set of skills in various technical fields such as mechanics, electronics, computer science and psychology, and cognitive science to be able to do his job properly.

Robotic engineers spend most of their time designing and implementing processes to build efficient robots. Some robotic engineers create intelligent machines whose job is to build other machines, similar to what intelligent robotic arms do in car factories.

Before building a robot, engineers determine what the robot to be built will be used for.

Because robots are designed to solve problems or reduce the pressure on the workforce, robotic engineers perform an in-depth analysis of the industry in which the robot is to be used.

•  What problem is the robot supposed to solve?
•  Is the robot built to perform an iterative process, such as assembling parts on a production line?
•  Is what the robot is supposed to do too dangerous for humans?
•  What might limit the robot’s proper functioning?

Accordingly, robotic engineers must answer such questions before entering the design phase. Robotic engineers use three-dimensional tools to create designs that are used to build circuits.

The construction process is time-consuming because robots have a very technical function and some of them are very difficult to build. For this reason, a robotic engineer can work on only a few projects throughout his career.

What are the responsibilities and skills of robotic engineers?

Regardless of the organization, company, or manufacturing unit in which a robotic engineer works, a robotic engineer needs a set of skills to be able to perform his or her daily activities.

The most important skills and responsibilities of a robotic engineer include the following:

•  Working with CADD software to build plans and drawings to be used to implement robotic systems. 

•  Design of software and processes that are supposed to define the performance of robotic systems. 

•  Some robotic engineers design systems and machines that are supposed to act as part of a larger complex. In such a situation, robotic engineers must understand the function of other parts of a system to be able to design an intelligent robot that can act as a member of a larger complex.

•  Build and test the individual components of a robotic system, connect them, and make sure the system is working properly. 

•  Once the intelligent system is under construction or completed, the next step is for robotic engineers to perform the fault detection and correction process to ensure that the prototype is working properly, then the system performance must be carefully analyzed and analyzed. Analyze to identify shortcomings. 

•  In some cases, robotic engineers work as technical assistants in companies to serve end-users. 

•  Some robotics engineers are working in R&D departments to research future designs and newer versions of a robotic system to be marketed. 

•  Robotic engineers need soft skills, especially in creative problem solving, teamwork, and interaction with technical professionals. 

•  In most cases, robotic engineers must use new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance the performance of robotic systems.

•  Sometimes the responsibility of robotic engineers is limited to designing specialized software that is used to control the intelligent parts of a system. However, large industries employ robotic engineers to design robotic systems that are used to increase accuracy and production. 

•  Analyzing and evaluating prototypes or robotic systems built in the past is one of the main tasks of robotic engineers. Given that the production process of robotic systems is unstoppable and technology is constantly changing and evolving, the analysis and evaluation of robotic systems is a constant part of the tasks of a robotic engineer. 

•  Organizations expect robotic engineers to provide estimates of the cost of designing and implementing robotic systems. 

•  Routing training for robots to be used in specific applications is another responsibility of these specialists. For example, if robots are to be built for stores or warehouses, they need to know how to put items on the shelves.

How to become a robotics engineer?

Unfortunately or fortunately, to enter the field of robotic engineering, you must have a strong background in physics and mathematics, and in addition, you must have sufficient knowledge of advanced mathematical topics such as algebra and trigonometry.

Therefore, it is recommended that you spend some of your free time studying advanced math topics in addition to university math courses. Next, you need to think about learning a powerful programming language.

The C or C Plus programming language is the best option in this regard. Another important skill you should know enough about is software development automation and PLC programmable Logic Controllers.

As mentioned, as a robotics engineer you should consider getting a bachelor’s degree.

The best choice in this field is to study mechatronics.

A discipline that combines the core disciplines of mechanics, computers, electronics, and control.

Students studying mechatronics have a great competitive advantage over other engineering disciplines who can explore and solve complex engineering problems.

Typically, robotics courses include general training in pneumatics and hydraulics, numerical control systems, computer-aided manufacturing, or computer-aided design, known as CADDs. / CAM is, say, integrated systems, logic, and microprocessors.

However, not all educational institutions or universities offer such training.

Because robotics technology is a combination of several disciplines, and sometimes graduates of electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics, or computer engineering enter the world of robotics in person, companies provide them with the skills they need.

Recruit as a robotic engineer.

In addition, robotics engineers need to keep up with the changes in the industry to gain the skills that organizations need. The best solution is to follow the annual conferences, seminars, and training sessions.

The career explorer site has conducted a study on the employment status of robotic engineers based on their credentials, which shows that the majority of these individuals have a bachelor’s degree (Figure below).

Labor market situation of robotic engineers

• As mentioned in the introduction, the field of robotic engineering is rapidly penetrating various industries. Accordingly, it is predicted that shortly, various companies and institutions will seek to attract robotic engineers.

** For example, the average income of a robotic engineer in Canada is in the range of 51 to 98 thousand dollars per year.

In addition, work experience plays an important role in increasing the level of salary you receive as a robotic engineer.