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Mechatronics Technician

Skilled Trades

Operate, test, maintain, or adjust unmanned, automated, servomechanical, or electromechanical equipment. May operate unmanned submarines, aircraft, or other equipment to observe or record visual information at sites such as oil rigs, crop fields, buildings, or for similar infrastructure, deep ocean exploration, or hazardous waste removal. May assist engineers in testing and designing robotics equipment.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Electrical EngineeringMechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Develop, test, or program new robots.
  2. 2Test performance of electromechanical assemblies, using test instruments such as oscilloscopes, electronic voltmeters, or bridges.
  3. 3Install or program computer hardware or machine or instrumentation software in microprocessor-based systems.
  4. 4Read blueprints, schematics, diagrams, or technical orders to determine methods and sequences of assembly.
  5. 5Modify, maintain, or repair electrical, electronic, or mechanical components, equipment, or systems to ensure proper functioning.
  6. 6Prepare written documentation of electromechanical test results.
  7. 7Inspect parts for surface defects.
  8. 8Install electrical or electronic parts and hardware in housings or assemblies, using soldering equipment and hand tools.
  9. 9Verify part dimensions or clearances to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
  10. 10Repair, rework, or calibrate hydraulic or pneumatic assemblies or systems to meet operational specifications or tolerances.
  11. 11Fabricate or assemble mechanical, electrical, or electronic components or assemblies.
  12. 12Align, fit, or assemble component parts, using hand or power tools, fixtures, templates, or microscopes.
  13. 13Select and use laboratory, operational, or diagnostic techniques or test equipment to assess electromechanical circuits, equipment, processes, systems, or subsystems.
  14. 14Operate, test, or maintain robotic equipment used for green production applications, such as waste-to-energy conversion systems, minimization of material waste, or replacement of human operators in dangerous work environments.
  15. 15Produce electrical, electronic, or mechanical drawings or other related documents or graphics necessary for electromechanical design, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
  16. 16Determine whether selected electromechanical components comply with environmental standards and regulations.
  17. 17Select electromechanical equipment, materials, components, or systems to meet functional specifications.
  18. 18Develop or implement programs related to the environmental impact of engineering activities.
  19. 19Train others to install, use, or maintain robots.
  20. 20Establish and maintain inventory, records, or documentation systems.
  21. 21Analyze engineering designs of logic or digital circuitry, motor controls, instrumentation, or data acquisition for implementation into new or existing automated, servomechanical, or other electromechanical systems.
  22. 22Conduct statistical studies to analyze or compare production costs for sustainable and nonsustainable designs.
  23. 23Specify, coordinate, or conduct quality-control or quality-assurance programs and procedures.
  24. 24Operate metalworking machines to fabricate housings, jigs, fittings, or fixtures.
  25. 25Translate electromechanical drawings into design specifications, applying principles of engineering, thermal or fluid sciences, mathematics, or statistics.
  26. 26Identify energy-conserving production or fabrication methods, such as by bending metal rather than cutting and welding or casting metal.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Tester
  • UA Pilot
  • RPA Pilot
  • Test Tech
  • UAS Pilot
  • UAV Pilot
  • Drone Pilot
  • UA Operator
  • E and I Tech
  • EM Assembler

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-secondary certificate

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Computers and Electronics81%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Mechanical75%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Engineering and Technology72%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • English Language64%

    English

  • Production and Processing63%

    Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies

  • Mathematics63%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicA little
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Noisy environmentOften
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Program and calibrate drones for specific missions or tasks, ensuring proper functionality and performance.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

10%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

TVET

Hands-on trades with strong employability: ILP, ADTEC, kolej vokasional, GiatMARA.

1–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue