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Robotics Engineer

Engineering

Research, design, develop, or test robotic applications.

Mechanical EngineeringElectrical Engineering

What you'd do all day

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

  1. 1Review or approve designs, calculations, or cost estimates.
  2. 2Process or interpret signals or sensor data.
  3. 3Debug robotics programs.
  4. 4Build, configure, or test robots or robotic applications.
  5. 5Create back-ups of robot programs or parameters.
  6. 6Provide technical support for robotic systems.
  7. 7Design end-of-arm tooling.
  8. 8Design robotic systems, such as automatic vehicle control, autonomous vehicles, advanced displays, advanced sensing, robotic platforms, computer vision, or telematics systems.
  9. 9Supervise technologists, technicians, or other engineers.
  10. 10Design software to control robotic systems for applications, such as military defense or manufacturing.
  11. 11Conduct research on robotic technology to create new robotic systems or system capabilities.
  12. 12Investigate mechanical failures or unexpected maintenance problems.
  13. 13Integrate robotics with peripherals, such as welders, controllers, or other equipment.
  14. 14Install, calibrate, operate, or maintain robots.
  15. 15Evaluate robotic systems or prototypes.
  16. 16Conduct research into the feasibility, design, operation, or performance of robotic mechanisms, components, or systems, such as planetary rovers, multiple mobile robots, reconfigurable robots, or man-machine interactions.
  17. 17Document robotic application development, maintenance, or changes.
  18. 18Design automated robotic systems to increase production volume or precision in high-throughput operations, such as automated ribonucleic acid (RNA) analysis or sorting, moving, or stacking production materials.
  19. 19Design or program robotics systems for environmental clean-up applications to minimize human exposure to toxic or hazardous materials or to improve the quality or speed of clean-up operations.
  20. 20Write algorithms or programming code for ad hoc robotic applications.
  21. 21Plan mobile robot paths and teach path plans to robots.
  22. 22Make system device lists or event timing charts.
  23. 23Design robotics applications for manufacturers of green products, such as wind turbines or solar panels, to increase production time, eliminate waste, or reduce costs.
  24. 24Automate assays on laboratory robotics.

Also known as

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

  • RPA Engineer
  • Robotics Tech
  • Robot Operator
  • Design Engineer
  • Autonomy Engineer
  • Controls Engineer
  • Research Engineer
  • Robotics Engineer
  • Algorithm Engineer
  • Robotics Engineers

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. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

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

PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
InventionDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Visual Art (PSV)Draws directly on Design — 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.

  • Engineering and Technology96%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Design93%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Computers and Electronics89%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Mechanical84%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Mathematics84%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language80%

    English

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 peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Time spent standingA little
  • Time walking or movingA little
  • Hands-on work with tools or objectsA little

Where this job is heading

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

  • Analyze meteorological data.
  • Design electrical interconnections.
  • Design wind turbine components.
  • Estimate energy production by analyzing wind data.

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.

23%

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
See pay for a related career: Renewable Energy Engineer

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

Related careers

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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: Robotics Engineers

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