Robotics careers · Career guide

Applications engineerwhat the job involves, pay and who’s hiring

There are 89 open applications engineer roles on Robotics Connected today, at 59 employers. Where roles give pay, the middle figure is $145K a year. Below is what the work involves, the skills employers ask for, how people get in, and the roles open now.

By Olivier Ayache · Figures from the jobs board, updated
89
open applications engineer roles
59
employers hiring
$145K
middle pay a year, from 9 roles
19%
can be done remotely

What does a applications engineer do?

An applications engineer works out how a robot can solve a particular customer's problem. They run trials and demonstrations, help design the solution, and support the customer through installation and the first months of use.

It sits between sales and engineering, which suits people who like technical problems and talking to the people who have them.

Also advertised as: Field applications engineer, Solutions engineer, Robotics application engineer.

A typical week

  • Running trials and proofs of concept for customers
  • Programming and configuring robots for a new task
  • Supporting sales with technical answers
  • Passing what customers need back to product teams

Skills employers ask for

  • Robot programming and integration
  • Grippers, vision systems and sensors
  • Clear presentation and writing
  • Understanding of the customer's industry
  • Willingness to travel

How much do applications engineers earn?

  • $135K to $165K a year for the middle half, $145K in the middle, from 9 roles paid in USD

These figures come from the 9 of 89 open roles that give pay, taking the middle of each role’s range. Most are in US states where job adverts have to show pay, so they lean towards American salaries; roles in the UK and Europe rarely publish a figure.

Who is hiring applications engineers?

The employers with the most open applications engineer roles today:

Where are the jobs?

The cities with the most open applications engineer roles, each with its own page of robotics jobs:

And by country:

What levels are open?

29 of the 89 roles say their level in the title. They split like this:

Entry-level roles are scarce across robotics, not only in this one. I looked at why, and what I’d suggest if you’re starting out, in this article on the entry-level gap.

How to become a applications engineer

Applications engineers usually have an engineering degree and some hands-on experience with robots, often from integration, service or technician roles. I'd suggest it if you want to stay technical but work closely with customers.

If you’re early on, the robotics internships and entry-level and graduate roles are the places to start.

Open applications engineer jobs

The newest, one an employer:

Search the jobs board for “applications”All Field Applications & Deployment roles

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