Robotics careers · Career guide

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

There are 95 open automation engineer roles on Robotics Connected today, at 63 employers. 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
95
open automation engineer roles
63
employers hiring
5
roles showing pay
4%
can be done remotely

What does a automation engineer do?

An automation engineer designs, programs and improves automated systems, very often built around industrial robots: a welding cell, a palletising line, a pick-and-place station or a warehouse sorting system.

The work runs from the first concept and layout through to programming, commissioning on site and improving the line once it is running. Many roles are with system integrators, who build automation for manufacturers, or in the manufacturers' own engineering teams.

Also advertised as: Robotics automation engineer, Controls and automation engineer, Robot integration engineer.

A typical week

  • Designing robot cells and choosing robots, grippers and sensors
  • Programming PLCs, robots and HMIs
  • Commissioning systems at the factory or the customer's site
  • Improving cycle times and reliability on lines already running

Skills employers ask for

  • PLC programming (Siemens TIA Portal, Rockwell Studio 5000 or similar)
  • Industrial robot programming (FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa)
  • Machine safety standards and risk assessment
  • Electrical design and industrial networks
  • Willingness to travel for commissioning

How much do automation engineers earn?

Only 5 of the 95 open roles give pay today, which is too few to give a fair figure, so I've left it out rather than guess. You can see the roles that do show pay on the jobs board.

Who is hiring automation engineers?

The employers with the most open automation engineer roles today:

Where are the jobs?

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

And by country:

What levels are open?

47 of the 95 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 automation engineer

A degree or diploma in electrical, mechanical or mechatronics engineering is the usual start, and many automation engineers begin as technicians or robot programmers. I'd suggest the robot makers' training courses if you are moving across, since employers often ask for them by name.

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

Open automation engineer jobs

The newest, one an employer:

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

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