Robotics Technician Job Description: Duties, Template & Pay (2026)
A robotics technician keeps a plant's industrial robots, controllers and the automated equipment around them running: installing and programming them, troubleshooting faults, doing preventive maintenance and adjusting robot paths when a product or process changes. Many employers hire for it from maintenance, electrical and mechatronics backgrounds rather than from people with the exact title. This page has a robotics technician job description template, the automation technician and electromechanical technician variations, the safety rules that apply, pay, and interview questions.
What a robotics technician does
A robotics technician installs, programs, maintains and repairs the robots and robot cells on a production floor, along with the controllers, end-of-arm tools, sensors and conveyors that feed them. When a cell stops, they are the person who works out whether the fault is mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or in the program, fixes it, and gets the line moving again. When nothing is broken, they are doing preventive maintenance, tuning cycle times, and supporting engineers on new installations.
BLS does not publish a separate occupation for robotics technicians. O*NET lists Robotics Technicians (17-3024.01) as a specialty inside electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians (SOC 17-3024), so the pay and employment figures on this page describe that wider group. O*NET's sample of reported job titles for robotics technicians includes automation technician, instrumentation and controls technician, process control technician and programmable logic controllers technician, which tells you who else is doing this work under a different name.
Robotics technician duties
These are drawn from O*NET's task list for robotics technicians:
- Make repairs to robots or peripheral equipment, such as replacing defective circuit boards, sensors, controllers, encoders or servomotors
- Troubleshoot robotic systems using knowledge of programmable controllers, electronics, circuit analysis, mechanics, sensor or feedback systems, hydraulics or pneumatics
- Install, program or repair programmable controllers, robot controllers, end-of-arm tools or conveyors
- Perform preventive and corrective maintenance on robotic systems and components
- Modify computer-controlled robot movements and develop robot path motions for efficiency, safety and quality
- Test the performance of robotic assemblies with instruments such as oscilloscopes and electronic voltmeters
- Install new robotic systems in stationary positions or on tracks, and assist engineers with design and configuration
- Maintain service records for robotic equipment and automated production systems
- Train operators and other staff to use or maintain robots
- Keep an inventory of spare parts and supplies such as sensors and cables
Safety rules that apply to robot maintenance
OSHA's robotics page states plainly: “There are currently no specific OSHA standards for the robotics industry.” That does not mean robot work is unregulated. The general industry standards apply, and the one that shapes a robotics technician's day most is the lockout/tagout standard, 29 CFR 1910.147.
- Scope, 1910.147(a)(1)(i): the standard “covers the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in which the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy could cause injury to employees.” A robot cell, with electrical, pneumatic and sometimes hydraulic energy and arms that can move without warning, is squarely inside that.
- Authorized employee, 1910.147(b): “A person who locks out or tags out machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance on that machine or equipment.” Your robotics technicians will be authorized employees.
- Training, 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): “Each authorized employee shall receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control.”
For a job description, that translates into two lines: the technician must follow your energy control procedures, and you will train them on your equipment. Industry consensus standards for industrial robot safety also exist; name the ones your plant works to if you want candidates who know them. See OSHA's robotics page for the agency's hazard information. This is general information, not legal advice.
Robotics technician job description template
Copy this into your ATS or job board, replace the bracketed fields and delete what does not apply. It is written for a plant-floor role supporting robot cells in production; the variations section below covers automation and electromechanical titles.
Job title
Robotics Technician [/ Automation Technician], [Shift], [Company name], [City, ST]
Summary
[Company name] makes [product] in [city] with [number] robot cells running [welding / material handling / palletizing / assembly]. We are hiring a robotics technician to keep them running: troubleshooting faults, doing preventive maintenance, adjusting programs and helping bring new cells online. You will work with our maintenance team and process engineers on [shift].
[Schedule and start time]. [Pay range]. [One sentence on what is good about working here.]
What you will do
• Troubleshoot and repair robots, controllers, end-of-arm tools, sensors and conveyors
• Perform preventive maintenance on robot cells and keep service records in [CMMS]
• Adjust robot programs and paths when products or fixtures change
• Troubleshoot PLC logic, safety circuits, pneumatics and drives in the cell
• Support engineers and integrators installing and commissioning new equipment
• Follow lockout/tagout and all plant safety procedures
• Train operators on safe start-up, recovery and basic fault clearing
• Keep spare parts stocked and flag recurring failures
What you need
• [2+] years maintaining automated or robotic equipment, or an associate's degree or certificate in mechatronics, robotics, electronics or industrial maintenance
• Ability to read electrical schematics and mechanical drawings
• Working knowledge of [Allen-Bradley / Siemens] PLCs
• Safe work practices around electrical, pneumatic and stored energy
• Able to [lift 50 lb], climb and work in tight spaces around equipment
Nice to have
• [FANUC / ABB / KUKA / Yaskawa Motoman] robot programming or maintenance training
• Vision system, servo or HMI experience
• Welding cell experience
What we offer
• [Pay range], [shift differential]
• [Manufacturer robot training paid by us]
• [Benefits and eligibility date]
• [Path: senior technician, controls technician, automation engineer]
How to apply
[One step. Say how fast you respond and whether there is a hands-on skills check.]
Requirements: what to ask for, and what to drop
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Associate's degree | BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for the wider occupation, and says workers typically need either an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate. Accept experience as an equivalent, or you lose maintenance technicians who learned robots on the job. |
| Specific robot brand | Nice to have, not required. Controllers differ, but a technician who knows one brand learns the next. Offer the manufacturer course instead. |
| PLC skills | Keep it. Many robot cell faults show up through the PLC and safety circuits rather than the robot arm. |
| Years of experience | Two years in automated maintenance is a realiztic floor for a solo shift. Asking for five narrows the pool to people already running someone else's cells. |
| Bachelor's degree | Drop it for a technician role. That is an engineering requirement. |
| Shift and on-call | Be exact. Robot cells run nights and weekends, and call-in expectations decide who applies. |
Automation technician job description
Automation technician is often the wider title: the person maintains robots, but also PLC-controlled machines, conveyors, packaging lines, vision inspection and sometimes building or process controls. If most of the equipment is not robots, use this title; more maintenance technicians will see themselves in it.
Adjust the template this way: lead the duties with PLC troubleshooting and controls, move robot programming to “nice to have”, and list the platforms you run (PLC brand, HMI software, drives). Add instrumentation duties if the plant runs process equipment such as mixers, ovens or tanks. The instrumentation technician and electrical technician job descriptions cover those neighboring roles.
Electromechanical technician job description
Electromechanical technician is the title BLS uses for the whole occupation. In practice it describes two different jobs, and your posting should say which one you mean.
Production and test
In electronics, medical device and aerospace plants, an electromechanical technician builds, tests and reworks assemblies. BLS lists duties such as reading blueprints and schematics to determine the method and sequence of assembly, verifying dimensions with precision measuring instruments, testing electromechanical assemblies with instruments, and installing electronic parts with soldering equipment and handtools. Put soldering, test equipment and documentation first.
Maintenance and repair
In a production plant, the same title often means a maintenance technician who is stronger on electrical and controls than on pure mechanical work. Here the robotics template above fits with small changes: fewer robot-specific lines and more motors, drives and hydraulic and pneumatic repair.
Customizing it by setting
Automotive and metal parts plants
Welding, material-handling and painting robots in high volume. Say how many cells and robots, which brands, and whether the role is on a dedicated robotics team or part of general maintenance.
Food, beverage and packaging
Palletizers, case packers and pick-and-place robots, with washdown and sanitation schedules. Mention food safety training and sanitation shifts.
Warehouses and distribution centers
Autonomous mobile robots, sortation and conveyor systems. The job is often more controls, networks and fleet software than robot arm programming; say so.
Integrators and field service
Technicians who install and commission cells at customer sites. Travel percentage is the headline; state it. The field service technician job description is a closer fit for heavy-travel roles.
What robotics technicians earn
BLS does not publish a robotics technician wage. The occupation O*NET places robotics technicians in, electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians, had a median of $73,900 a year, or $35.53 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,840 and the highest 10 percent more than $109,890.
| Industry (May 2025) | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Scientific research and development services | $101,580 |
| Transportation equipment manufacturing | $78,270 |
| Computer and electronic product manufacturing | $67,720 |
| Machinery manufacturing | $64,700 |
| Engineering services | $64,220 |
BLS counted 15,700 jobs in the occupation in 2025 and projects employment to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average, with about 1,400 openings a year. That is a small occupation, which is one reason many employers recruit from maintenance and electrical technicians and training them on robots. Check local postings before you set a range, because you are competing with maintenance pay in your area as much as with other robotics roles.
Interview questions for a robotics technician
These six questions test troubleshooting method and safety habits, which predict performance better than a list of robot brands.
1. A robot cell faults out at 2 a.m. and the line is down. Walk me through your first ten minutes.
A good answer: read the fault on the teach pendant and HMI, check the safety circuit and cell state, look at what changed, and lock out before going into the cell. Candidates who start by swapping parts or resetting repeatedly are guessing.
2. How do you lock out a robot cell before you go inside?
Listen for every energy source named: electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, gravity on a raised arm, and stored energy in springs or capacitors. Good candidates mention verifying zero energy, not just placing a lock.
3. Tell me about the hardest intermittent fault you have tracked down.
Strong answers describe a method: logging when it happens, narrowing it down, checking cables and connectors that flex with the arm. Weak answers end with “it went away”.
4. Which robot controllers and PLCs have you worked on, and what could you do on each?
You want specifics: jogging and touching up points versus writing new programs, reading ladder logic versus editing it. Honest limits are a good sign.
5. A part has changed slightly and the robot now misses the pick. How do you fix it?
A good answer covers checking the fixture and part first, then touching up points or adjusting the frame, and testing at reduced speed before returning to production.
6. What preventive maintenance would you do on a robot cell that has none?
Look for lubrication and reducer checks, cable and dress-pack inspection, battery backups, gripper and air system checks, and backing up programs. Backups are the answer that separates experienced technicians.
What it costs to reach a robotics technician
Robotics and automation technicians fall in the technician / mechanic role family in our 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark. On Meta it ran a median cost per applicant of $13.41, with the middle half of campaigns between $7.40 and $23.58, a blended figure of $8.35 and a 16 percent apply rate. The all-role median is $13.88. That is cost per applicant, not cost per hire.
Apply rate explains 70 percent of the variation in cost per applicant across the benchmark. For technician roles, a short form that asks two or three disqualifying questions (shift, PLC experience, years in maintenance) and a same-day call does more for cost than any change to targeting. See the full benchmark data.
The job description is not the job ad
The template is the document for HR and your files. The ad has to reach a maintenance technician scrolling on a break who does not think of themselves as a robotics technician.
- Lead with pay, shift and the equipment. “12 FANUC welding cells, second shift, $[pay]” tells a technician more than a paragraph about culture.
- Say you will train on robots if you will. That opens the ad to electrical and maintenance technicians.
- Use more than one title in the ad copy: robotics technician, automation technician, maintenance technician.
- Keep the form short and call back the same day. Experienced technicians are usually employed and will not wait.
More on the hiring side is in maintenance technician recruiting and maintenance technician interview questions.
Frequently asked questions
What does a robotics technician do?
A robotics technician installs, programs, maintains and repairs industrial robots and the equipment around them, such as controllers, end-of-arm tools, sensors and conveyors. Day to day that means troubleshooting faults, preventive maintenance, adjusting robot paths when a product changes, keeping service records and supporting engineers when new robot cells are installed.
What qualifications does a robotics technician need?
No license is required. BLS says workers in the wider electro-mechanical and mechatronics technician occupation typically need either an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate. Many employers accept maintenance or electrical experience instead, and look for PLC skills, schematic reading and manufacturer robot training, which can be provided after hire.
How much does a robotics technician make?
BLS does not publish a robotics-specific wage. The occupation O*NET places robotics technicians in, electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians, had a median of $73,900 a year, or $35.53 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,840 and the highest 10 percent more than $109,890.
What is the difference between a robotics technician and an automation technician?
A robotics technician focuses on robots and robot cells. An automation technician usually covers a wider range of automated equipment, including PLC-controlled machines, conveyors, packaging lines and vision systems, with robots as one part of it. O*NET lists automation technician among the reported job titles for robotics technicians, so the roles overlap heavily.
What does an electromechanical technician do?
An electromechanical technician works on equipment that combines electrical, electronic and mechanical parts. BLS duties include reading blueprints and schematics, verifying dimensions with precision instruments, testing assemblies with instruments, installing parts with soldering equipment and handtools, and operating, testing or maintaining robotic equipment. In plants the title often means a controls-strong maintenance technician.
Is there an OSHA standard for robots?
No. OSHA states that there are currently no specific OSHA standards for the robotics industry. General industry standards still apply, most importantly lockout/tagout under 29 CFR 1910.147, which covers servicing and maintenance where unexpected start-up or release of stored energy could injure employees. Robotics technicians need training in hazardous energy control.
Do robotics technicians need a certification?
No certification is legally required. Robot manufacturers offer programming and maintenance courses, and BLS notes that optional certifications are available to show professional competence. Many employers list a specific manufacturer's training as nice to have and pay for the course after hire rather than making it a requirement to apply.
What interview questions should I ask a robotics technician?
Ask how they would handle a robot cell fault at 2 a.m., how they lock out a cell before entering it, the hardest intermittent fault they have found, which controllers and PLCs they can program versus only operate, and what preventive maintenance they would set up. Look for a clear troubleshooting method and safety habits.
Can I hire a maintenance technician and train them on robots?
Yes, and many plants do. A maintenance or electrical technician who reads schematics and troubleshoots PLCs already has most of the foundation. Manufacturer robot courses cover programming and maintenance. Say in the posting that you will train on robots, because it widens the pool well beyond people who already hold the robotics title.
How much does it cost to recruit a robotics technician?
On Meta, the technician and mechanic role family in Boostpoint's 2026 benchmark ran a median of $13.41 per applicant, with the middle half of campaigns between $7.40 and $23.58 and a 16 percent apply rate. That is cost per applicant, not cost per hire; your interview and hire rates decide the rest.
Related job descriptions
Hiring robotics technicians?
The description is the document. Getting it in front of maintenance, electrical and automation technicians near your plant is the part we do.
Wage, employment and projection data for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians (SOC 17-3024): U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified 27 August 2026; wages are May 2025 OEWS, projections 2025–35. Robotics technician tasks and reported job titles: O*NET OnLine 17-3024.01. Lockout/tagout: 29 CFR 1910.147 on eCFR; OSHA Robotics. General information, not legal advice. Cost-per-applicant and apply-rate figures: Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, 891 managed campaigns and 1,334 campaign-months. Read at source 24 September 2026.