Designers and builders of the machines that automate and enhance our world. From industrial arms to autonomous vehicles, robotics engineers are at the forefront of technological innovation.
Robotics engineers are the architects of automation, combining expertise in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering to design, build, and operate robotic systems. They work across a wide range of industries, from manufacturing and healthcare to space exploration and consumer electronics. In the UK, leading robotics hubs like Cambridge, Oxford, and London are home to a vibrant ecosystem of scaleups, research-heavy startups, and larger consultancies, all pushing the boundaries of what robots can do.
A typical week for a robotics engineer is a blend of design, testing, and collaboration. Time is split between hands-on work in the lab and meetings with cross-functional teams.
Based on advertised midpoints across the 36 UK listings priced in pounds in the last 12 months. Base salary only.
% of 44 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.
A typical UK progression for robotics engineers. Years are guidance — strong people move faster, and many senior folks sidestep into research, product or management.
Assist in the design and testing of robotic systems, working under the guidance of more experienced engineers.
Take ownership of specific components or subsystems, leading small projects and contributing to the overall design and development process.
Lead major projects, manage teams, and ensure the successful integration of complex robotic systems.
Drive strategic initiatives, mentor junior engineers, and play a key role in shaping the direction of the company's robotics research and development.
There's no single route, but most people follow some version of these steps.
Gain a strong foundation in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering through a relevant degree programme.
Participate in internships or university projects to gain practical experience and build a portfolio of robotics work.
Secure a junior role in a robotics company, where you can learn from experienced engineers and contribute to real-world projects.
Develop expertise in a specific area of robotics, such as robot perception, motion planning, or human-robot interaction.
Progress to senior and leadership positions, managing teams and leading major projects.
Influence the direction of the company's robotics research and development, and mentor the next generation of robotics engineers.
TTP Cambridge
Hands-on role in a robotics engineering team, integrating, testing and validating robotic systems on an existing automation platform. Day to day involves running test plans, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, analysing test data and contributing to a ROS-based software stack in Python, working alongside mechanical, electrical and systems engineers.
Venatu Consulting Ltd Barton-upon-Humber £45,000 – £55,000 pa
Hands-on role developing, implementing and optimising automated manufacturing systems across multiple North Lincolnshire sites. You will program PLCs, HMIs and drives, integrate industrial and collaborative robots, and support capital projects from concept through installation and commissioning, with strong fault-finding on electrical control systems.
Humanoid London
Operate, maintain and optimise a humanoid robotics fleet and AI data-collection system, ensuring maximum uptime through monitoring, preventive maintenance and rapid troubleshooting. Configure robots and sensors, run data-collection experiments, and manage dataset labelling and storage for imitation learning. Permanent night shift (10:30pm-7:00am) with occasional travel.
Unipart Cambridge £58,000 pa
Develops and tests onboard software for Autonomous Mobile Robots and the fleet management system, including vision processing, localisation and multi-robot path planning. The role combines ROS 2 and C++/Python development with hardware interfacing over CANopen, serial and Ethernet, plus on-site support for live operations at Nuneaton.
Wayve London
Lead the technical architecture and roadmap for onboard localisation, designing and productionising state-estimation systems that fuse GNSS, IMU and wheel odometry for accurate vehicle pose estimates. The role spans algorithm design, prototyping, validation and deployment on real-time vehicle platforms, with hands-on technical leadership and mentorship across robotics, calibration, controls and sensor teams.
Wayve London
Owns the technical architecture and roadmap for LiDAR and cross-sensor 3D sensing, leading development of target-based and targetless calibration, LiDAR-to-camera registration, temporal alignment and motion compensation using LiDAR odometry, nonlinear least-squares optimisation and factor graphs. A senior individual-contributor role combining algorithm development, evaluation methodology and productionisation, with technical leadership and mentorship across the 3D sensing stack.
Infosec Birmingham
Develop PLC software, program and integrate industrial robots, and design HMI solutions for bespoke automation systems. Support machine build, testing and commissioning, produce controls specifications and sequencing documentation, and work directly with customers across automotive, aerospace, medical, industrial and plastics sectors.
Humanoid London
Runs end-to-end software release validation, regression suites and policy evaluations on real humanoid robots, comparing simulation results against physical behaviour. Builds CI/CD tests, maintains metrics dashboards and keeps test data clean, working closely with the Test Team and policy engineers. Distinct for its sim-to-real focus and hands-on robotics work rather than standard web QA.
The locations with the most live listings for this role today.
Essential skills include a strong foundation in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering, as well as problem-solving, teamwork, and project management.
Robotics engineers are in demand across various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and consumer electronics.
Hands-on experience is crucial. It provides practical skills and a deeper understanding of the challenges and solutions in robotics engineering.
Working hours can vary, but many robotics engineers work standard office hours, with occasional overtime during critical project phases.
Salaries for robotics engineers vary based on experience and location. For more detailed salary information, please refer to the salary section on this page.
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