By Abby Lombardi on February 14, 2012 in Computer/Math/IT, Engineering.

Robotics is one skill set that is going through exponential growth in hiring demand. During January 2012, more than 2,100 job ads were posted online that included requirements for robotics skills – a 44% year-over-year growth compared to January 2011 and more than double the volume of online job ads in January 2010.

Volume of Job Ads that Include Robotics Skill Requirements – 4 Year Hiring Trend

The first fields that come to mind when you think about robotics skills are probably engineers and technology. Yes, these were the 2 fields that most commonly required them. More than 650 jobs were advertised online for Engineers, the most of any occupational field, at a 51% year-over-year increase. Technology related jobs that required robotics skills increased as well, up 66% from January 2011. However, we've also seen healthcare related occupations demand robotics skills more. As advancements in medical and surgical processes are made, we are seeing an increasing number of job listings that specifically require doctors and nurses to be able to operate robotics components. Another occupational field that is growing in demand for robotics skills are maintenance and repair professionals. As more robotics components are being used across all industries, there is a growing need for people to fix and repair these machines.

Metropolitan areas with the highest volume of job listings for robotics knowledge during January 2012 were:

1. Atlanta, Georgia
2. Boston, Massachusetts
3. Detroit, Michigan
4. Chicago, Illinois
5. Los Angeles, California

Employers in Atlanta not only placed the highest number of online job ads for this skill set, but also saw some of the highest year-over-year increases at more than 160%. Detroit and Chicago also experienced growth in demand versus January 2011 – up 126% and 40% respectively. However, Recruiters in Boston and Los Angeles placed about 20% fewer job ads for robotics skills compared to last year.

Companies sourcing candidates for jobs that require knowledge to build or operate robotics are likely to find them moderately difficult-to-recruit, with conditions varying slightly by location depending on the available talent supply. Our Hiring Scale™ shows that companies in Detroit are currently experiencing one of the most difficult conditions when recruiting candidates with robotics skills. Hiring demand in Detroit continues to grow, while the local talent pool of qualified robotics-savvy professionals is not growing at the same pace. There are 45 employers sourcing for robotics candidates in Detroit – some with as many as 20 different jobs available. Employers in this area are likely to compete heavily to attract talent and experience a longer time-to-fill than many other areas across the United States.

Hiring Scale for Professionals with Robotics Skills – Detroit vs. National Average

Are you sourcing for candidates that have skills to build, operate, or repair robotic components? Try the free online Hiring Scale™ to find out how difficult these jobs will be to fill in your local area, average salary ranges, and who you are competing with for talent.

Comments (1)

• Nathan Kinnon says:

  February 25, 2012 at 11:03 pm

  Appears to be a great opportunity and exciting. I wish I had Robotic experience.

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