How important is ROS (Robot Operating System) for a career in robotics software development? Is it worth investing time and effort into learning ROS as a roboticist? These are common questions for anyone entering the field of robotics. In this blog, we’ll explore job market trends and data to show how ROS skills can shape your career. To gain insights, we analyzed job listings on LinkedIn, focusing on the U.S. market in November 2024, and found approximately 2,000 openings for robotics software engineers. Now, let’s dive into the key findings
1. Education Requirements in Robotics
Our analysis of job postings revealed a wide range of educational expectations for robotics software engineers. Here’s a closer look:
27% of jobs didn’t require a degree at all
50% preferred or required a master’s degree
The remaining positions either emphasized a bachelor’s degree or, in fewer cases, a PhD, depending on the job’s complexity and specialization.
2. Specialty Requirements in Robotics
96% of employers preferred candidates with computer science expertise, emphasizing the industry’s focus on programming. However, degrees in mechanical, electrical, or mechatronics engineering are also valued if paired with strong programming skills.
3. Work Environments in Robotics
Most robotics jobs are on-site, reflecting the need for physical interaction with robots. Working with physical systems is often most effective when done directly with the robots.
4. Previous Experience in Robotics
Around 50% of robotics job offers target senior professionals with 5+ years of experience, while the rest are for mid-level and entry-level roles. Experienced candidates are in high demand and may earn higher salaries due to the limited talent pool.
5. Key Skills for Robotics Careers
Based on the analysis, I’ve summarized the key skills employers seek into 4 main segments.
Software Development Skills
Proficiency in C++ and Python (the dominant programming languages).
Familiarity with tools like Linux, Git, Docker, and CI/CD processes.
Knowledge of design patterns, data structures, and parallel programming.
Robotics and AI Skills
Expertise in areas like control theory, embedded systems, kinematics, and real-time systems.
AI capabilities such as computer vision, machine learning, and SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping).
ROS and Related Tools
Skills in ROS (Robot Operating System), MoveIt, and Gazebo were frequently cited.
However, frameworks other than ROS are gaining traction, signaling a shift toward proprietary or alternative solutions.
Soft Skills
Leadership, communication, and documentation skills are crucial for teamwork and project management.
According to the analysis, only 37% of all these positions explicitly required ROS skills. For many employers, ROS was listed as a “nice-to-have” rather than a mandatory qualification.
If you want to acquire all the in-demand skills for a robotics job, check out this 6-month program: The Robotics Developer Masterclass. Combining theory with practical, hands-on learning, provides a complete path to becoming a 100% job-ready robotics engineer in 2025.
Everyone says the robotics industry has high demand and high salaries, but what does the actual salary situation look like?
6. Salaries in Robotics
In the U.S., robotics software engineers enjoy competitive salaries. The average ranges between $190,000 and $200,000 annually, reflecting the high demand for skilled professionals!
Conclusion: Should You Learn ROS?
While ROS may not be a universal requirement, learning it offers several advantages:
It provides a robust foundation for understanding robotics frameworks.
It enhances hands-on experience in critical robotics tasks like navigation and path planning.
It builds the expertise needed to transition into other frameworks as needed.
The rise of proprietary frameworks, such as those from tech giants like Tesla and Unitree, may challenge ROS’s dominance. However, ROS remains a powerful tool for learning and experimentation, making it a worthwhile investment for those entering the field.
What’s your take on the future of ROS in the robotics job market? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
I would like to dedicate this episode to all the ROS developers out there who are thinking and worrying about the future of ROS. If you are worried about whether ROS will become irrelevant in the future or if all the companies building humanoid robots will replace ROS, then this episode is dedicated to you!
Before diving in, let me introduce BotBox, an All-in-one Robotics Platform for Teaching. It’s a Lab-in-a-Box for robotics education, enabling you to deliver hands-on robotics classes with ease. Mofe Info: https://www.theconstruct.ai/botbox-warehouse-lab/
Now let’s go to the meat of the episode.
Let me introduce you to Ryan Gariepy, who is the CTO of Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors. He is also the co-chair of the Canadian Robotics Council and a member of the Board of Directors of Open Robotics. Ryan is going to address all doubts regarding what the Open Source Robotics Alliance is.
The Robotics Developer Masterclass is a 6-month program that helps you master robotics development from scratch and GET YOU 100% JOB-READY to work at robotics companies.
I would like to dedicate this episode to all the ROS Developers who believe that ChatGPT or Compiler won’t take our jobs but rather help us become more efficient and create better, faster, and more intelligent programs. If you share this perspective, this episode is dedicated to you!
In this episode, we will dive into Generative AI tools for robotics!
Let me introduce you Tomoya Fujita. We had Tomoya already on the podcast talking about Kubernetes for ROS. But today he is going to talk about something different. Tomoya is a Software Architect/Engineer at Sony RDC US Lab. He is a ROS expert and a member of the ROS TSC committee. Today he came to talk about his latest development ros2ai.
The Robotics Developer Masterclass is a 6-month program that helps you master robotics development from scratch and GET YOU 100% JOB-READY to work at robotics companies.
I would like to dedicate this episode to all the ROS developers who want to use large-scale realistic robotic simulations. If you are thinking of working in that direction, this podcast episode is dedicated to you!
Today we are going to talk a lot about simulation and how to do it with open-source code.
But before going into the meat, let me introduce you to the Robotics Developer Masterclass Program that we have developed at The Construct have created. In The Robotics Developer Masterclass, we teach people from zero background to become a robotics developer in only 6 months. You will have around 1000 hours of learning, acquiring all the skills you need to enter a company and start working with programming robots. You will have all the practical skills that companies are requesting.
Take a look at the path we provide, taking you from a novice to a robotics developer status, making you job-ready to be hired and work from day one.
By the end of the program, you’ll have a 3-month internship (optional) at some robotics company to practice the skills you have learned from the Masterclass. The next batch will be opened in March 2024.
Have a look at our webpage about the different subjects you can learn on ROS1 and ROS2 and start the practice with robots from minute one with The Construct.
Now let me introduce you, Adam Dabrowski. Adam is the VP of Robotics and Simulation at Robotec.ai where he and his team have developed the robotics part of Open 3D Engine, an alternative to do realistic large-scale simulations in ROS.
I would like to dedicate this episode to the people who are still working on autonomous driving. We believe that it will be the technology of the future, with many interesting and exciting job opportunities. We want to promote and support those who are actively involved in this field. So, if that describes you, this episode is dedicated to you!
Today we are going to learn about autonomous driving!
But before going into the meat, let me introduce you to the Robotics Developer Masterclass Program that we have developed at The Construct have created. In The Robotics Developer Masterclass, we teach people from zero background to become a robotics developer in only 6 months. You will have around 1000 hours of learning, acquiring all the skills you need to enter a company and start working with programming robots. You will have all the practical skills that companies are requesting. Take a look at the path we provide, taking you from a novice to a robotics developer status, making you job-ready to be hired and work from day one. The Robotics Masterclass program is based on several phases. For each phase, you are going to have some online courses with simulations that also connect with the remote robot lab we have built for the different phases.
For the final project, you’ll have to work in a Real Robot Cafeteria that we built at The Construct.
Students’ final project
By the end of the program, you’ll have a 3-month internship (optional) at some robotics company to practice the skills you have learned from the Masterclass.
Have a look at our webpage about the different subjects you can learn on ROS1 and ROS2 and start the practice with robots from minute one with The Construct.
Let me introduce you to Santiago Montiel Marín. Santiago is a Ph.D. student and researcher at the Universidad de Alcalá, His research focuses on radar perception for autonomous vehicles. Santiago is one of the developers of AIVATAR, which is an open-source autonomous driving stack project.
I would like to dedicate this episode to all the ROS developers who are considering professional robots and applications design, beginning with simulations. Starting with simulations is crucial, even if your preference is to work with real robots, to avoid errors and save time. If this is what you think when you are developing robots, then this episode is dedicated to you!
Today, we are going to talk about simulations!
But before going into the meat, let me tell you about the Robotics Developer Masterclass that we at The Construct have created. The Robotics Developer Masterclass is a full teaching package that lasts about 6 months, you can go at your own pace. It will teach you all the skills you need to go into a company and start working with programming robots. You will have all the practical skills that companies are requesting. You can have a look at the Path that we are providing to you where we bring you from novice status into a robotics developer status where you are job-ready to be hired and work from Day one. Our program is based on several phases. For each phase, you are going to have some online courses with simulations that also connect with the remote robot lab we have built for the different phases.
For the final project, you’ll have to work in a Real Robot Cafeteria that we built at The Construct.
Students’ final project By the end of the program, you’ll have a 3-month internship (optional) at some robotics company to practice the skills you have learned from the Masterclass.
Have a look at our webpage about the different subjects you can learn on ROS1 and ROS2 and start the practice with robots from minute one with The Construct.
Let me introduce you to Buck Babich, a senior Robotics R&D manager at Nvidia. Buck is currently working on manipulation, planning control, and simulations. Today, he will be talking with us about simulations, particularly ‘Isaac Sim’, the simulator developed by Nvidia for robotics.
