NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Robotics Technicians

SOC 17-3024.01Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers installation, programming, troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance of industrial robotic systems and automated production equipment in manufacturing and technical service environments calibrated to a Job Zone 3 associate-degree or vocational credential pathway.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Defective circuit boards and basic sensors — identify and replace under direct supervision on a production-floor robotic cell.
  2. Service records and maintenance logs — complete and file accurately following established templates in an automated manufacturing environment.
  3. Hand tools and power tools — use to align and assemble robotic components under technician guidance on a light-assembly line.
  4. Wiring diagrams and technical manuals — read and interpret to connect wires between controllers under close oversight in a controlled shop setting.
  5. Preventive maintenance checklists — follow step-by-step to inspect robotic systems and peripheral equipment on a scheduled basis.
  6. Basic electronic test instruments — apply to measure voltage, continuity, and signal outputs under supervisor direction on bench-level repairs.
  7. Robot controller interfaces — navigate and observe to monitor operational parameters during supervised system start-up procedures.
  8. Programmable controller documentation — review and summarize to support senior technicians during installation tasks in an industrial automation setting.
  9. Safety protocols and lockout/tagout procedures — demonstrate correctly before entering a robotic work cell under direct technician supervision.
  10. Encoder and servomotor components — distinguish by type and function when sorting and staging parts for scheduled maintenance activities.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Faulty circuit boards, sensors, and encoders — diagnose and replace with reduced oversight during routine corrective maintenance on an automated production line.
  2. Programmable logic controllers and robot controllers — install and configure following established procedures in a mid-volume manufacturing environment.
  3. Robotic system faults — troubleshoot using knowledge of electronics, mechanics, and sensor feedback systems to restore uptime on familiar equipment.
  4. End-of-arm tools and conveyor components — adjust, repair, and test independently to meet production specifications in an assembly or warehousing facility.
  5. Computer-controlled robot movement programs — modify parameters within approved bounds to accommodate product changeovers on the shop floor.
  6. Preventive and corrective maintenance schedules — execute and adapt for multiple robotic cells, documenting outcomes in a digital maintenance database.
  7. Hydraulic and pneumatic subsystems — inspect and service using engineering schematics to resolve recurring performance issues in an industrial robot application.
  8. Maintenance and repair reports — draft clearly and submit on time, providing accurate technical detail for engineering review in a regulated production setting.
  9. Industrial control software and development environment tools — use routinely to upload, test, and verify robot programs after component replacement.
  10. Alignment fixtures and microscopes — apply to fit precision components within tolerance during robotic sub-assembly repairs in a technical workshop.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex robotic system failures — troubleshoot autonomously across mechanical, electronic, and software domains to minimize unplanned downtime in a high-throughput manufacturing facility.
  2. Programmable controllers, robot controllers, and end-of-arm tooling — install, program, and validate end-to-end without supervision to commission new automation cells.
  3. Non-routine sensor, feedback, and motion control faults — analyze using deductive and inductive reasoning to identify root causes on unfamiliar robotic platforms.
  4. Robot movement modification requirements — evaluate engineering change requests and implement precise program updates using industrial control and CAD/CAM software in production environments.
  5. Full-scope preventive maintenance programs — execute across multiple robot types and generations, identifying systemic wear trends and recommending design improvements.
  6. Hydraulic, pneumatic, and servo-drive systems — diagnose interdependencies and resolve cascading failures on integrated automation lines with minimal production impact.
  7. Technical service documentation — author comprehensive repair histories, failure analyses, and procedural updates that meet quality management system standards.
  8. Cross-functional technical problems — apply systems analysis and complex problem-solving skills to resolve automation issues spanning mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces.
  9. CAD and analytical software tools — leverage to model component fits, interpret vibration data, and validate mechanical corrections on precision robotic assemblies.
  10. Junior technicians and apprentices — guide through hands-on troubleshooting tasks, transferring practical knowledge of robot electronics and controller architecture on the job.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Robotics maintenance strategy and preventive maintenance standards — design and implement facility-wide to maximize equipment availability across a multi-cell automated production environment.
  2. Technical competency frameworks and training curricula — develop and deliver for robotics technician teams, elevating departmental skill levels across all equipment generations.
  3. Capital repair versus replacement decisions — lead evaluation of robotic assets using failure data, lifecycle cost analysis, and production impact metrics for executive reporting.
  4. Enterprise-level automation reliability programs — architect and champion, integrating predictive maintenance analytics and IIoT sensor data across industrial facilities.
  5. Cross-functional engineering, operations, and vendor teams — direct during complex system commissioning projects, ensuring robot controllers, PLCs, and peripheral equipment meet performance specifications.
  6. Robotics safety and compliance standards — establish and enforce across the organization, aligning lockout/tagout, cell guarding, and risk-assessment practices with regulatory requirements.
  7. Technology roadmaps for robotics and automation tooling — define in alignment with business growth objectives, selecting platforms, software ecosystems, and integration architectures.
  8. Continuous improvement initiatives — lead using quality control analysis and systems thinking to reduce mean-time-to-repair and drive measurable gains in automated line efficiency.
  9. Organizational knowledge base — build by codifying advanced troubleshooting procedures, programming standards, and lessons learned into auditable technical documentation systems.
  10. Vendor partnerships and service-level agreements — negotiate and manage for robotic systems and components, ensuring parts availability and support responsiveness for production-critical equipment.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

A 4-level framework describing how a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline. Subscribe for $19.99/mo to read the full framework — or sign in if you have a subscription.

  1. Emerging
  2. Developing
  3. Proficient
  4. Advanced
Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library

Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency levels for this occupation. Subscribe to unlock the full Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework across all 1,016 occupations.

Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library
Show O*NET source anchors65 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Mechatronics Technician · Automation Technician · Assembly Technician · Automation Control Integrator · Automation Control Technician · Automation Controls Expert · Automation Controls Specialist · Automation Engineering Technician · Automation Technologist · Electrical and Instrumentation Specialist · Electrical and Instrumentation Technician (E and I Technician) · Equipment Maintenance Technician (Equipment Maintenance Tech)
RAPIDS apprenticeships
0210 · Mechatronics Technician · 0214 · Automation Technician
O*NET skills
TroubleshootingRepairingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingEquipment MaintenanceActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlWritingSpeakingTime ManagementInstallationJudgment and Decision MakingSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationMonitoringEquipment SelectionActive LearningMathematicsLearning StrategiesCoordination
Knowledge domains
Engineering and TechnologyComputers and ElectronicsMechanicalDesignEnglish LanguageMathematicsProduction and ProcessingPhysics
Abilities
Deductive ReasoningNear VisionWritten ComprehensionOral ComprehensionInductive ReasoningFinger DexterityOral ExpressionProblem SensitivityInformation OrderingVisualization
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntellectual CuriosityAchievement OrientationAdaptability
Technology
Development environment softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareIndustrial control softwareObject or component oriented development softwareComputer aided manufacturing CAM softwareData base user interface and query softwareFile versioning softwareWeb platform development softwareOperating system software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Make repairs to robots or peripheral equipment, such as replacement of defective circuit boards, sensors, controllers, encoders, or servomotors.
  2. Troubleshoot robotic systems, using knowledge of microprocessors, programmable controllers, electronics, circuit analysis, mechanics, sensor or feedback systems, hydraulics, or pneumatics.
  3. Install, program, or repair programmable controllers, robot controllers, end-of-arm tools, or conveyors.
  4. Maintain service records of robotic equipment or automated production systems.
  5. Modify computer-controlled robot movements.
  6. Perform preventive or corrective maintenance on robotic systems or components.
  7. Align, fit, or assemble components, using hand tools, power tools, fixtures, templates, or microscopes.
  8. Attach wires between controllers.
CIP education codes
15.000015.000115.030315.040315.040415.040515.040615.040715.049915.0805

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.