4 answers
Jorge
Student
Rochester, Minnesota
5
Questions
Updated
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what is the most boring part of being a robotic engineer?
I want to have a fun job and i want to know the most boring part of this job
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4 answers
David Allen
Consultant
84
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
David’s Answer
The most frequently cited "boring" or tedious part of being a Robotics Engineer is the immense amount of rigorous testing, troubleshooting, and documentation required to make a robotic system reliable. While the conceptual design and initial prototyping are exciting, the bulk of the job is often spent on the unglamorous tasks of debugging complex, integrated systems—which involves isolating a tiny bug in software, electrical, or mechanical components—and running exhaustive tests to handle every possible "edge case" in the real world. A robot is an integrated system of hardware and software, and achieving the required high level of precision and safety means spending days or weeks on tiny adjustments, optimization, and creating detailed documentation for manufacturing, compliance, and future maintenance, rather than just building new, flashy prototypes.
This focus on reliability means that a lot of the work involves tasks that look more like a standard desk job than science fiction. Robotics Engineers, particularly those focused on software and controls, spend the vast majority of their time writing, debugging, and optimizing low-level code on a computer. This could mean staring at lines of code to fix a timing issue that throws off a robot's movement by a millisecond or working on control theory algorithms that don't yet involve the physical robot. Even for mechanical or electrical specialists, a significant portion of the work is dedicated to tolerance stack-up analysis, detailed CAD modeling, sourcing components, and ensuring all parts meet strict manufacturing specifications—all critical but often repetitive tasks necessary to ensure the robot works flawlessly and safely when finally deployed.
This focus on reliability means that a lot of the work involves tasks that look more like a standard desk job than science fiction. Robotics Engineers, particularly those focused on software and controls, spend the vast majority of their time writing, debugging, and optimizing low-level code on a computer. This could mean staring at lines of code to fix a timing issue that throws off a robot's movement by a millisecond or working on control theory algorithms that don't yet involve the physical robot. Even for mechanical or electrical specialists, a significant portion of the work is dedicated to tolerance stack-up analysis, detailed CAD modeling, sourcing components, and ensuring all parts meet strict manufacturing specifications—all critical but often repetitive tasks necessary to ensure the robot works flawlessly and safely when finally deployed.
Joseph Neilson
Radiation Detection Physicist
245
Answers
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
I'm not a robotics engineer, but I work with several, and have some idea of some of the dull parts of their jobs. David's answer is good, testing and documenting can be dull. I'd add to that all the other admin tasks - planning, requirements gathering, risk assessments, compliance checks, project management meetings, timesheets etc. All important things to be done, but they rarely offer the sense of innovation and discovery that makes technical work rewarding.
cassandra Harris
Social / Emotional learning Teacher
38
Answers
Tucson, Arizona
Updated
cassandra’s Answer
Even the most fun jobs have parts that aren’t super exciting, and robotics is no exception. Some of the parts that people sometimes find “boring” include:
1. Documentation and Paperwork
Writing detailed reports about your work
Recording experiments, designs, and tests
Filling out forms for safety, compliance, or project tracking
Even though it’s not flashy, this step is essential so others can understand your work and the robots work correctly.
2. Debugging Repetitive Problems
Sometimes a robot doesn’t work as planned, and you spend hours testing, fixing, and re-testing small issues.
It can feel repetitive, but solving these tiny problems is what makes the robot actually function properly.
3. Long Testing or Waiting Periods
Some experiments or builds take hours or days to run.
During that time, engineers have to monitor systems or wait for results, which can feel slow compared to building something new.
4. Meetings and Planning
Engineers often spend time planning projects, collaborating with other teams, and checking timelines.
These meetings are important but less “hands-on” than building or coding robots.
Why it’s still worth it
Even the “boring” parts teach patience, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills. Most robotics engineers say the exciting parts building, programming, and seeing a robot come to life—more than make up for the boring bits.
Advice for a Fun Career:
Focus on projects you enjoy coding, building, or designing robots that solve real problems.
Balance repetitive tasks with creative work.
Remember that every engineer has some “boring” work, but robotics is still one of the most hands-on and exciting STEM careers you can choose.
1. Documentation and Paperwork
Writing detailed reports about your work
Recording experiments, designs, and tests
Filling out forms for safety, compliance, or project tracking
Even though it’s not flashy, this step is essential so others can understand your work and the robots work correctly.
2. Debugging Repetitive Problems
Sometimes a robot doesn’t work as planned, and you spend hours testing, fixing, and re-testing small issues.
It can feel repetitive, but solving these tiny problems is what makes the robot actually function properly.
3. Long Testing or Waiting Periods
Some experiments or builds take hours or days to run.
During that time, engineers have to monitor systems or wait for results, which can feel slow compared to building something new.
4. Meetings and Planning
Engineers often spend time planning projects, collaborating with other teams, and checking timelines.
These meetings are important but less “hands-on” than building or coding robots.
Why it’s still worth it
Even the “boring” parts teach patience, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills. Most robotics engineers say the exciting parts building, programming, and seeing a robot come to life—more than make up for the boring bits.
Advice for a Fun Career:
Focus on projects you enjoy coding, building, or designing robots that solve real problems.
Balance repetitive tasks with creative work.
Remember that every engineer has some “boring” work, but robotics is still one of the most hands-on and exciting STEM careers you can choose.
Sandeep Khandelwal
Software Engineer
53
Answers
San Ramon, California
Updated
Sandeep’s Answer
Hello Jorge,
Every job has some boring parts, even robotics.
For many robotic engineers, the most boring part is the repetitive testing and debugging. Sometimes you have to run the same test many times to find a small problem. It can be slow and require a lot of patience.
However, this boring part is also important because it helps make the robot reliable and safe. And the exciting part of building, designing, and seeing the robot work usually make the job fun overall.
Every job has some boring parts, even robotics.
For many robotic engineers, the most boring part is the repetitive testing and debugging. Sometimes you have to run the same test many times to find a small problem. It can be slow and require a lot of patience.
However, this boring part is also important because it helps make the robot reliable and safe. And the exciting part of building, designing, and seeing the robot work usually make the job fun overall.