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General-purpose, manufacturing and business-use mechanical apparatus maintenance and repair workers

How to become an Industrial Robot Maintenance Technician

Also called: Machine Maintenance Technician, Factory Maintenance Technician, Industrial Robot Repairer, Industrial Machinery Repairer

Services and maintains industrial robots on production lines in factories and elsewhere, and repairs them when needed.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school or university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but new graduates usually graduate in mechanical, electrical or electronic engineering from a university, kosen (college of technology) or senmon gakko (vocational college) and join a robot maintenance company or robot system integrator, or join a robot maker and are assigned to its maintenance department or maintenance subsidiary. The robot industry keeps growing fast, so there is an ongoing shortage not only of development and systems engineers but also of maintenance staff. Mid-career recruitment is frequent, so experienced engineers have many opportunities. Anyone working with industrial robots (except those with a rated output under 80 W) must take special safety and health training for teaching and inspecting industrial robots under Article 39 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health. This applies not only to jobs installing and maintaining robots but also to companies that bring in robot systems. New graduates and mid-career hires without experience also take company training or courses run by robot makers to learn basic skills and knowledge. After that they pair up with senior engineers to visit client companies and build experience on the job. The industry changes fast, with new technology and products coming out all the time, so you must also keep taking training to sharpen your skills. As well as knowledge of robotics, the job involves dealing directly with client companies, so communication skills to explain things clearly to clients are essential.

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Industrial Robot Maintenance Technician?

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but new graduates usually graduate in mechanical, electrical or electronic engineering from a university, kosen (college of technology) or senmon gakko (vocational college) and join a robot maintenance company or robot system integrator, or join a robot maker and are assigned to its maintenance department or maintenance subsidiary. The robot industry keeps growing fast, so there is an ongoing shortage not only of development and systems engineers but also of maintenance staff. Mid-career recruitment is frequent, so experienced engineers have many opportunities. Anyone working with industrial robots (except those with a rated output under 80 W) must take special safety and health training for teaching and inspecting industrial robots under Article 39 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health. This applies not only to jobs installing and maintaining robots but also to companies that bring in robot systems. New graduates and mid-career hires without experience also take company training or courses run by robot makers to learn basic skills and knowledge. After that they pair up with senior engineers to visit client companies and build experience on the job. The industry changes fast, with new technology and products coming out all the time, so you must also keep taking training to sharpen your skills. As well as knowledge of robotics, the job involves dealing directly with client companies, so communication skills to explain things clearly to clients are essential.

How much does an Industrial Robot Maintenance Technician earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,711,800 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Machinery and electrical equipment maintenance and repair workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become an Industrial Robot Maintenance Technician?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 21% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of an Industrial Robot Maintenance Technician?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026