Breaking into Robotics without an Engineering Degree

As a business development manager at OTSAW, Jonathan Ng helps hospitals run more efficiently with robotics. He and his team support the daily flow of a health facility by using intra-hospital logistics robots to move things like food, linen, or surgical tools. Jonathan believes robotics is no longer a closed circle for engineers because there is space for people without advanced technical training to build a career. How to break in - Jonathan encourages non-engineers to start close to deployment, whether in logistics or operations at a startup that works with robots. Pay attention to where things fall apart, ask questions, and look for issues that others might overlook. - His key tip: shadow your client, because the clearest insights come from seeing work unfold in real time. Learn to say “no” - It is also important for Jonathan to challenge the ideas clients may have for what they want to do with his robots. Do they really need a robot? Is there an actual problem here worth solving? - Jonathan believes some people enjoy the process of innovating with robotics more than solving real problems through robotics, so if a client cannot explain a concrete goal, that can be a sign to skip the meeting. This story comes from our premium article “How to break into robotics without an engineering degree,” written by Jonatan Ng, global business development manager at Otsaw. The story digs deeper to everything mentioned here, and also covers: - Jonathan’s path into the industry - What his typical day looks like - How non-engineers can grow a long-term career in robotics Read more in the story in the comments below⬇️