It’s been a tough week. It rarely exists good Weeks for my line of work, but this one was particularly difficult. Maybe because it hit close to home. However, not many publications have experienced the scale of what iRobot is facing. After a year and a half of waiting, Amazon has abandoned its bid to buy the Roomba maker, due to growing regulatory concerns.
As a result, iRobot is working on another round of layoffs. This is important, as it employs 350 people – roughly a third of the company’s global workforce. Losing your job sucks, full stop. I’ve been through this many times myself. It is difficult to shake the feeling of shame surrounding the experience.
It’s not your fault. It’s a cliche, but it’s a cliche for a reason. Many people far above your salary have made a series of bad decisions, resulting in a final decision that leaves you facing the consequences. There are countless macro factors at play as well, but that’s cold comfort when you don’t know where your next paycheck will come from.
The good news is that if you’re into robotics, you’ll be fine. The economy has indeed gone through a rough patch over the past several years, but automation has thrived amid the chaos. If you’re based in a hot area like Boston or Pittsburgh, there are always opportunities available. If you’re elsewhere, the good news is that the pandemic has helped decentralize the workforce.
If you’re looking for a new career in robotics, here’s a good place to start.
Engineering Science (6 floors)
Amazon robots (10 turns)
Ambi Robots (one turn)
Any boutique (27 turns)
autodesk (one turn)
Berkshire Grey (20 turns)
Bonsai robots (6 floors)
Boston Dynamics (10 turns)
Brink (15 turns)
donkey (10 turns)
Chef robots (6 floors)
Exotic (177 roles)
ng farm (4 floors)
appearance (20 turns)
Formula (6 floors)
Four farmers (4 floors)
Free flight systems (7 roles)
Sentinel agriculture (5 roles)
Robotics Design House (4 floors)
Kiwazu (2 roles)
matic robots (12 turns)
Huge (10 turns)
NIA Systems (6 floors)
picogrid (4 floors)
Multiple robots (one turn)
Artificial intelligence robot (one turn)
Skips (2 roles)
Stratum (3 floors)
Vention (15 turns)
Wayboutique (3 floors)