The inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games, held in Beijing, brought together 280 teams from 16 nations, competing in 26 events across 487 matches and culminating in the award of 26 gold medals. This landmark event signaled a transformative evolution for humanoid robots, moving beyond mere demonstration to competitive sports and practical, everyday applications. Concurrently, the job market is witnessing an unprecedented surge in demand for technical experts skilled in algorithms and mechanical structure design, highlighting a critical need for specialized talent in the humanoid robot sector.
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Explosive Demand for Humanoid Robot Expertise
The humanoid robot industry is experiencing a dramatic increase in talent requirements, with job postings in this field growing by 398.1% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2025, according to a hot topics report from Zhaopin. This growth rate significantly outpaces other sectors, underscoring the rapid expansion and intensifying competition for skilled professionals in humanoid robot development. The demand spans various domains, but algorithm-related roles are particularly scarce, driven by the need for advanced intelligence and mobility in humanoid robot systems.
Sheng Xiaokang, recruitment head at Beijing Galaxy General Robot Co., Ltd., emphasized that talent shortages are pervasive across the humanoid robot landscape. “In the humanoid robot field, talents in all aspects are relatively scarce, with the most critical gaps in algorithm categories such as embodied large models, reinforcement learning algorithms, motion control algorithms, planning algorithms, and perception algorithms. Additionally, hardware, system, and software talents are also in high demand, reflecting the multifaceted nature of humanoid robot innovation,” he stated.
The “2025 Robot Industry Talent Development Report,” which analyzes data from Zhaopin’s online recruitment database, indicates that the domestic robot industry saw simultaneous growth in both job openings and job seekers during the first five months of 2025. However, the humanoid robot segment remains in a phase focused on technology research, development, and scenario validation, rather than mass production. This stage necessitates a strong emphasis on talents involved in technology R&D, system debugging, and solution optimization, as humanoid robots require robust intelligent interaction capabilities and agile movement in complex environments, all reliant on sophisticated algorithms and precise mechanical design.
Compensation levels mirror the high demand for core technical skills in the humanoid robot sector. The report highlights that among technical positions, the top three roles by average monthly salary are robot algorithm engineers at 25,368 yuan, navigation and positioning engineers at 21,066 yuan, and mechanical structure design engineers at 15,266 yuan. These figures illustrate the premium placed on expertise that drives the functionality and advancement of humanoid robot technologies.
Average Monthly Salaries for Key Humanoid Robot Technical Positions Position Monthly Salary (yuan) Robot Algorithm Engineer 25,368 Navigation and Positioning Engineer 21,066 Mechanical Structure Design Engineer 15,266 The humanoid robot industry’s reliance on algorithm development and mechanical precision is central to creating machines that can operate autonomously in diverse settings. As humanoid robots evolve from experimental prototypes to practical tools, the need for professionals who can integrate artificial intelligence with physical mechanics becomes increasingly vital. This trend is expected to persist, with humanoid robot applications expanding into sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and domestic services, further fueling demand for specialized talent.
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Competitions as Crucibles for Humanoid Robot Talent Development
The 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games, held from August 14 to 17 in Beijing, served as a global platform for showcasing innovations and testing the capabilities of humanoid robots. Beyond participation from leading enterprises like Yushu Technology, Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, Accelerate Evolution, and Songyan Power, approximately 70 universities across China entered robots that were independently developed, designed, or modified, highlighting the educational sector’s role in advancing humanoid robot technology.
For instance, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, fielded six teams in both scenario-based and athletic competitions. Zhang Wenxiu, Comprehensive Office Director of the Academic Affairs Office at the university, noted that robotics engineering education often emphasizes theoretical classroom instruction, lacking integrated practical platforms. “The first Humanoid Robot Games provided an essential venue for students to apply and synthesize their knowledge, achieving the objective of enhancing learning and teaching through competition,” she explained.
Zhang further elaborated that the games reconstructed educational scenarios by simulating real-world environments where humanoid robots might operate, such as in football matches, combat contests, and hotel cleaning tasks. “By training in these constructed settings, students gain experiential learning that goes beyond traditional coursework. Moreover, the competitions foster interdisciplinary integration, requiring collaboration across mechanical structure, motion control, and intelligent decision-making modules, as well as blending art and technology—for example, in dance events where artistic movements must align with robot motion trajectory algorithms,” she emphasized.
Sang Hailing, an artificial intelligence instructor at the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Vocational Education Reform Demonstration Park, highlighted the value of participation in such events. “We prioritize student engagement to spur creativity and facilitate exchanges with industry leaders. As a vocational education zone focused on employment outcomes, we implement a ‘position recognition, position following, position rotation, position fixation’ four-stage rotation plan from the first year. For artificial intelligence freshmen, competing in the humanoid robot games constitutes a crucial ‘position recognition’ phase. During preparations, we identified significant talent shortages in technical after-sales and maintenance at robot firms. This competition allowed our students to undergo practical trials, enabling the institution to precisely align talent supply with market needs,” Sang stated.
The humanoid robot games not only provided a competitive arena but also acted as a dynamic assessment tool for talent capabilities. By translating real-world technical challenges into contest problems, enterprises could evaluate potential hires based on performance in authentic conditions, reducing recruitment uncertainties. This approach accelerates the development of a skilled workforce capable of addressing the complex demands of humanoid robot deployment.
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Industry-Education Integration as a Foundational Source for Humanoid Robot Talent Cultivation
Aligning the talent requirements of humanoid robot enterprises with the educational outputs of universities and vocational colleges is increasingly critical. Yuan Shuai, co-initiator of the New Intelligence New Quality Productivity Salon, asserted that establishing regular communication channels between industry and academia is essential to synchronize educational content with evolving industry dynamics, technological trends, and humanoid robot talent needs. “Promoting teaching through competition is a practical manifestation of this alignment, facilitating precise matching between talent supply and demand,” he remarked.
At the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Vocational Education Reform Demonstration Park, initiatives such as enterprise mentor deployments are already in practice. Sang Hailing detailed that the park operates on a model where one enterprise mentor is assigned to every five students, in principle. Additionally, two-week practical courses each semester involve targeted training sessions conducted by companies. Upon completion, students with suitable skill sets can directly transition to internship roles, streamlining the path from education to employment in the humanoid robot field.
Lu Kelin, an internationally certified innovation management professional and founder/CEO of Lukedao Technology, described competitions as a “dynamic talent ruler” for the humanoid robot industry. “Enterprises embed current technical obstacles into contest questions, allowing students to solve problems under realistic working conditions. Their results directly indicate job readiness, shortening the adaptation period for new hires. As industry-education integration advances, collaborative efforts between schools and companies can standardize competency benchmarks, ensuring that graduates possess the relevant skills for humanoid robot roles,” he explained.
Pan Helin, a member of the Expert Committee on Information and Communication Economy at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, projected sustained growth in demand for high-composite talents in the humanoid robot sector, with supply likely to lag behind. “Humanoid robot development is interdependent with industrial chains, necessitating coordinated efforts in talent cultivation through industrial clustering. Industry-education integration will emerge as a primary source for nurturing the next generation of humanoid robot experts,” Pan concluded.
The synergy between academic institutions and industry players is poised to shape the future landscape of humanoid robot innovation. By embedding real-world challenges into curricula and competitions, educators can equip students with the multidisciplinary skills required to advance humanoid robot technologies. This collaborative model not only addresses immediate talent shortages but also fosters a sustainable ecosystem for continuous innovation in the humanoid robot domain.
The convergence of rising talent demands, competitive platforms, and deepened industry-education partnerships underscores a pivotal moment for the humanoid robot industry. As humanoid robots transition from novelty to necessity, the cultivation of a skilled workforce becomes paramount. Through initiatives like the World Humanoid Robot Games and integrated educational programs, stakeholders are laying the groundwork for a future where humanoid robots are integral to various aspects of daily life, driven by a robust and well-prepared talent pipeline.