(Yicai) June 17 -- Chinese robotics companies are battling it out for technical talent driven by the industry's rapid expansion, offering core talents annual salaries of millions or even tens of millions of Chinese yuan, equivalent to hundreds of thousands or millions of US dollars.

"It's quite normal for chief scientists in the robotics industry to earn CNY10 million (USD1.4 million) a year," a headhunter told Yicai. "Including cash, equity, and stock options," the annual income of some core tech talents at leading robot makers can top CNY1 million (USD139,280), the person added.

New positions in China's robotics sector rose 6 percent in the five months ended May 31 from a year earlier, while the number of applicants jumped 32 percent, according to an annual talent market report released by Zhilian Recruitment yesterday. Recruitment for humanoid robot posts surged 409 percent, with related job seeker numbers soaring 396 percent.

"Talent is the real moat for companies," an executive from a Beijing-based robotics startup said to Yicai. "The firm that gains an edge in talent reserve and echelon construction is likely to take the lead in robotics competition."

The robotics sector requires a wide range of talent involving machinery, electronics, control, computers, sensors, artificial intelligence, and others, an industry insider told Yicai, adding that companies value candidates' interdisciplinary technical capabilities more during recruitment.

"There is a significant talent gap in core research and development positions in the robotics industry, including algorithm, mechanical, and software development engineers," the insider pointed out.

Companies prefer talents who possess basic algorithm logic and can implement products in engineering, the executive pointed out. "We seek talents who can deeply master the operational logic of algorithms while communicating efficiently with mechanical engineering teams and have a certain capability of product thinking."

With humanoid robots gradually moving from R&D to application, firms' talent structure evolves toward products and application scenarios, the executive said. "Two years ago, we only hired algorithm talents, but now we value candidates who know how to turn algorithms into products and even understand on-site customer needs."

A robotics algorithm engineer in China gets paid on average CNY31,512 (USD4,390) a month, with those with more than five years of experience earning as much as CNY38,489, according to Zhilian Recruitment's report. Robotics mechanical structure design engineers have an average monthly salary of CNY22,264 (USD3,100).

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev