Attracting Female Talent in Robotics: An Interview with Andie Zhang

In the latest edition of the Women in Robotics and Automation series, Alex Catana speaks with Andie Zhang, Global Portfolio Manager for Robotics at ABB. In this conversation, she shares her journey into robotics, the barriers that still exist for women in the industry, and the practical actions companies can take to attract and retain more female talent.

About Andie

Andie Zhang is Global Portfolio Manager for Robotics at ABB. In this role, Andie drives ABB’s vision and strategy for collaborative robots and related technologies, including collaborative safety, UX, and the ABB Robotics Ecosystem of hardware and software partners. Andie has been instrumental in developing and launching several pivotal products, such as the GoFa line of easy-to-use cobots that can safely work side by side with human co-workers.

Recognised as one of the 50 most renowned women in Robotics in 2020, Andie has delivered speeches at prestigious events, including as the 2024 Global Summit of Women, the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in 2022, and the European Robotics Forum in 2021.

Promoting gender equality and encouraging girls to pursue STEM subjects is a cause close to Andie’s heart. Andie actively mentors women within the company and shares best practices on hiring more diverse talent. Her dedication to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment and her contributions to the field of robotics continue to inspire many.

Can you tell us a bit about your own journey into robotics – what initially drew you to the field?

I have a Master’s degree in engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm Sweden, and my Master Thesis was conducted at ABB Robotics in Shanghai, where I sat in the R&D team and worked on simplifying robot programming and simulation for sales people who want to show something quick to their customers. This was my first introduction to the exciting world of robotics, however after my thesis work I decided to discover more of the business world and spent 10 years working in supply chain management, total quality management, product marketing, and sales management. Then in 2016 I got a call from an old acquaintance at ABB, who introduced me to the new position of product manager for collaborative robots. What attracted me was the fact that this was an exciting new field of robotics that was fast growing – robots with new features that enabled them to leave the steel fences and work next to people, the possibilities are endless. It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. So I joined ABB Robotics again.

Were there any role models, mentors, or key experiences that helped shape your career path?

Both of my parents are engineers, my father has a PhD in civil engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology, so I grew up with technology and engineering close to my heart. I remember playing maths games with him as a child, getting my first PC, and learning how to code in my early teens. At the same time, I’ve always been curious about how businesses operate, which led me to explore a range of disciplines beyond engineering. I’ve worked in supply chain management, negotiating contracts with suppliers; in total quality management, leading a team of quality engineers; in product marketing, identifying the customer value of products, and in sales management, where I worked with sales tools and improved forecast accuracy. I was always interested in learning about new disciplines, and putting them together into the big picture of how companies and businesses function and generate value.

Have you faced any challenges specific to being a woman in robotics, and how did you overcome them?

Certainly, it is still a male-dominated world. On occasion, when travelling with all-male colleagues, I’ve been mistaken for a secretary or the translator. When I was younger, I often felt embarrassed in these moments, but I’ve come to realise how important it is for women not to shrink back. We have every right to speak up, to take up space, and to claim our seat at the table. As Sheryl Sandberg says, we need to “Lean in” and make our voices heard.

Often I think women in technical fields feel they don’t have enough technical knowledge, just like young girls may not choose STEM subjects because they think they are not good enough at maths. That’s why it’s so important to recognise the value of diversity. Every company and project benefits from a range of perspectives. You don’t need a technical background to make a meaningful contribution, insights from marketing, communications, or any other discipline can be just as valuable to the discussion, and to creating a successful product in the end.

You’re actively involved in Women in Robotics Switzerland—how do you see the role of such communities in supporting female talent in the field?

It’s fantastic that such communities exist, being in a male-dominated industry, I think most of the women there are used to being in the minority, but at the Women in Robotics events, the dynamic shifts. We become the majority and the men who attend are in the minority. It’s a powerful reminder of how many we are, and how diverse our backgrounds, roles, and experiences are. I love hearing personal stories of how women arrived to where they are, what challenges they faced and overcame. It’s also a community where many younger women or newly graduates come to meet more senior women, to ask for career advice, to get leads on potential jobs. I enjoy these events immensely and am so thankful for the initiative.

What kind of impact do you think visibility of women leaders has on encouraging young women to pursue robotics?

I think this is one of the most important factors we need to address. The fact is there are not enough known female leaders around the world to inspire other women. Everyone knows Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or Jeff Bezos – who can name some female leaders they look up to and admire? When I was younger, the only female role model I can remember is Marie Curie. That in itself speaks volumes. We need to spotlight the brilliant women who are already leading across industries, and ensure there is a strong pipeline behind them so more women have the opportunity to rise to top positions. By having female leaders of various backgrounds to look up to, young women will begin to recognise themselves and truly believe that someone like them can also make it to the top.

Where do you think the biggest gaps are when it comes to attracting women to robotics—from education to workplace culture?

It’s important to make robotics companies attractive employers for top female talent. These candidates are comparing us with other top tech companies like Google or Microsoft, so  why should they choose to work for ABB? We need to actively showcase how inclusive our working environment is, so that top female talents can believe they will work in an open and diverse working environment. If they see a picture of the company management and only see men or a lack of ethnic diversity, how would that make them want to work in this company? Representation matters.

What strategies or best practices have you seen that truly make a difference in bringing more women into robotics teams?

As hiring managers, we have a responsibility to push the recruiting team to go further. I often hear from my colleagues – and I’ve had the same experience – that they’re only seeing male candidates. That’s not surprising in a male-dominated field, but this also has to do with how we frame our roles. If a job advert states that the candidate must have 5 or 10 years experience in robotics or automation, we’re unintentionally limiting our pool and almost certainly discouraging female applications.

We have to recreate the job ad and think about the type of person we want to attract to the team. Robotics experience can be gained and technical skills can be acquired. But soft skills like critical thinking, creativity, cross-industry experience, or a deep understanding of user needs add enormous value to a team – whether in product development, quality management, or beyond. That’s why I work closely with our recruiting team. I go through the job ad with them, remove all rigid technical requirements and focus on describing the person I am looking for. I highlight transferable skills and describe the type of person who would thrive in this role – with the goal of inspiring people from a range of backgrounds to apply. Maybe it makes you feel nervous to remove the requirement of 5 years relevant engineering experience, but in my experience, you will be rewarded with a person that has other skills that complement you and your team, and bring in new perspectives.

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in robotics or industrial automation?

Go for it! In fact I answer this question a lot, especially from women from other fields. I always tell them to go for it, even without relevant technical background. We have already a lot of robotics engineers in ABB, we have absolutely many roles that do not require robotics knowledge. Focus on your transferrable skills.

Looking ahead, what changes would you like to see in the industry to make it more inclusive and appealing to a diverse talent pool?

I think the industry needs to put more women in its top leadership positions. We are actively promoting this in ABB and have the ambition to have 25% of senior management posts filled by women by 2030. I would like to see similar pledges from other robotics companies. We need to see commitment from top management, and measurable actions, in order to truly achieve a meaningful change. I think this type of commitment is also important for young females entering the field, they will choose companies that commit to diversity and inclusion over ones that do not.

If you would like to discuss any of the topics raised in this piece or if you need support with your leadership resourcing strategy, please get in touch with Alex Catana on: alex.catana@beaumontbailey.com.