Power
Power is a must. Whether you're talking batteries, biofuel, or cold fusion, you need power to run a robot. What's that? Not the kind of power we're talking about? Oh, okay.
Well, workers in this field are typically more behind-the-scenes types. They like to make stuff because they like puzzles, not because they want to build an army that'll conquer the earth. If you're after power in the Alexander the Great way, you should maybe check out politics instead.
If you climb the ranks and prove yourself, you have a strong chance of being one of the leaders of some important projects and studies. That'll give you a lot of influence over which products get priority, which could mean the success or failure of someone's animatronic Jurassic Park theme park.
When you're the one picking and choosing what to develop first, you're influencing what kind of technology the world has access to, and when. That's a pretty powerful thing, especially in this tech-obsessed age.