Robert Samuel Carlson received his BSEE degree from Mississippi State in 1946, completed his MSEE at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1949, and earned his doctorate from Purdue in 1952. He then joined the Autonetics Division of North American Aviation, where he became director of research and development working on inertial guidance.

In 1962, Carlson moved to Ford Aeronutronics as director of engineering and later was promoted to director of air defense systems. In 1967 Carlson returned to Autonetics by then reorganized under the name Rockwell International as president of the microelectronics division.

He worked for ITT Gilfillan as vice president and director of operations from 1975 until 1977. In 1977 he became president of Kaiser Electroprecision and vice president of Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Corporation at Irvine, California.

Carlson was named a Purdue Distinguished Engineering Alumnus in 1966.