Electronics Engineer, Except Computer
Impact: Product innovation, System reliability
Designs, develops, tests, and supervises the manufacturing and installation of electronic equipment, components, and systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific applications. Focuses on hardware aspects, including circuit boards, processors, and power supplies, ensuring functionality and reliability.
In their words
As an Electronics Engineer, I spend my days bringing ideas to life, from initial circuit concepts to functional prototypes. It's a constant cycle of design, simulation, testing, and refinement. The satisfaction comes from seeing a complex system work as intended, knowing you've contributed to something tangible and innovative.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Moderate
- Team vs solo
- 70% Team / 30% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- High
- Travel
- 5-15% for site visits or conferences
- Schedule flexibility
- Structured
- Remote work
- Limited Remote
- Typical work hours
- 40-50 hours/week
- Stress level
- Moderate
At a glance
- Median salary
- $105,000
- Entry-level
- $65,000 - $75,000
- Senior
- $130,000+
- Growth by 2033
- 3% (average)
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- Moderate
- Salary growth potential
- High, 90-110% growth from entry to senior
- Typical student debt
- $30,000 - $60,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Circuit Design
- Embedded Systems
- Signal Processing
- PCB Layout
- Firmware Development
- Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
Soft skills
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Communication
- Collaboration
Technical complexity: Very High
Tools you'll work with
Core tools
- Altium Designer (software): PCB design and layout
- MATLAB/Simulink (software): Signal processing and system simulation
- Oscilloscope (hardware): Electrical signal measurement and analysis
- Embedded C/C++ (software): Firmware development
Common tools
- LabVIEW (software): Test automation and data acquisition
- Spectrum Analyzer (hardware): RF signal analysis
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- Optional
- Years to mid-career
- 5
- Years to senior
- 10
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Electrical Engineer: Often shares foundational knowledge in electrical principles and circuit theory.
- Hardware Engineer: Directly related, with some overlap in design and development of electronic components.
Where you can go from here
- Systems Engineer: Can transition to roles focusing on the integration of various engineering disciplines into a cohesive system.
- Firmware Engineer: Specializes in the software that directly controls hardware, a natural progression for electronics engineers.
- Test Engineer: Focuses on developing and executing test plans for electronic products and systems.
Typical progression
- Junior Electronics Engineer
- Mid-level Electronics Engineer
- Senior Electronics Engineer
- Principal Engineer
- Engineering Manager
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 25% (low risk).
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 7.8/10
- Meaning
- 8/10
- Work-life balance
- 7/10
- Prestige
- 7.5/10
- Social perception
- High
Find your community
Professional organisations
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers): Global professional association for advancing technology related to electricity.
Podcasts and media
- EDN (Electronic Design Network): Online publication providing technical articles and resources for electronics engineers.
Online communities
- EEVblog Forum: Popular online forum for electronics enthusiasts and professionals.
- Analog Devices EngineerZone: Community and technical support forum for Analog Devices products.