Electronics Design Career Info

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chessman
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Electronics Design Career Info

Post by chessman »

For my senior project in school, I am covering Electronics Design, and I need to interview a professional in the field of electronics design.<p>Do any of you out there hold a job as an electronics designer? If so, are you willing to carry out an email correspondence with me, so I can fulfill my requirements?<p>Thanks,
~Kyle
billdar
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Re: Electronics Design Career Info

Post by billdar »

What kind of electronics design?<p>I do a lot of embedded and desktop
system design, and would like to think
myself a proffesional.<p>And I wouldn't mind being interviewed,
Im always looking for an audience to
listen to me talk about myself :) <p>-Bill
russlk
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Re: Electronics Design Career Info

Post by russlk »

There are hardware and software designers. I have been an analog hardware designer for 30 years. Hardware designers can also be subdivided into logic (computer) and analog design. some few can do both (not me).<p>The industry generally flows this way: Marketing, Design, Manufacturing, Sales<p>Marketing determins the parameters and writes the specifications, usually with customer input.
The designer assembles the hardware to meet the specifications and manufacturing requirements
Manufacturing builds, tests and ships the product.
Sales brings in the orders so manufacturing knows how many to build and where to ship. Marketing is often lumped with sales, but they are seperate operations.
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haklesup
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Re: Electronics Design Career Info

Post by haklesup »

There is also the big company - small company split. In a large organization, designers (as well as all job functions) will tend to be more narrowly defined but the person gets much more in depth. This is where you find the real experts.<p>In a small company like mine, the designer may be forced to stay at a high level and farm out the details to contractors and job shoppers. In addition to HW and SW development resopnsibilities, I routinely work in manufacturing, sales and marketing and support. I find being able to close the loop very satisfying.
billdar
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Re: Electronics Design Career Info

Post by billdar »

Im with Hacklesup... Im in a small company as well.<p>Except I think the benifits balence out by the negatives. Yeah I do design, HW (digital&signal integrity), SW (BIOS&OS&Apps), Marketing, End User Support, and documentation (no sales, woot!) which is cool and keeps it interesting.<p>But the other side of the coin is that I work 6-7 days a week, 11+ hours a day. And the pressure of 'if I don't do it, it won't get done and we have nothing to sell...' sometimes keep me up nights...<p>Eh, either way... I haven't been doing it as long as you all, and frankly I'd be more interested hearing stories gained in 30 years of experience :)
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