How to Be Embedded Hardware Engineer - Job Description, Skills, and Interview Questions

Oct 24, 2020 / 5 Minutes Read / By Albert

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The development of embedded hardware engineering has had a significant impact on the technology industry. This type of engineering involves designing and developing the physical components of electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, and computers. By creating small, sophisticated electronic components, embedded hardware engineers are able to improve the performance, size and cost of electronic devices.

As a result, these devices become more powerful and more efficient, allowing for the development of new and innovative products and services. advances in embedded hardware engineering have enabled the development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous vehicles. The increased demand for these types of products has created more job opportunities in the technology sector, making embedded hardware engineering one of the most sought-after professions today.

Steps How to Become

Earn a Bachelor's Degree. The first step in becoming an embedded hardware engineer is to pursue a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science.
Participate in an Internship. Many colleges and universities offer internships that are related to embedded hardware engineering. Participating in an internship allows prospective engineers to gain hands-on experience and to network with potential employers.
Pass the Professional Engineering Exam. In order to become a licensed engineer, applicants must pass the Professional Engineering exam. The exam is administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying and tests an individual's knowledge of engineering principles and practices.
Obtain Certification. Earning a certification can help embedded hardware engineers stand out from the competition and demonstrate their competence in their field. Certifications from organizations like the IEEE Computer Society provide potential employers with evidence of an individual's expertise.
Join a Professional Organization. Joining a professional organization can help embedded hardware engineers stay up-to-date on industry trends and gain access to resources that can help advance their career. Popular organizations include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

The field of embedded hardware engineering is highly technical and requires a special set of skills and knowledge to be successful. To be an ideal and capable embedded hardware engineer, one must have a solid understanding of electrical engineering principles, computer programming and software design, as well as the ability to troubleshoot and debug hardware designs. they must have an aptitude for problem-solving and creativity to develop new solutions to complex challenges.

A successful embedded hardware engineer should also have the ability to work collaboratively, as well as the capacity to identify potential risks and mitigate them. Finally, they must have excellent communication and documentation skills to effectively present the results of their work. All these skills are essential for any successful embedded hardware engineer, and they must be honed through experience and education in order to be an ideal and capable engineer.

You may want to check Industrial Hardware Designer, Hardware Engineer, and Senior Hardware Engineer for alternative.

Job Description

Develop and maintain embedded hardware designs for products.
Design, develop, test, and debug embedded hardware solutions for a variety of products.
Troubleshoot and resolve embedded hardware issues.
Design and develop circuit boards, schematics, and layouts for new and existing embedded hardware products.
Research and evaluate new technologies and components to incorporate into embedded hardware solutions.
Evaluate existing embedded hardware solutions for performance and reliability improvements.
Manage the development and testing of embedded hardware solutions.
Create documentation for embedded hardware designs, including user manuals and technical specifications.
Ensure compliance with industry standards and best practices in the development of embedded hardware solutions.
Collaborate with software engineers to ensure compatibility between hardware and software solutions.

Skills and Competencies to Have

Circuit design and analysis
Knowledge of embedded systems
Knowledge of microcontrollers and embedded processors
Knowledge of communications protocols (I2C, UART, SPI, etc. )
Experience with development boards, microcontroller kits and prototyping tools
Experience with programming languages like C/C++, Assembly etc.
Experience with debugging tools like oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, etc.
Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and technical drawings
Knowledge of firmware development and debugging processes
Knowledge of power supply design, voltage regulation, and power management
Knowledge of analog and digital circuit design
Ability to troubleshoot hardware issues
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Good communication and collaboration skills

The most important skill for an Embedded Hardware Engineer is the ability to understand and integrate hardware, software, and firmware components into a unified system. This requires knowledge of electrical engineering principles, microcontroller architectures, and programming languages. In addition, an understanding of system level optimization is key in order to maximize the performance and efficiency of the system.

It also requires the engineer to be able to think abstractly in order to design innovative solutions to complex problems. Furthermore, strong problem solving and debugging skills are essential for identifying and resolving any issues that arise during development. Lastly, communication skills are essential for effective collaboration with other engineers and stakeholders.

All these skills are critical for an Embedded Hardware Engineer to effectively design and develop embedded hardware systems.

Electrical Hardware Engineer, Network Hardware Technician, and Mobile Device hardware Technician are related jobs you may like.

Frequent Interview Questions

What experience do you have developing embedded hardware systems?
What specific challenges have you faced while working on an embedded hardware project?
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends in embedded hardware development?
Describe the most complex embedded hardware system you have worked on.
How would you design a power-efficient embedded hardware system?
Describe your experience with debugging and troubleshooting embedded hardware systems.
What processes do you use to ensure the reliability of embedded hardware designs?
What strategies do you use to reduce development time for embedded hardware projects?
What challenges have you faced while working with multiple vendors for an embedded hardware project?
How do you ensure that all components of an embedded hardware system work together seamlessly?

Common Tools in Industry

Soldering Iron. Used to join two pieces of metal together by melting a solder material. (eg: To join two circuit board components together).
Multimeter. Electrical testing instrument used to measure voltage, current, and resistance. (eg: Testing continuity when troubleshooting a circuit).
Oscilloscope. Electronic instrument used to measure and display waveforms. (eg: Analyzing signal behavior for debugging a circuit).
Logic Analyzer. Electronic instrument used to capture and display digital signals. (eg: Debugging a microcontroller system).
Embedded Debugger. Software used to debug embedded system code. (eg: Setting breakpoints, examining memory, and tracing execution on an embedded microcontroller).
CAD Software. Computer-aided design software used to create designs and simulate circuits. (eg: Designing a printed circuit board layout).
Embedded Development Tools. Software that helps in developing, compiling, and debugging code for embedded systems. (eg: Setting up a development environment for an ARM processor-based system).

Professional Organizations to Know

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
National Instruments Alliance Program (NIAP)
Embedded Systems Conference (ESC)
Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
International Society for Automation (ISA)
Internet of Things Consortium (IoTC)
International Test and Measurement Association (ITMA)
Open Compute Project (OCP)

We also have Computer Hardware Technician, Computer Hardware Designer, and Hardware Design Engineer jobs reports.

Common Important Terms

Embedded System. A system that contains both hardware and software components, designed to perform a specific task or set of tasks.
Microcontroller. A computer on a single integrated circuit, containing a processor core, memory and input/output peripherals.
Firmware. Software stored in read-only memory (ROM) or programmable read-only memory (PROM) that runs a device.
Circuit Board Design. The process of designing the electrical circuitry for a device, including the layout of the circuit board and components.
Electrical Engineering. A field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism.
Digital Signal Processing (DSP). A subfield of engineering that focuses on manipulating digital signals to perform specific functions.
Embedded Software. Software specifically designed to run on an embedded system.
System-on-Chip (SoC). An integrated circuit containing multiple components, such as a processor, memory, and peripherals, used to create a complete computing system in a single chip.
Network Protocols. Rules governing the communication between two or more devices over a network.
Debugging. The process of finding and correcting errors in a computer program or device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is an Embedded Hardware Engineer? A1: An Embedded Hardware Engineer is a professional who designs and develops hardware components and systems for embedded applications, such as microprocessors, memory, and other integrated circuits. Q2: What qualifications are required to become an Embedded Hardware Engineer? A2: Qualifications for becoming an Embedded Hardware Engineer include a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Additional experience with design and manufacturing of embedded hardware components and systems is also beneficial. Q3: What are some of the duties of an Embedded Hardware Engineer? A3: The duties of an Embedded Hardware Engineer include designing and developing embedded hardware components and systems, selecting and integrating appropriate components, debugging and testing hardware designs, and ensuring the quality of the manufactured product. Q4: What tools are used by Embedded Hardware Engineers? A4: Embedded Hardware Engineers typically use tools such as digital simulators, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and other specialized hardware development tools. Q5: What type of environment do Embedded Hardware Engineers typically work in? A5: Embedded Hardware Engineers typically work in a laboratory environment or in a manufacturing facility.

Web Resources

Career Spotlight: Embedded Systems Engineer | Ohio University onlinemasters.ohio.edu
Embedded Systems Engineering - UC San Diego Division of extendedstudies.ucsd.edu
Embedded Systems Engineering - University of California, Irvine ce.uci.edu