Basic Electronics

Alternative Job Titles for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

• Compatibility Test Engineer
• Design Engineer
• Electronics Design Engineer
• Engineer
• Evaluation Engineer
• Integrated Circuit Design Engineer (IC Design Engineer)
• Product Engineer
• Radio Frequency Engineer (RF Engineer)
• Research and Development Engineer (R and D Engineer)
• Test Engineer

Job Tasks and Activities for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

• Advise customers on the use of products or services.
• Analyze design requirements for computer or electronics systems.
• Analyze electronics system requirements, capacity, cost, or customer needs to determine project feasibility.
• Communicate technical information to suppliers, contractors, or regulatory agencies.
• Confer with engineers, customers, vendors, or others to discuss existing or potential electronics engineering projects or products.
• Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
• Create schematic drawings for electronics.
• Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications.
• Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.
• Determine operational criteria or specifications.
• Determine project material or equipment needs.
• Develop or perform operational, maintenance, or testing procedures for electronic products, components, equipment, or systems.
• Direct industrial production activities.
• Direct or coordinate activities concerned with manufacture, construction, installation, maintenance, operation, or modification of electronic equipment, products, or systems.
• Discuss designs or plans with clients.
• Document technical design details.
• Estimate operational costs.
• Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
• Evaluate characteristics of equipment or systems.
• Evaluate project work to ensure effectiveness, technical adequacy, or compatibility in the resolution of complex electronics engineering problems.
• Explain project details to the general public.
• Inspect electronic equipment, instruments, products, or systems to ensure conformance to specifications, safety standards, or applicable codes or regulations.
• Inspect finished products to locate flaws.
• Investigate green consumer electronics applications for consumer electronic devices, power saving devices for computers or televisions, or energy efficient power chargers.
• Operate computer systems.
• Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform electronics engineering tasks.
• Plan or develop applications or modifications for electronic properties used in components, products, or systems to improve technical performance.
• Prepare budget or cost estimates for equipment, construction, or installation projects or control expenditures.
• Prepare documentation containing information such as confidential descriptions or specifications of proprietary hardware or software, product development or introduction schedules, product costs, or information about product performance weaknesses.
• Prepare engineering sketches or specifications for construction, relocation, or installation of equipment, facilities, products, or systems.
• Prepare necessary criteria, procedures, reports, or plans for successful conduct of the project with consideration given to site preparation, facility validation, installation, quality assurance, or testing.
• Prepare operational reports.
• Prepare project budgets.
• Prepare, review, or maintain maintenance schedules, design documentation, or operational reports or charts.
• Provide technical guidance to other personnel.
• Provide technical support or instruction to staff or customers regarding electronics equipment standards.
• Recommend repair or design modifications of electronics components or systems, based on factors such as environment, service, cost, or system capabilities.
• Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
• Represent employer at conferences, meetings, boards, panels, committees, or working groups to present, explain, or defend findings or recommendations, negotiate compromises or agreements, or exchange information.
• Research design or application of green technologies.
• Research or develop new green electronics technologies, such as lighting, optical data storage devices, or energy efficient televisions.
• Schedule operational activities.
• Test products for functionality or quality.

Interests for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

• Realistic
  Designing, building, or repairing equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors.
• Investigative
  Studying and researching scientific subjects and human behavior.
• Conventional
  Following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting.

Skills for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

In order of importance

• Critical Thinking
  Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
  Importance: 75/100
• Complex Problem Solving
  Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
  Importance: 75/100
• Reading Comprehension
  Reading work-related information.
  Importance: 75/100
• Speaking
  Talking to others.
  Importance: 72/100
• Systems Analysis
  Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
  Importance: 69/100
• Active Listening
  Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
  Importance: 69/100
• Judgment and Decision Making
  Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
  Importance: 69/100
• Mathematics
  Using math to solve problems.
  Importance: 63/100
• Writing
  Writing things for co-workers or customers.
  Importance: 63/100
• Monitoring
  Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
  Importance: 60/100
• Systems Evaluation
  Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
  Importance: 60/100
• Operations Analysis
  Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
  Importance: 56/100
• Quality Control Analysis
  Testing how well a product or service works.
  Importance: 53/100
• Active Learning
  Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
  Importance: 53/100
• Science
  Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
  Importance: 50/100
• Operations Monitoring
  Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
  Importance: 50/100
• Troubleshooting
  Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
  Importance: 50/100
• Learning Strategies
  Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
  Importance: 50/100
• Coordination
  Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
  Importance: 50/100
• Technology Design
  Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
  Importance: 50/100
• Instructing
  Teaching people how to do something.
  Importance: 50/100
• Equipment Maintenance
  Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
  Importance: 47/100
• Social Perceptiveness
  Understanding people's reactions.
  Importance: 47/100
• Service Orientation
  Looking for ways to help people.
  Importance: 47/100
• Operation and Control
  Using equipment or systems.
  Importance: 47/100
• Equipment Selection
  Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
  Importance: 47/100
• Persuasion
  Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
  Importance: 47/100
• Programming
  Writing computer programs.
  Importance: 44/100
• Negotiation
  Bringing people together to solve differences.
  Importance: 44/100
• Management of Material Resources
  Managing equipment and materials.
  Importance: 44/100
• Repairing
  Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
  Importance: 44/100
• Time Management
  Managing your time and the time of other people.
  Importance: 44/100
• Management of Personnel Resources
  Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
  Importance: 44/100
• Management of Financial Resources
  Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
  Importance: 25/100
• Installation
  Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
  Importance: 16/100

Knowledge for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

In order of importance

• Engineering and Technology
  Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  Importance: 94/100
• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  Importance: 89/100
• Design
  Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  Importance: 84/100
• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  Importance: 76/100
• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  Importance: 69/100
• Mechanical
  Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  Importance: 55/100
• Physics
  Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
  Importance: 54/100
• Education and Training
  Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  Importance: 50/100
• Production and Processing
  Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  Importance: 46/100
• Administration and Management
  Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  Importance: 43/100
• Law and Government
  Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  Importance: 41/100
• Customer and Personal Service
  Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  Importance: 41/100
• Telecommunications
  Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  Importance: 38/100
• Public Safety and Security
  Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  Importance: 35/100
• Chemistry
  Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  Importance: 35/100
• Sales and Marketing
  Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  Importance: 29/100
• Administrative
  Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  Importance: 28/100
• Building and Construction
  Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  Importance: 28/100
• Personnel and Human Resources
  Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  Importance: 28/100
• Economics and Accounting
  Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  Importance: 24/100
• Communications and Media
  Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  Importance: 19/100
• Foreign Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
  Importance: 13/100
• Psychology
  Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  Importance: 13/100
• Geography
  Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  Importance: 12/100
• Transportation
  Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  Importance: 11/100
• Therapy and Counseling
  Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  Importance: 10/100
• Biology
  Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  Importance: 9/100
• Medicine and Dentistry
  Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  Importance: 8/100
• Sociology and Anthropology
  Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
  Importance: 8/100
• History and Archeology
  Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
  Importance: 4/100
• Fine Arts
  Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
  Importance: 3/100
• Philosophy and Theology
  Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
  Importance: 2/100

Physical Abilities for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

In order of importance

• Oral Expression
  Communicating by speaking.
  Importance: 75/100
• Inductive Reasoning
  Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
  Importance: 75/100
• Oral Comprehension
  Listening and understanding what people say.
  Importance: 75/100
• Information Ordering
  Ordering or arranging things.
  Importance: 75/100
• Written Comprehension
  Reading and understanding what is written.
  Importance: 75/100
• Deductive Reasoning
  Using rules to solve problems.
  Importance: 75/100
• Near Vision
  Seeing details up close.
  Importance: 75/100
• Written Expression
  Communicating by writing.
  Importance: 72/100
• Problem Sensitivity
  Noticing when problems happen.
  Importance: 72/100
• Mathematical Reasoning
  Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
  Importance: 69/100
• Category Flexibility
  Grouping things in different ways.
  Importance: 63/100
• Fluency of Ideas
  Coming up with lots of ideas.
  Importance: 63/100
• Originality
  Creating new and original ideas.
  Importance: 60/100
• Visualization
  Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
  Importance: 60/100
• Speech Recognition
  Recognizing spoken words.
  Importance: 56/100
• Number Facility
  Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
  Importance: 56/100
• Speech Clarity
  Speaking clearly.
  Importance: 53/100
• Flexibility of Closure
  Seeing hidden patterns.
  Importance: 53/100
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  Keeping your arm or hand steady.
  Importance: 50/100
• Finger Dexterity
  Putting together small parts with your fingers.
  Importance: 50/100
• Speed of Closure
  Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
  Importance: 50/100
• Perceptual Speed
  Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
  Importance: 50/100
• Selective Attention
  Paying attention to something without being distracted.
  Importance: 47/100
• Manual Dexterity
  Holding or moving items with your hands.
  Importance: 47/100
• Visual Color Discrimination
  Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
  Importance: 47/100
• Memorization
  Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
  Importance: 44/100
• Time Sharing
  Doing two or more things at the same time.
  Importance: 44/100
• Far Vision
  Seeing details that are far away.
  Importance: 44/100
• Hearing Sensitivity
  Telling the difference between sounds.
  Importance: 41/100
• Control Precision
  Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
  Importance: 38/100
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
  Importance: 25/100
• Auditory Attention
  Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
  Importance: 22/100
• Depth Perception
  Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
  Importance: 22/100
• Extent Flexibility
  Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  Importance: 19/100
• Rate Control
  Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
  Importance: 19/100
• Reaction Time
  Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
  Importance: 19/100
• Trunk Strength
  Using your lower back and stomach.
  Importance: 19/100
• Response Orientation
  Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
  Importance: 16/100
• Multilimb Coordination
  Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
  Importance: 16/100
• Static Strength
  Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
  Importance: 13/100
• Dynamic Strength
  Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
  Importance: 6/100
• Stamina
  Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
  Importance: 6/100
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  Keeping your balance or staying upright.
  Importance: 3/100

Tools and Technology used by Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

• Signal generators
• Multimeters
• Wattmeters
• Light absorption meters
• Counters
• Photometer
• Network analyzers
• Capacitance meters
• Integrated circuit testers
• Electronic measuring probes
• Microprocessors
• Lasers
• Desktop computers
• Personal computers
• Microcontrollers
• Oscilloscopes
• Computer aided design CAD software
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
  • Field programmable gate array FPGA design software
  • Mathsoft Mathcad
  • Mentor Graphics PADS
  • OrCAD Capture
  • Three-dimensional 3D computer aided design CAD software
  • Two-dimensional 2D computer aided design CAD software
  • Xilinx Integrated Software Environment ISE
• Presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
• Development environment software
  • C
  • Canu
  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • SystemVerilog
  • Verilog
  • Very high-speed integrated circuit VHSIC hardware description language VHDL
• Analytical or scientific software
  • Ansoft Simplorer
  • Cadence PSpice
  • MathWorks Simulink
  • Synopsys Saber
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • Very high speed integrated circuit VHSIC hardware description language VHDL simulation software
  • Visual Numerics PV-WAVE
• Object or component oriented development software
  • C++
  • Embarcadero Delphi
  • Microsoft Visual Basic.NET
  • Microsoft Visual C# .NET
  • Oracle Java
  • Python
• Operating system software
  • Hewlett-Packard HP OpenVMS
  • Linux
  • Magellan Firmware
  • Real time operating system RTOS software
  • UNIX
• Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Graphics software
  • Trimble SketchUp Pro
• Data base user interface and query software
  • Oracle Database
  • Structured query language SQL
• Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel
• Geographic information system
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
• Electronic mail software
  • IBM Lotus Notes
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Agile Product Lifecyle Management PLM
• File versioning software
  • Apache Subversion SVN
• Enterprise application integration software
  • Extensible markup language XML
• Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office software
• Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word
• Internet browser software
  • Web browser software
• Project management software
  • McCabe Software TRUEchange
• Industrial control software
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
• Compiler and decompiler software
  • Rabbit Semiconductor Dynamic C

Employment Industries for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

• Telecommunications
  18,300 employed
• Federal government, excluding postal service
  15,200 employed
• Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing
  11,800 employed
• Engineering services
  7,500 employed
• Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences
  6,100 employed
• Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing
  5,200 employed
• Aerospace product and parts manufacturing
  3,900 employed
• Management of companies and enterprises
  3,800 employed
• Computer systems design and related services
  3,100 employed
• Merchant wholesalers, durable goods (4232,3,5,6,7,9)
  2,000 employed