Computer Hardware Engineer
Computer Hardware Engineer Career Overview
Computer hardware engineers are the people on the cutting edge of computing technology. They research, develop, design, and test a variety of computer hardware and implement the new technology for clients. With any computing technology, there are two parts - the software and the hardware. The hardware is the actual physical device, and the software is the code that tells the physical device. Computer chips, systems, keyboards, printers, peripherals, and circuit boards are all considered hardware. Computer hardware engineering is similar to electronic engineering, but computer hardware engineers turn their efforts to making chipsets and various computing technology as fast and reliable as possible.
As computers have become ubiquitous in the United States , the opportunities for computer hardware engineers have increased substantially. While they were previously confined to the laboratories of IBM or Dell, computer hardware engineers now design systems for cars, airplanes, temperature control, and handheld devices like the iPhone. Computers are being integrated in to an ever-widening array of personal devices. The smart phone revolution will only accelerate the innovation and creation of new ways to integrate computers into everyday life. This proliferation of new applications for computer technology promises incredible growth for the computer hardware engineering field.
As a cutting-edge field, computer hardware engineering attracts droves of talented and qualified people. Many of these candidates have flocked to the computer hardware engineering field due to the attractive pay, engaging and interesting work, and the potential to be a part of the next generation of computing technology, it's hard not to see why.
Computer Hardware Engineer Training and Education
To be a computer hardware engineer, one needs a variety of fairly advanced skills. The engineer must be able to work with complex machines, electronics, and many varieties of circuitry. The field is a small portion of the computer engineering industry, which includes software engineering and network engineering. To enter the field, an individual needs a bachelor's degree as a minimum. Entry-level positions will not be available for those individuals who do not possess one.
Admission requirements for engineering schools include courses in mathematics, basic sciences, introductory engineering, humanities, and social sciences. In the last two years, programs require the choosing of a specialty – in this case, computer hardware engineering.
A variety of other advanced degrees are appropriate for more specialized computer hardware engineering applications, particularly degrees in mathematics, physics, and life sciences. Forty percent of those who enter the computer hardware engineering field will end up working for a computer or electronic product manufacturer, while twenty-five percent will be employed in professional and scientific specialty fields. A large part of the remaining people in the industry work in telecommunications.
After receiving your master's or bachelor's, it is important to take into account that your education will not stop. Since the technology world is constantly evolving, a successful professional needs to be consistently up-to-date with the latest trends. This means frequently going back to school for tutorials on new computer software.
Computer Hardware Engineer Salary Outlook
In 2006, there were 79,000 computer hardware engineers working in the United States . Due to the explosion of technology in every facet of society in the past five years, the number of applicants seeking jobs as computer hardware engineers has grown apace. Even with the boom in the number of people seeking education and training to become computer hardware engineers, the median annual earnings for a computer hardware engineer in 2007 were $91,860. Most computer hardware engineers work for around 38 hours each week in clean and quiet office spaces. However, as networking capabilities have increased over the past few years, the opportunities for off-site work have increased substantially.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in computer hardware engineering is expected to increase five percent per year for the next decade. Although this sounds promising, this is actually slower than many would expect. Companies today are using an immense amount of foreign outsourcing. Despite this, American workers will still have job opportunities because the number of new applicants is expected to balance with the number of available jobs.
Article Resources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticshttp://www.bls.gov/k12/computers03.htm
