Alternate Title(s) | Computer Engineer, Computer Scientist, Mathematician |
Minimum Education Requirements | Bachelor's degree |
Salary | See Bureau of Labor Statistics for more information |
Job Skills | - Analytical skills. Computer hardware engineers use computer programming tools to analyze the digital circuits in hardware to determine the best design. - Creativity. Computer hardware engineers design new types of information technology devices. - Critical-thinking skills. These engineers use logic and reasoning to clarify goals, examine assumptions, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions to problems. - Problem-solving skills. Computer hardware engineers identify complex problems in computer hardware, develop and evaluate possible solutions, and figure out the best way to implement them. - Speaking skills. Engineers often work on teams and must be able to communicate with other types of engineers as well as with nontechnical team members. |
Job Duties | Computer hardware engineers typically do the following: - Design new computer hardware, creating schematics of computer equipment to be built - Test the completed models of the computer hardware they design - Analyze the test results and modify the design as needed - Update existing computer equipment so that it will work with new software - Oversee the manufacturing process for computer hardware - Maintain knowledge of computer engineering trends and new technology |
Job Profile | Many hardware engineers design noncomputer devices that incorporate processors and other computer components and connect to the Internet. For example, many car parts have computer systems embedded in them. Computer hardware engineers also are designing a growing number of medical devices with a computer system and the ability to connect to the Internet. Computer hardware engineers ensure that computer hardware components work together with the latest software. Therefore, hardware engineers often work with software developers. For example, the hardware and software for a mobile phone frequently are developed jointly. Hardware engineers also may perform some computer programming in a hardware description language (HDL), which describes the digital circuits in hardware. Using this language, computer hardware engineers can simulate how the hardware design would work, test for errors, and then fix the design. |
The information presented within this occupational profile was synthesized from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Handbook of Occupational Groups & Families.