Computer Hardware Engineers
People classed as Computer Hardware Engineers research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. The skills rated most useful are reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing. You may also need to update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology. On the six-type interest model it reads RIC, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by research, analysis and working through hard problems. Getting in usually takes a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience, a level O*NET calls considerable preparation. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking helping, teaching or caring for people.
What they do
Research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. May supervise the manufacturing and installation of computer or computer-related equipment and components.
Main tasks
- Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology.
- Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
- Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
- Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
- Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.
- Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and critical thinking.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You want helping people to be at the center of your work. Social rates 1.8 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Design Engineer
- Engineer
- Field Service Engineer
- Hardware Design Engineer
- Hardware Engineer
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.