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Between 2006 and 2009, 0.2% of employed doctoral graduates, or 35 employed doctoral graduates are known to have been working as electronic engineers six months after graduation.

Job description

Doctoral level electronic engineers are typically found as non-HE researchers at the start of their careers, although some enter HE research roles.

Academic research work is very similar in nature to the research work the new entrant carried out as a doctoral student, with an increased level of responsibility. As a result, most entrants into academic research roles should have a good idea of the basic nature of the job and many of the key responsibilities.

Electronics is the technology associated with electronic circuits and systems, and is one of the major branches of electrical engineering. It is a discipline that uses scientific knowledge of the behaviour and effects of electrons to create components, devices, systems or equipment that uses electricity as part of its source of power.

Electronics engineers research, design, develop and test precision components and systems, developing the way electricity is used to control equipment. The work is usually carried out in cross-functional project teams, with colleagues in electronics and other branches of engineering.

Electronics applications are diverse and include acoustics, defence, medical instruments, mobile phones, nanotechnology, radio and satellite communication and robotics. Subfields of electronics engineering include control engineering, instrumentation, signal processing and telecommunications engineering.

Typical work activities

Electronics engineers work on a project through all stages of development, from the initial brief for a concept, through the design and development stage, to the testing of one or more prototypes and through to final manufacture and implementation of a new product or system. The exact duties vary, depending on the industry, but tasks typically include:

  • Working with colleagues to design new systems, circuits and devices or develop existing technology
  • Testing theoretical designs and writing specifications
  • Systematically improving the detailed design of a piece of electronic equipment
  • Ensuring that a product will work with devices developed by others, can be made again reliably, and will perform consistently in specified operating environments
  • Discussing proposals with clients, sub-contractors and colleagues
  • Project planning and preparing budgets
  • Supervising technicians and craftspeople and other colleagues;
  • Writing technical reports
  • Keeping up to date with developments in technologies and regulations.
  • Creating user-friendly interfaces
  • Ensuring safety regulations are met
  • Collaborating with industry/academia to apply the results of research and develop new techniques, products or practices.

Academic electronic engineers can also expect to be involved in:

  • Publishing papers, and presenting ongoing work and findings to colleagues at academic conferences
  • Teaching, demonstrating or supervising students (in academia) and training and supervising other members of staff
  • Devising or helping to draw up new research proposals and applying for funding and grants.

Entry requirements

Study in a subject closely related to electronic engineering is usual in entrants to the field.

Doctoral graduates are well placed to show evidence of some of the following skills which are favoured in this area:

  • A high level of technical knowledge and IT skills
  • Strong analysis and practical problem-solving abilities
  • Oral, written and diagrammatic communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear concepts
  • Creativity, innovation and attention to detail
  • Strategic thinking and commercial awareness
  • Organisational, project management and leadership skills
  • The ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.

Some work in sensitive, security-related industries is not open to applicants who have a criminal record, and employees will need to pass security clearance for work with the Ministry of Defence.

Salary

  • Starting salaries for new electronics engineers are in the range of £18,000 - £29,000 (salary data collected May 2010).
  • Qualified electronics engineers can earn between £35,000 and £45,000, with more senior engineers earning between £40,000 and £55,000. Highly experienced engineers can earn in excess of £65,000 (salary data collected May 2010)
  • Salaries vary from company to company, with some sectors attracting higher salaries due to demand.

Sector and disciplinary information

Sector information

Doctoral graduates from 2006-9 working in this occupation were known to be employed in the following profiled sectors six months after graduation:

Disciplinary background

This is a very specialist area and almost all entrants between 2006 and 2009 had a doctorate in electronic engineering.

Career stories

Dr Barrie Hayes- Gill
Barrie is the Research Director at Monica Healthcare. He feels that his doctoral studies were very useful to him in fostering independence, and an aptitude to seek out answers to questions on his own and developed his capacity for critical analysis.

"I am the Research Director at Monica Healthcare Ltd - a spin-out company formed in 2005 with some of my former doctoral research students. We have brought a foetal monitor using wireless technology to market from my university research laboratory. Monica currently markets and supplies this product across the world via 23 distributors."

Other relevant career profiles;

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