Getting (back) into EE
Getting (back) into EE
(OP)
Warning: angst follows.
I graduated in 2003 with a MSEE from a pretty good school. I concentrated on analog integrated circuits and computer software. I find both topics equally interesting. It was always easier for me to find software internships, so I never got any summer experience as an EE - which I now recognize to be a mistake but that's water under the bridge. So when I graduated I found a job as a software engineer. Then this year I moved to a better job, still doing software. Its a dream company - I am really happy. And since it is a small company, there are several people with "dual" roles. Like MechE and ID. I'm hoping to eventually become a dual EE and software.
I know that I could design a circuit to do what is needed in our product - but when I look at someone else's circuit my brain totally blanks. It's been about 3 years since I last did any circuit work in school and I've lost a lot of the stuff I used to be able to just rattle off. I remember what a current mirror looks like, but for the life of me I couldn't tell you why it works that way. The other problem is that I spent so much time learning about silicon - hand layout even - that in school we didn't cover such practicalities as ESD protection (which is a BIG DEAL in my industry) and PCB layout.
I want the EEs to eventually start giving me some of their excess work, but if I don't shake the rust off that doesn't look too likely. Am I just dumb for forgetting this much so quickly? And how can I achieve this dual role?
I graduated in 2003 with a MSEE from a pretty good school. I concentrated on analog integrated circuits and computer software. I find both topics equally interesting. It was always easier for me to find software internships, so I never got any summer experience as an EE - which I now recognize to be a mistake but that's water under the bridge. So when I graduated I found a job as a software engineer. Then this year I moved to a better job, still doing software. Its a dream company - I am really happy. And since it is a small company, there are several people with "dual" roles. Like MechE and ID. I'm hoping to eventually become a dual EE and software.
I know that I could design a circuit to do what is needed in our product - but when I look at someone else's circuit my brain totally blanks. It's been about 3 years since I last did any circuit work in school and I've lost a lot of the stuff I used to be able to just rattle off. I remember what a current mirror looks like, but for the life of me I couldn't tell you why it works that way. The other problem is that I spent so much time learning about silicon - hand layout even - that in school we didn't cover such practicalities as ESD protection (which is a BIG DEAL in my industry) and PCB layout.
I want the EEs to eventually start giving me some of their excess work, but if I don't shake the rust off that doesn't look too likely. Am I just dumb for forgetting this much so quickly? And how can I achieve this dual role?





RE: Getting (back) into EE
RE: Getting (back) into EE
On the hardware side, you might amuse yourself, and rediscover/ repolish some rusty skills, by doing projects at home. At work, you might be able to help out with test boxes or engineering prototypes and throwaways, but it would be irresponsible to assign production circuits to rusty designers, so don't expect much of that.
I know maybe a hundred EEs. I'd estimate that three of them could build a current mirror from transistors, two of those could explain how it works in a subjective way, and only one could actually analyze it and predict its performance with numbers. He's been out of work for four years. The rest of them just plug 'em in.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Getting (back) into EE
I think that it should be possible to get back up to speed on circuit design. Many of the engineers at work do wind up in dual roles, particularly if they have have to create VHDL descriptions of FPGAs.
TTFN
RE: Getting (back) into EE