What does a hardware development engineer do?
A hardware development engineer carries out an analysis of the requirements of a needed product and tries to develop a prototype, taking into consideration the cost and specifications. You're also expected to work on already existing products and seek ways to modify them. You will be in charge of your team members and oversee all they do. Some of the hardware you may be required to design and test includes microprocessors, routers, keyboards, circuit boards, etc.
Hardware development engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real hardware development engineer resumes:
- Develop a LabVIEW application to automate the data acquisition of the qualification performance data.
- Direct PCB layout to ensure signal integrity, EMI constraints, and design goals are meet.
- Develop print circuit boards for lab bench, hand test and production test of digital and analog integrate circuits.
- Test and verify products meet RF and safety requirements, including UL, EMC, CE-Europe, and LV.
- Lead designer of complex multi-layer Ethernet switching devices.
- Experience with Linux shell scripting in developing small tools for automation.
- Work closely with software engineering, debugging device drivers and bringing up board.
- Design responsibilities include power systems, EMI/RFI, system cables/interconnects, high-speed PCB design.
- Develop electrical weight scale utilizing 15bit A/D and D/A converter, weight sensor and Z80.
- Perform highspeed logic design of PRNG, Ethernet, OC-48, OC-192, and serializer/deserializer into FPGAs.
- Assist in design, development, testing, and manufacturing of analog and digital laser diode control electronics.
- Work at/with independent testing labs to ensure SuperDome system pass all FCC, UL, and OSHA regulations.
- Verify design changes using Verilog simulation.
- Experience in debugging performance issues using protocol analyzers like Finisar-Xgig.
- Validate design changes by encoding/decoding actual image files through VHDL simulation.
Hardware development engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Hardware Development Engineers are proficient in Hardware Development, Analog, and PCB. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Problem-solving skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Hardware Development Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Hardware Development, 7%
Worked with ODMs in U.S., Britain, Taiwan, and China on parallel hardware developments.
- Analog, 6%
Develop printed circuit boards for lab bench, hand test and production test of digital and analog integrated circuits.
- PCB, 5%
Designed several small PCB cards using Mentor Graphics schematic entry software: USB, TPS, Motor driver card.
- Prototype, 5%
Evaluated and debugged prototypes and defined required modifications for network color laser printers.
- Firmware, 5%
Liaised with key clients including Clinicians, Field Clinical Engineers, Firmware, and manufacturing teams.
- Debugging, 4%
Experienced in debugging performance issues using protocol analyzers like Finisar-Xgig.
"hardware development," "analog," and "pcb" are among the most common skills that hardware development engineers use at work. You can find even more hardware development engineer responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a hardware development engineer to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what hardware development engineers do because "computer hardware engineers use computer programming tools to analyze the digital circuits in hardware to determine the best design." Additionally, a hardware development engineer resume shows how hardware development engineers use analytical skills: "designed new vhdl blocks including: interface between nios processor and monc data transport system. "
Problem-solving skills. Another essential skill to perform hardware development engineer duties is problem-solving skills. Hardware development engineers responsibilities require that "computer hardware engineers identify complex problems in computer hardware, develop and evaluate possible solutions, and figure out the best way to implement them." Hardware development engineers also use problem-solving skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "developed, debugged and validated embedded c firmware solutions for usb based sub-assemblies in pos systems. "
Communication skills. This is an important skill for hardware development engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how hardware development engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "engineers often work on teams and must be able to communicate with other types of engineers, software developers and programmers, as well as with nontechnical team members." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a hardware development engineer: "develop hardware prototypes for communication systems. ".
The three companies that hire the most hardware development engineers are:
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Compare different hardware development engineers
Hardware development engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a hardware development engineer are more likely to require skills like "hardware development," "analog," "prototype," and "firmware." On the other hand, a job as an engineer requires skills like "python," "cloud," "aws," and "java." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Engineers earn the highest salaries when working in the automotive industry, with an average yearly salary of $97,672. On the other hand, hardware development engineers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $131,455.engineers tend to reach similar levels of education than hardware development engineers. In fact, engineers are 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Hardware development engineer vs. Senior computer engineer
A senior computer engineer's main goal is to conduct research and design different types of computer hardware and software systems. They must know to manage servers and create automation in projects. They should also know how to resolve network issues and troubleshoot problems.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real hardware development engineer resumes. While hardware development engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "hardware development," "analog," "prototype," and "firmware," senior computer engineers use skills like "infrastructure," "perl," "java," and "apple."
Senior computer engineers earn a higher average salary than hardware development engineers. But senior computer engineers earn the highest pay in the retail industry, with an average salary of $137,685. Additionally, hardware development engineers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $131,455 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Senior computer engineers tend to reach similar levels of education than hardware development engineers. In fact, they're 3.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Hardware development engineer vs. Staff engineer
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, hardware development engineers are more likely to have skills like "hardware development," "analog," "c #," and "prototype." But a staff engineer is more likely to have skills like "java," "python," "architecture," and "project management."
Staff engineers make a very good living in the telecommunication industry with an average annual salary of $119,079. On the other hand, hardware development engineers are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $131,455.Most staff engineers achieve a similar degree level compared to hardware development engineers. For example, they're 2.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Hardware development engineer vs. Principal engineer
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Types of hardware development engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
