Electronics engineers design and test circuits that control machines, vehicles, or devices. They use software to draw circuit diagrams and choose parts like resistors, sensors, and microchips. They build prototypes by wiring components together and connecting them to power sources. They use tools like oscilloscopes and multimeters to measure voltage and signals in the circuit. They write or test code that controls how the hardware behaves. They review test results and change the design to fix problems or improve performance. But Electronics engineers are also deeply involved in robotics and automation, design and fabrication of semiconductors, and control of advanced and sophisticated systems from power generation, to aerospace, to telecommunications, to "smart" climate control in buildings, to automobiles, to commercial appliances, to toys, to nearly everything you can think of.
Most electronics engineers earn a bachelor’s degree in electrical or electronics engineering. During college, students complete lab projects where they build circuits on breadboards, measure signals with oscilloscopes, and program microcontrollers. Students take courses in circuit analysis, digital systems, and control systems and apply formulas to calculate voltage, current, and resistance. The curriculum is heavy on Math including Calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, statistics, and more. Internships involve testing equipment, writing simple code, and using tools like MATLAB or simulation software to analyze designs. Entry-level jobs require building circuits, testing components, and documenting results using engineering tools and software.
| School | Location | Distance from ZIP Code 61615 |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Stanford, California | ~2100 miles |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, Massachusetts | ~1000 miles |
| University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley, California | ~2100 miles |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, Georgia | ~700 miles |
| University of California - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | ~2000 miles |
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, Michigan | ~330 miles |
| University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign | Champaign, Illinois | ~90 miles |
| University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | ~1000 miles |
| University of Maryland - College Park | College Park, Maryland | ~700 miles |
| California Institute of Technology | Pasadena, California | ~2000 miles |
| University of California - San Diego | San Diego, California | ~2000 miles |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, Virginia | ~700 miles |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California | ~2000 miles |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | ~500 miles |
| Princeton University | Princeton, New Jersey | ~800 miles |
| Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana | ~200 miles |
| Texas A&M University - College Station | College Station, Texas | ~900 miles |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | ~750 miles |
| University of California - Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, California | ~2000 miles |
| University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | Minneapolis, Minnesota | ~400 miles |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, Massachusetts | ~1000 miles |
| University of California - Davis | Davis, California | ~2100 miles |
| University of Wisconsin - Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | ~250 miles |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | ~1000 miles |
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | ~700 miles |
Employers look for candidates who have a solid understanding of how electronics work, how they can be applied, and what real-world limitations exist in terms of environment (heat, moisture, electromagnetic interference). A stron candidate is one who has already demonstrated their ability to build projects which solve problems in the real world. To do so it is important to be able to use tools like oscilloscopes, multimmeters, logic analyzers, and simulation tools like MATLAB, SPICE, and others. Ability to use CAD (Computer Aided Design) for circuit and system layout is a plus. Strong applicants can write code to control hardware and use software tools to simulate and test designs before building them, however AI is fast replacing the need for writing code, but emphasizing the need to understand what the code does, how it functions, and what pitfalls to anticipate. Hiring managers expect candidates to read circuit diagrams and troubleshoot problems by measuring voltage and checking connections. Lab projects are important, but real world internship experience, and even outside projects that you contribute to will separate you from those having only an academic background. Employers also value candidates who can use engineering software like MATLAB or simulation tools to analyze system performance.