Profession computer hardware engineer

Computer hardware engineers design and develop computer hardware systems and components, such as circuit boards, modems, and printers. They draught blueprints and assembly drawings, develop and test the prototypes, and supervise the production process.

Personality Type

• Investigative / Realistic
• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Hardware materials

  The characteristics, applications and environmental effects of materials used to develop hardware.

• Environmental legislation

  The environmental policies and legislation applicable in a certain domain.

• Hardware architectures

  The designs laying out the physical hardware components and their interconnections.

• Electricity principles

  Electricity is created when electric current flows along a conductor. It entails the movement of free electrons between atoms. The more free electrons are present in a material, the better this material conducts. The three main parameters of electricity are the voltage, current (ampère), and resistance (ohm).

• Hardware platforms

  The characteristics of the hardware configuration required to process the applications software product.

• Electricity

  Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.

• Printed circuit boards

  Printed circuit boards (PCB) are essential components to almost all electronic devices. They consist of thin wafers or substrates on which electronic components, such as microchips, are placed. The electronic components are electrically connected through conductive tracks and pads.

• Computer technology

  Computers, computer networks and other information technologies and equipment that can store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data.

• Computer engineering

  Engineering discipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to develop computer hardware and software. Computer engineering occupies itself with electronics, software design, and the integration of hardware and software.

• Engineering principles

  The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.

• Hardware components

  The essential components that make up a hardware system, such as liquid-crystal displays (LCD), camera sensors, microprocessors, memories, modems, batteries and their interconnections.

• Environmental threats

  The threats for the environment which are related to biological, chemical, nuclear, radiological, and physical hazards.

• Hardware testing methods

  Those processes in which hardware components or systems are tested, such as the system test (ST), the ongoing reliability test (ORT), and the in-circuit test (ICT).

• Electronics

  The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.

• Mathematics

  Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.

• Design drawings

  Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.

Skills

• Report analysis results

  Produce research documents or give presentations to report the results of a conducted research and analysis project, indicating the analysis procedures and methods which led to the results, as well as potential interpretations of the results.

• Test hardware

  Test computer hardware systems and components using appropriate equipment and testing methods, such as the system test (ST), the ongoing reliability test (ORT), and the in-circuit test (ICT). Monitor and evaluate system performance and take action if needed.

• Conduct literature research

  Conduct a comprehensive and systematic research of information and publications on a specific topic. Present a comparative evaluative literature summary.

• Read engineering drawings

  Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.

• Design prototypes

  Design prototypes of products or components of products by applying design and engineering principles.

• Perform scientific research

  Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.

• Perform data analysis

  Collect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.

• Conduct quality control analysis

  Conduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.

• Design hardware

  Design and develop new computer hardware systems and components. Draft blueprints and assembly drawings specifying how the computer equipment should be build.

• Record test data

  Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.

• Analyse test data

  Interpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.

• Adjust engineering designs

  Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

• Prepare production prototypes

  Prepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.

• Approve engineering design

  Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

• Abide by regulations on banned materials

  Comply with regulations banning heavy metals in solder, flame retardants in plastics, and phthalate plasticisers in plastics and wiring harness insulations, under EU RoHS/WEEE Directives and China RoHS legislation.

• Use technical drawing software

  Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.

• Model hardware

  Model and simulate computer hardware using technical design software. Assess the viability of the product and examine the physical parameters to ensure a successful production process.

• Operate scientific measuring equipment

  Operate devices, machinery, and equipment designed for scientific measurement. Scientific equipment consists of specialised measuring instruments refined to facilitate the acquisition of data.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB