Working as an Embedded/Firmware/FPGA Engineer without formal training - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: quadrant
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2022, 11:16:49 pm
content: Curious about the industry, from the persepective of someone who does not have a formal EE education.For software development, a path has been paved for people without a formal CS education to enter and eventually succeed in the field. I wonder what the trajection is in Embedded/Firmware/FPGA development?How do you get the "first" job?Can you get by without certification (e.g. not being a member of engineering associations)?Can you eventually find yourself working in positions that (I suspect) typically hire people with relevant degrees e.g. Boston Dynamics, ARM, TektronixAny insights specific to the Canadian market?General questions about the industry once you've established yourself (via work history):Are fulltime positions easy to come by, or is contract/gig work more common?Where are most positions to be found? Large companies, small companies, startups, etc?Work-life balance. Are you able to come home and work on hobby projects or does work leave you drained?Any other insights not touched on would be appreciated.Many thanks!

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2022, 12:02:13 am
content: Hello quadrant:I worked, approx 1976 through 1997, when disability became a singular option. I've worked since, but just letting you know, my help might be more 'history' and background, with insights into the region. That's any city or company within, say Santa Cruz north to Marin County. (That's gonna include Apple Computer, Pixar, Tesla, up until recent).I like your kind of question, ambition can be a mix of good and bad, and a few older people can give heads up so...at least you aren't supprised when such and such leaves you 'agog' at some backwards looking 'logic', applied (to living in Silicon Valley).

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2022, 12:32:50 am
content: Looking at those questions:Your location / commute.Why, mention cars and roads ? Because issues there will take up a lot, especially San Jose.BUT, you have to change a lot of thinking right there, as you would want to know, say a year or two out, if things, road conditions, go back to pre-covid.Right now, BART commuter trains / parking lots, are virtually ABANDONED, at least to a degree.So, for a new job, you need to know, if to adapt for remote work VS traditional 9 to 5....Oh, and lots of work-places (had) a culture where you simply did not 'leave' when quitting time...No no no, not like a trade or simple factory work; health effects be dammed, you get to sit, typing in an exhausted burn-out Zombie-like state.OK, I'm getting silly, sorry just immature sarcasm.But, truly, you get the commute thing (some were doing incredible hardship), you get the hours, plus 'office politics'. In my case some portion of the managers would drone on about 'necessary overtime', to unhealthy excess, I felt.As to location, though, this COVID disaster might give some advantages, as, for example, a neighbor here is actually employed by a European company, with a least 4 different country's people work for them. (Have to catch myself, to not say 'they work there').CertificationsWe don't seem to talk about that, for software, unless in your resume.Most important: Can you find s current job recruiter that would, perhaps grab a lunch with you, like once a month, to get better sense of market. Of course you want to be a bit guarded, but the head hunters do know their market, if they want to eat.

author: quadrant
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2022, 03:52:46 am
content: @RJHaywardThanks for sharing! Appreciate your insights on commute and (company-specific?) overtime culture.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2022, 04:28:07 am
content: Here is more background info, earlier things about EMBEDDED SOFTWARE:That was a system that would take and use several 8-bit sub-units, along with some other (specialized) things like phase-lock-loops.The main CPU, was some BSD UNIX of some power...: A Mini...The couple of us embedded guys wrote the firmware, for this really-twisted-piece-of-SICK (architecture was warped).Something like '6-bit address, concatenated onto your 11 but pc base register, then 64 X partition number...blah bl, blahblahblahh.I think that little, cheap, maskable IC had a 'pain' type number, too, for an 8 bit, similar to 8080:Try: p/n. 6Z-792-PIC42-aarp,01714.....Try answering THAT, ...when casually flirting with, 'young aging hippie's...Anyway, everything is just adds and subtract, plus bit shifts, on the usual 8 bit data plus maybe 14 bits ROM ADDRESS.(I started code writing on Z-80, a Marvelous chip...Simply Maavelous.)The embedded IC having a mask ROM saves money, but has to 'GO OUT'... for some number of...Weeks?Months ??'So the boss wants all to be right, before volume mask prod.Anyway, something like 'Multiply', you do with loops and other cleverness; but no 'Single-clock' Multiply instruction.Some, ICs for embedded will have A to D options, floating point libraries...I don't know all.(I did a stint writing Commodore machine L ).Maybe, also, play around w YouTube, maybe you end up sending good email, with some College Prof, who can offer up some tips.-- Rick