Being a test engineer a dead end for an EE? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Eth
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 03, 2010, 05:23:00 pm
content: Hi all,I've been a test engineer for about 2 years but I would really like to do design. All the jobs I've seen require 3 to 5 years experience in DESIGN of-course I don't have any experience in design since I've been stuck in testing since graduating with an EE. Should I go for my Masters in EE? I feel I hit a wall with no design experience....anybody else in a similar situation? did you get out of it? I think Testing is a dead end when you want to do design what do you guys think?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2010, 05:42:42 pm
content: well you idealy need to find something a step down that will get you the experience you need, what sort of testing are you doing ? I've seen quality department people move into design, maybe you own company can offer you some opportunities ?

author: Eth
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 03, 2010, 05:58:35 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on October 03, 2010, 05:42:42 pmHi Simon,I work for a company that designs and manufactures AM/FM/SOQPSK modulation transmitters and VCO's. I test the transmitters to make sure everything works before shipping them out to the customer. I feel I won't have the opportunity to work with the senior engineers to do any type of design work since all I do is test. I started looking for another job but they require 3 to 5 years of experience in design I feel like I hit a wall. I was thinking of going for my Masters and see if I can get a design job at another company after finishing it.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2010, 06:03:39 pm
content: so where do your company get new engineers from ? don't they have any "junior" posts where you can get the experience they want ?, you already know the company and obviously have the grounding of your studies. If you want to take another course do so,

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2010, 06:22:27 pm
content: Since you already have two years of industry experience, I don't see many reasons to do masters. You might as well apply for graduate-level jobs now. Just make sure you're in for a good start *before* you accept the job.You may be aware that many graduate programmes are 1-2 years long and some companies will give you a "variety" of different experience within the company. It's up to you to let them know what you want to do and show that you actually can be useful in that area.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2010, 06:29:32 pm
content: along similar lines (I don't work in the electronics industry) I took it upon myself to let them know that I have some electronics abilities and pulled a suppliers unit to pieces and pointed all the faults (we were/are having major problems with it), now they are asking me to design a replacement..... these days you have to push a bit

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2010, 11:27:11 pm
content: Quote from: Eth on October 03, 2010, 05:23:00 pmAlmost any area of electronics can be a "dead end" if you let it be.I've done an awful lot of test engineering, and that has involved a lot of design work, designing all sorts of custom test jigs, interfaces, and other electronics.So you can't really pigeon hole fields like this, they all vary a lot. If your particular job doesn't offer design as part of the test engineering role then find one that does.Forget the Masters if you are just doing it to get out of of an "employment hole" or whatever. It's like trying to crack an egg with a sledge hammer.Simply ease into jobs that have more design work, and focus more on the design aspects instead of test aspects when you go for jobs.Dave.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2010, 01:41:39 am
content: you are at a dead end! but if you think carefully, you will always be able to sneak out. Do design at home or on your own and show to people, when you have free time from testing, being busy and look around at your design department, potentially to learn, or... smack any faulty engineer that you can find, to show you are good enough, but make sure the manager notices it. The bottom line is show your potential, interest and commitment, your manager could probably transfer you to another dept. or at worst... find another job! As Dave said, it will be a dead end.... if you let it be. As for the master, i dont thing its a field to harness your design skill, its just a place to be "pressurized" to build just one specific "novel" application.