Career Path/Growth Hardware Design Engineer Suggestions Required

[newbie_hs]

I am hardware design engineer working in a service based company.

As a hardware design engineer I mainly worked in below areas.

1)Analog Hardware design
2)Microcontroller based design
3)Microprocessor based design
4)Some SI simulations
5)Small power supply design(LDO's,Buck etc)

Even though I worked in many areas,I don't have in depth knowledge in any of them. Depending on the project learning the minimum things required and doing the design,bring up and delivery.

As per my knowledge I know analog little bit better than other domains I worked.But opportunities for analog hardware design engineers are very less and nobody want a person with more than 10+ years of experience in this.(From my experiences after attending the interviews and discussing with my colleagues,India Bangalore).

I would like to know your suggestions regarding how do I progress in my career.
What are the things to learn for going ahead.
Any suggestion for new skill sets.
Will industry consider people with working knowledge(I mean know the theory, no practical experience)
Will part time PhD helps

I need to survive in the industry for at least next 20 years.(Have two small kids)

 

[austinmariam]

I am hardware design engineer working in a service based company.

As a hardware design engineer I mainly worked in below areas.

1)Analog Hardware design
2)Microcontroller based design
3)Microprocessor based design
4)Some SI simulations
5)Small power supply design(LDO's,Buck etc)

Even though I worked in many areas,I don't have in depth knowledge in any of them. Depending on the project learning the minimum things required and doing the design,bring up and delivery.

As per my knowledge I know analog little bit better than other domains I worked.But opportunities for analog hardware design engineers are very less and nobody want a person with more than 10+ years of experience in this.(From my experiences after attending the interviews and discussing with my colleagues,India Bangalore).

I would like to know your suggestions regarding how do I progress in my career.
What are the things to learn for going ahead.
Any suggestion for new skill sets.
Will industry consider people with working knowledge(I mean know the theory, no practical experience)
Will part time PhD helps

I need to survive in the industry for at least next 20 years.(Have two small kids)

Since you have broad experience but not deep expertise, you might want to focus on system-level hardware design or embedded systems—they value versatility. Learning FPGA, high-speed design, and power electronics could also open more doors.
For long-term stability, consider moving towards system architecture, hardware validation, or technical management. A part-time PhD could help if you want to get into R&D or academia, but industry values hands-on experience more.
Try to get into product-based companies where broad knowledge is an asset. Upskilling in AI hardware, automotive electronics, or power management could also be good bets for the future.

 

[ahsrabrifat]

Many hardware roles now require embedded C, RTOS, and communication protocols (CAN, I2C, SPI, Ethernet). You can develop your skills in these areas. Gradually move beyond hardware and learn firmware development (C, Python, Linux driver development). More companies are moving towards custom hardware accelerators. Learning VHDL/Verilog and FPGA design could be beneficial. You can also look for freelancing gigs and part-time remote jobs.

Which Types of Engineers Can Work Remote? - The Engineering Projects

In today's tutorial, we will have a look at the Types of Engineers who Can Work Remotely.

www.theengineeringprojects.com