How to become a PCB layout engineer?

[pepillo]

What do I need to get a job as a PCB layout engineer? Any specific books to read? Any courses, Masters or whatever?

And how much does a PCB engineer earn by average? (in Europe)

 

[zgoblue]

What do I need to get a job as a PCB layout engineer? Any specific books to read? Any courses, Masters or whatever?

And how much does a PCB engineer earn by average? (in Europe)

Let me tell you my story...
I started as an electrical technician(2 yrs) in 1998,
apply for Entry Level PCB designer(2 yrs) in 2000,
promoted to PCB Desinger(5 yrs) in 2005,
promoted to PCB Design Engineer(present-retire)

I took a lot of training classes (1-3 days course) at Sillicon Valley.
I have never read a single text book on PCB.
My salary here in California = $75K + OT

PS...I have a BSEE

Good Luck

 

[pepillo]

what's the difference between your job as a PCB designer and as a PCB design engineer????????

What courses or training do you recommend me to attend to become a PCB engineer? (Europe)

 

[zgoblue]

what's the difference between your job as a PCB designer and as a PCB design engineer????????

What courses or training do you recommend me to attend to become a PCB engineer? (Europe)

PCB Designer...no BS requires
PCB Design Eng...BS requires

Course Certification:
PCB Design for Analog/RF
PCB Design for Digital Circuits
PCB Laminates & Multilayer Structures
Lead Free-RoHS Compliancy
Design and Retrofit of Electromagnetic Compatibility
CORE EMC Design
Signal Integrity Issues in PCB Design

Alot of help from Ph.D co-workers.

 

[pepillo]

What schools in Europe teach those courses?

 

[salma ali bakr]

what are the software tools that are most common one has to master in order to be a PCB design engineer....i have a BSc in EE already and doing post graduate studies???

 

[zgoblue]

what are the software tools that are most common one has to master in order to be a PCB design engineer....i have a BSc in EE already and doing post graduate studies???

First timer, I would recommend Protel (Altium).
Their tools are so easy to master.
When it comes to design PCB, its all about understanding ckt.
Anybody can route a line, so I suggest to take some training courses.
It's a tideou job, but someone got to do it.

Peace!!!!

 

[electron_boy]

few books on signal integrity by famous authors like howard johnson, montrose, hall and brooks will help alot. lots of tutorials are available at mentor graphics.com that will help a lot.

 

[pepillo]

Anybody can route a line, so I suggest to take some training courses.

Where can I take a well-known training course on high speed pcb layout (signal integrity, emi, emc...)? (in Europe)

 

[cyberrat]

Learn electronics, get a qualification or 3 in that.

Learn assembly of boards, work on shopfloor to get good background info on the need for design for assembly etc.

Learn to use some (not just 1) software design packages, learn a lot about EMC, various design directives of your country.

Practise laying out lots of circuits, making the boards.
Look at every board you can to get design hints.

Apply for a job siting that you have done all the above.

If you want to invest a lot of money become and IPC certified PCB enginrer.