Computer Hardware Engineer

Research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. May supervise the manufacturing and installation of computer or computer-related equipment and components.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Design Engineer; Engineer; Field Service Engineer; Hardware Design Engineer; Hardware Engineer; Physical Design Engineer; Project Engineer; Staff Engineer; Systems Integration Engineer

Tasks

• Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology.
• Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
• Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
• Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
• Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.
• Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data.
• Direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed.
• Provide technical support to designers, marketing and sales departments, suppliers, engineers and other team members throughout the product development and implementation process.
• Select hardware and material, assuring compliance with specifications and product requirements.
• Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.
• Analyze user needs and recommend appropriate hardware.
• Evaluate factors such as reporting formats required, cost constraints, and need for security restrictions to determine hardware configuration.
• Provide training and support to system designers and users.
• Monitor functioning of equipment and make necessary modifications to ensure system operates in conformance with specifications.
• Specify power supply requirements and configuration, drawing on system performance expectations and design specifications.

Knowledge

• Computers and Electronics
• Engineering and Technology
• Design
• Mathematics
• English Language
• Physics
• Telecommunications

Skills

• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking
• Active Listening
• Writing
• Speaking
• Active Learning
• Mathematics
• Monitoring

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Information Ordering
• Problem Sensitivity
• Written Expression
• Near Vision
• Originality
• Category Flexibility
• Speech Clarity
• Fluency of Ideas
• Visualization
• Speech Recognition
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Number Facility
• Flexibility of Closure