Careers in embedded engineering

The complexity of embedded systems has led to a great demand for skilled professionals and technologists in this field, writes Selvaraj Kaliyappan.

The embedded systems industry was born with the invention of microcontrollers and has since evolved into various new verticals.

Today, with the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), embedded systems have become quite pervasive, seeping into nearly all aspects of our daily life.

Embedded systems such as wearable devices, home automation devices, industrial devices, smartphones, embedded medical devices and others have transformed into really complex systems with the advent of powerful, energy efficient SoCs (system on the chip), peripherals and other accessories.

The complexity of such systems has led to a great demand for skilled professionals and technologists in this field.Embedded systems are special-purpose systems performing pre-defined tasks with very specific requirements thereby bringing intelligence to objects, processes and devices.

Development in the field of embedded systems has impacted every industry sector ranging from financial, consumer, industrial and medical to telecommunications, aerospace and
energy.

There may be many aspects of embedded systems that excite an aspiring
engineer. It could be a passion to understand the functioning of smart consumer electronics; studying the nuances of automotive technology – infotainment systems, cluster kit, car control instrumentation, creating smart devices in industrial or
telecom sectors; focusing on creating high security, rugged equipment for land, naval or airborne defense applications and more.

Qualifications needed

A career in embedded engineering would typically require a BE/BTech/Diploma/MCA/ MSc (physics).

Keeping the highly competitive market in mind, an embedded engineer has to be an all-rounder with a broader set of educational qualifications.

Though there are lakhs of academic institutions offering electrical engineering courses in our country, there is a huge gap between the knowledge acquired in college and the knowledge required in the industry.

Academic syllabuses are usually upgraded once in five years, while the embedded market is growing every six months.

It is very important that the curriculum set by the academic institution should be used as a framework by a student to further research and analysis.

Students have to unleash their creativity, focus on application use-cases and should expand their industry and application knowledge.

There is a plethora of free online educational content, software tools and low-cost development kits available in the market today. Students should keep abreast of the latest advancements in technology and should make use of such opportunities to further add value to their line of work.

Choosing a role
Many students aren’t clear about their area of interest in this field. There are
typically two domains to choose from – hardware and software. Embedded
hardware engineers are responsible for hardware design, PCB layout, module
prototyping, debugging and testing.

The desired skills include strong knowledge in circuit theory, signal and systems,
interfaces and sensors, mixed signal and digital, understanding of EMI/EMC
concepts to hardware design.

To become an embedded software developer, you need to be well versed with tools like embedded C, C++, Java and HTML, should have strong basics of embedded and/or real time operating systems like embedded NT, Windows CE, VxWorks and RT Linux; assembly
language, microprocessor/controller architecture, driver design, middleware, embedded applications and more.

There are some great opportunities in the field of embedded software testing as well which requires specific training.

While it is normal for freshers to typecast themselves into either role, over a period of time, this boundary has to blur because an expert engineer will need understanding of both hardware, firmware and device drivers and application development.

Students need to continuously work on broadening their skill sets. With practice and over a period of time, they need to develop a good understanding of design alternatives – how to choose a processor, an operating system and the right applications to develop cost-effective, reliable embedded solutions in minimal development time.

Compensation
Salaries are usually determined based on an individual’s skill set and qualifications. A lot of students feel that by completing short-term certificate courses, their chances of a better salary are high. This is usually a wrong notion.

It has been observed that most students take up such short-term courses to keep themselves occupied while on the look-out for a job. The benefit of such courses is rarely observed in these students.

An engineer with a bachelor’s degree can expect a starting salary between Rs. 3,00,000-15,00,000 per annum depending on the size of the organisation and the domain (product development or services provider). An MTech degree or a PhD specialisation could warrant higher salaries depending on performance, knowledge and competence.

Key challenges for companies
One of the basic challenges of hiring fresh talent for companies is the
significant industry academia divide. It usually takes around two years of rigorous training to mould an engineer into an embedded engineer.

As a trainee, candidates are given opportunities to be involved in various roles which include hardware development, software development and testing. Based on the candidate’s interest, technical flair and performance during the probation period, trainees are later given specialised designations based on their interest and the company requirement.

Another challenge faced by most companies in this field is the retention of fresh talent. Companies usually spend a lot of effort in recruiting the right set of people using advanced tests and several rounds of interviews; this will be followed by a rigorous regimen of training.

The time, effort and money put into these activities will be a lost investment if the employee doesn’t remain with the organisation for at least five years.

What does the future hold?
The proliferation of intelligent ‘connected’ devices and Internet of Things has created a demand for innovative new solutions.

These solutions require creative, comprehensive education in embedded engineering to bring out cost-effective and optimised futuristic designs. The future crop of engineers will play a crucial role in addressing this requirement.