Computer Hardware Engineers Occupation Details

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Computer Hardware Engineers

The main tasks and work activities of Computer Hardware Engineers are to update technical knowledge, recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance, conduct validation tests of equipment or processes, monitor processes for compliance with standards. In general, for the Computer Hardware Engineers, reading Comprehension, critical Thinking, speaking, active Listening and other 12 skills are required.

Computer Hardware Engineers Job Description
Education	Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related Experience	A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Example	Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.

The following chart shows the education/training levels for Computer Hardware Engineers jobs.

Less than a High School Diploma

0.00%

High School Diploma (or the equivalent)

0.00%

Post-Secondary Certificate

0.00%

Some College Courses

0.00%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

0.00%

Bachelor's Degree and Above

100.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Computer Hardware Engineers

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

Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentProviding documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Update technical knowledge.
Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
Conduct validation tests of equipment or processes.
Monitor processes for compliance with standards.
Analyze design requirements for computer or electronics systems.
Create physical models or prototypes.
Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
Advise customers on the use of products or services.
Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.
Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
Select project materials.
Prepare procedural documents.
Determine operational criteria or specifications.
Provide technical guidance to other personnel.
Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
Assemble equipment or components.
Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.

Skills and Abilities for Computer Hardware Engineers

Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Operations AnalysisAnalyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Power meterse.g. Alternating current AC power analyzers
General purpose motor ACe.g. Alternating current AC power sources
Digital testerse.g. Bit error rate testers BERT
Circuit testere.g. Circuit memory testers
Circuit testere.g. Circuit testers
Plotter printerse.g. Color plotters
Network analyzerse.g. Communications analyzers
Oscilloscopese.g. Communications signal analyzers
Scannerse.g. Computer scanners
Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
Integrated circuit testerse.g. Digital analysis systems DAS
Brushless motor DCe.g. Direct current DC power supplies
Frequency calibrator or simulatore.g. Dynamic signal analyzers
Feeler gaugese.g. Feeler gauges
Frequency counters or timer or dividerse.g. Frequency counters
Signal generatorse.g. Function generators
Impedance meterse.g. Impedance analyzers
Capacitance meterse.g. Inductance capacitance resistance LCR meters
Magnifierse.g. Inspection scopes
Isolatorse.g. Isolators

Engineering and TechnologyKnowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
DesignKnowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
PhysicsKnowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Computer Hardware Engineers Occupation Detailed Description

Tasks and Work Activities of Computer Hardware Engineers

Skills and Abilities for Computer Hardware Engineers