Resume guide · Job Zone 4
Computer Hardware Engineersresume guide.
Research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. A strong Computer Hardware Engineers resume shows critical thinking, reading comprehension and active listening, and names the tools you have worked with, such as SAS, The MathWorks MATLAB and Autodesk AutoCAD.
See how a parser reads your resumeFree, no card→01Also called
O*NETDesign EngineerEngineerField Service EngineerHardware Design EngineerHardware EngineerPhysical Design EngineerProject EngineerStaff EngineerSystems Integration EngineerAnalog Design Engineer
02Skills employers expect
O*NETImportance is how much the skill matters to the job; level is how much of it the job demands. Both are worth naming on the resume, in this order.
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | Very high | Advanced |
| Reading Comprehension | Very high | Advanced |
| Active Listening | High | Intermediate |
| Complex Problem Solving | High | Advanced |
| Speaking | High | Advanced |
| Writing | High | Advanced |
| Active Learning | High | Advanced |
| Judgment and Decision Making | High | Intermediate |
| Operations Analysis | High | Advanced |
| Systems Analysis | High | Intermediate |
03Knowledge areas
O*NET- Computers and Electronics
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Physics
- Telecommunications
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
04Common responsibilities
O*NETOrdered by importance. Each one is a bullet waiting for a result and a number.
- 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.
05Software and tools
O*NET112 tools across 18 categories. The six largest categories are below; Hot marks a hot technology, In demand a tool employers ask for most often.
Analytical or scientific software53
- SASHotIn demand
- The MathWorks MATLABHotIn demand
- MathWorks SimulinkIn demand
- Simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis SPICEIn demand
- Very high speed integrated circuit VHSIC hardware description language VHDL simulation softwareIn demand
- Mathsoft Mathcad
- Cadence PSpice
- Data acquisition systems
- Computer diagnostic software
- Logic synthesis software
- MAGIC software
- Mentor Graphics LeonardoSpectrum
- Synopsys Design Compiler
- Synopsys HSPICE
- The MathWorks Real-Time Workshop
- Application-specific integrated circuit ASIC logic synthesis software
- ASSET JTAG ScanWorks
- Automatic test program generation ATPG
- Boundary scan insertion software
- Built-in self-test BIST debugging software
- Cadence Dracula
- Cadence Virtuoso Spectre Circuit Simulator
- Computer simulation software
- Design-for-testability DFT insertion software
- Discrete Fourier transform DFT analysis software
- Failure analysis software
- Fast Fourier transform FFT analysis software
- Field programmable gate array FPGA logic synthesis software
- Integrated circuit simulation software
- LogicVision icBIST
- Magma Design Automation Blast Create
- Magma Design Automation Blast FPGA
- MathWorks Simulink DSP Blockset
- MathWorks Simulink Fixed-Point Blockset
- Mentor Graphics BSDArchitect
- Mentor Graphics Calibre
- Mentor Graphics Precision RTL
- Microarchitecture simulation software
- M-Sim
- SoftICE
- Synopsys Hercules
- Synopsys HSIM
- Synopsys TetraMax ATPG
- Synplicity Synplify
- The Mathworks Control System Toolbox
- The Mathworks Data Acquisition Toolbox
- The Mathworks Embedded Coder
- The MathWorks Signal Processing Toolbox
- The MathWorks Symbolic Math Toolbox
- The MathWorks Wavelet Toolbox
- Timing analysis software
- Verification software
- Xilinx Synthesis Technology XST
+ 48 more
Computer aided design CAD software18
- Autodesk AutoCADHotIn demand
- Dassault Systemes CATIAIn demand
- PTC Creo ParametricIn demand
- Electronic design automation EDA software
- Field programmable gate array FPGA design software
- Cadence OrCAD software
- Cadence Virtuoso Layout Suite
- Mentor Graphics Xpedition xDX Designer
- Cadence Allegro PCB Designer
- Cadence Concept
- Cadence Schematic Composer
- Complementary-symmetry/metal-oxide semiconductor CMOS layout software
- PARTHENON
- Place-and-route software
- Schematic editors
- State diagram software
- Xilinx ISE Foundation
- Xilinx ModelSim
+ 13 more
Development environment software13
- CHotIn demand
- Microsoft Visual BasicHot
- National Instruments LabVIEWIn demand
- VerilogIn demand
- SystemVerilogIn demand
- Tool command language TclIn demand
- Very high-speed integrated circuit VHSIC hardware description language VHDL
- Hardware description language HDL
- Boundary scan description language BSDL
- Cadence Opus
- Freescale CodeWarrior Tools
- Hardware description and verification language
- Register transfer language RTL
+ 8 more
Object or component oriented development software6
- PythonHotIn demand
- C++HotIn demand
- Oracle JavaHotIn demand
- PerlHotIn demand
- Microsoft Visual C# .NET
- SKILL FMEA software
+ 1 more
Operating system software5
Data base user interface and query software4
- Microsoft AccessHotIn demand
- Structured query language SQLHotIn demand
- PCI Express PCIeIn demand
- Database software
File versioning software2
- GitHotIn demand
- Apache Subversion SVNHot
Compiler and decompiler software1
- Cadence Encounter RTL Compiler
Desktop communications software1
- Eko
Financial analysis software1
- Monte Carlo simulation software
Information retrieval or search software1
- Internet search engine software
Internet browser software1
- Web browser softwareIn demand
Office suite software1
- Microsoft Office softwareHotIn demand
Pattern design software1
- Block diagram software
Presentation software1
- Microsoft PowerPointHotIn demand
Process mapping and design software1
- Microsoft VisioHotIn demand
Program testing software1
- Windows kernel debuggers
Spreadsheet software1
- Microsoft ExcelHotIn demand
06Education and preparation
O*NETTypical education
Bachelor's Degree
48% of surveyed workers. Others report Master's Degree (34%) and Some College Courses (7%).
Preparation level
Job Zone 4 · Considerable preparation
Usually a four-year degree and several years of related experience.
07Putting it on your resume
ResumeXRays guidanceBEE · How to show it
Lead with what you built. For a Job Zone 4 role, hiring managers and parsers both look for outcomes before credentials. Put two or three results at the top of each job entry, with the scale or effect stated plainly.
Name the tools exactly. This occupation is heavy on named software. A skills section that says "SAS, The MathWorks MATLAB, Autodesk AutoCAD, C" matches more job descriptions than a general phrase. Use the spelling employers use.
Show reading comprehension and active listening, not just critical thinking. Reading comprehension and active listening rank close to critical thinking for this occupation. One bullet per role that shows a decision, a tradeoff or a result covers them.
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