A typical day for an embedded systems engineer involves quite a lot! You need to combine your hardware and software skills in the right measure to provide innovation-driven technological solutions. Besides being adept at coding, an affinity for solving complex human problems with intelligent machines goes a long way in becoming a successful embedded system design engineer. Since tech companies are driven by innovation, the demand for embedded systems engineers is quite high.
If you would like to kick start your embedded systems career in one of the top tech companies, you need to prepare extremely well. Check out our technical interview checklist, interview questions page, and salary negotiation e-book to get interview-ready! Also, read Most Popular Back-end Development Languages to Get a Job at FAANG and Embedded Systems Engineer Interview Process for specific insights and guidance on embedded systems tech interviews.
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So, what does it take to become an embedded systems engineer? Read on to find out:
Embedded systems engineering is the process of pioneering, designing, developing, and maintaining intelligent machines using software engineering. Embedded systems engineering involves a steady combination of hardware and software engineering to integrate software engineering with non-computer devices to create embedded systems.
Thanks to the Internet of Things revolution, these systems are especially popular in consumer electronics, medical science, aviation, manufacturing science, and automotive technology. Designing a typical embedded system requires a strong foundation of programming tools, operating systems, and microprocessors.
Embedded software engineering is done by highly skilled embedded software engineers, who write very specific codes tailored to the needs of the hardware and the project goals.
The role of an embedded software engineer at a FAANG company requires you to be at the helm of innovating, developing, and building problem-solving technologies that make the world a better place. Also, embedded systems engineers are expected to be versatile and possess certain leadership qualities that prepare them for taking on challenges in this role. The typical roles and responsibilities of an embedded software engineer are:
Pro tip: When preparing for the role of an embedded systems engineer, work around the moonshot approach. A moonshot approach is driven by the desire to break new ground in the tech industry. It is based on the concept of 10× thinking and inspired by former President John F. Kennedy's successful mission to land a man on the moon.
The salary for embedded systems engineers also depends on the level of engineer you are at the company. Typically, there are three levels:
Following are the different types of embedded systems engineers:
The following are some of the standard qualifications that recruiters at FAANG and other Tier-1 tech companies seek when hiring embedded systems engineers:
The approaches and core skills required to become an embedded systems engineer are:
According to experts, here are some more skills most FAANG companies look for in an embedded systems engineer are:
Here are some soft skills that embedded systems engineers or senior embedded systems engineers should work on to crack the behavioral interview rounds with ease:
According to Levels.fyi, the compensation package of an embedded systems engineer is quite attractive. The average base salary for an embedded systems engineer is $124,000 per year.
The average bonus offered is $6,000 per annum. It usually varies for engineers even in the same salary band. The average stock grant/profit-sharing offered to embedded systems engineers is $17,000.
The total average compensation of an embedded systems engineer in the United States is $147,000 per year.
Want to learn how to negotiate a higher salary package? Experts and ex-recruiters from FAANG+ companies at Interview Kickstart will teach you how to leverage your skills to up your negotiating power. Sign up for Interview Kickstart’s FREE webinar to learn more!
The embedded system engineering career path depends on the projects you have been a part of and your work experience. The role of an embedded systems engineer has evolved over the years and is still transforming. Embedded systems engineers often come from various backgrounds and may have started their embedded systems role at different points in their careers.
In a FAANG+ company, the embedded systems engineer career progression can look something like this:
Embedded Systems Engineer I → Embedded Systems Engineer II → Senior Embedded Systems Engineer → Staff Embedded Systems Engineer → Senior Staff Embedded Systems Engineer → Principal Embedded Systems Engineer
A typical embedded systems engineer interview at FAANG+ companies includes:
To crack an embedded systems engineer interview at any of the FAANG companies, you not only need to be good at solving domain-specific problems, but you must also nail core data structures and algorithms as well as behavioral questions.
If you need help with your embedded systems engineer interview prep, join Interview Kickstart’s Embedded Systems Engineering Interview Course — the first-of-its-kind, domain-specific tech interview prep program designed specifically for embedded systems engineers.
The comprehensive curriculum covers everything from algorithms to core embedded system concepts to prepare you for the most challenging interviews. You can also practice mock interviews with experts and hiring managers from FAANG companies. Their feedback will go a long way in honing your interviewing skills.
Register for our FREE webinar to learn more!