Electrical Engineer Career Trajectory
I’m currently evaluating my career now. For context, I have 8+ YOE. First 4 years were as an EE mainly working on designing test fixtures and sustaining work, and 4 years in systems engineering + project management at an aerospace company. I got an offer to work as an EE in a design capacity for a consumer electronics firm making about 10-15% less than what I do now. The products I’d work on seem to have between 2-8 PCB layers, with some mixed signal circuits, not too many extremely high speed or high density interfaces. I want to eventually work on high tech wearables, robotics, low power IoT devices, or high complexity defense tech.
I gravitate more to EE and systems work (PM work just isn’t for me) but systems opportunities are pretty limited in my area. My estimate is that it’d take me about 4 years or so to recoup any financial losses from taking a pay cut if I were to take this role.
Has anyone gone through a similar switch between EE design and PM work? What was your experience like from a career perspective? How did you handle a pay cut if you had one? Is my goal feasible if I decide to take this offer and work on some side projects involving high speed design like developing a mixed signal board that includes a HDMI or MIPI interface or RF front end? Any thoughts are highly appreciated!