RF and Microwave Engineering May Still Thrive in 2009

While almost all segments of the electronics industry will be flat or decline in 2009, a few exceptions are possible.

Defense sector

Demand for engineers in the defense sector is stable according to the number of positions requiring security clearance. Time-to-hire is still several months. Evidently, RF engineers with matching skill-sets and security clearance are still a scarce commodity.

A recent ABI Research study predicts several electronics markets that will continue to “grow explosively” next year:

Video surveillance and telepresence

Markets for video surveillance and telepresence are expanding rapidly, especially IP cameras and remote medical diagnostics equipment.

Wi-Fi technology for healthcare

Wi-Fi applications for healthcare will continue to expand in 2009 as doctors, nurses and technicians become more mobile, requiring links to medical databases.

RFID technology

The RFID sector could benefit from the tough economic times since RFID tags increase operational efficiency and boost profits. The key application will be inventory control, a key requirement as consumer spending slows.

GPS will continue to grow

This is especially true in the personal navigation devices market, with inexpensive portable units adding new features that could attract new users for services.

Isaac Mendelson
ElectroMagneticCareers.com
Isaac@ElectroMagneticCareers.com

Hiring and Managing RF Engineers

These days there is quite a bit of discussion regarding the shortage of RF engineers in the US. I agree that this is a problem, but I would like to take the discussion in another direction for a moment or two.

RF engineers are a rare breed; most of them work more for passion than for money. In other words, we need to find the engineer that is excited about what our business is doing. In my experience the best way to find the right people is to involve your engineers in the search process as early as possible; excitement is contagious.

Before you can get to that point, however, you need to develop a clear understanding of what you want the engineer to do:

• Design through simulation
• Design for manufacturability
• Project management through prototype build and test
• Customer interaction
• Sales presentation

Obviously the deeper you plan this individual to perform these engineering roles, the more difficult the search will be. It has been my experience that an RF design engineer with good communication skills is very hard to find. I have known a few and watched some young ones develop. I have seen business develop predominately due to the established rapport between customer and supplier engineers.

There will always be the engineer that can only sit at the computer or work in the lab and they will have their place, but in my opinion the best way to present the quality of your technical product is from the designer.

It is for this reason that I conclude that the search for the qualified RF engineer should be on full time, all the time whether you believe you have an opening at the moment or not. Opportunity happens when it happens, not when we are ready.

David Bernstein
David B & Associates
Former President
EMC Technology/Florida
RF Labs