Role

Hardware Engineer

Designs physical electronics and hardware components and guides them through prototyping and testing.

12 chaptersAbout 3 months15–30 min a day11 skills2 projects
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Chapter 1 is free. No card needed.

Day 1 on the Hardware Engineer path.

What a Hardware Engineer does

Design and test electronic devices and circuit boards so products work safely, reliably, and at the right cost.

  • Design circuits and choose components to meet power, size, and cost targets
  • Create schematics and PCB layouts, then review designs for risks and errors
  • Build prototypes and bring up boards using lab tools and test plans
  • Diagnose failures and improve designs using measurements and root-cause analysis
  • Work with firmware and mechanical teams to integrate hardware into products
  • Write clear documentation for designs, tests, and manufacturing handoff
  • Support production by investigating field issues and improving test coverage

A day in the life

  1. Review requirements, risks, and open issues with the team
  2. Spend lab time measuring signals, debugging boards, and logging results
  3. Update schematics, layouts, and parts lists based on test findings
  4. Meet with suppliers or manufacturing to confirm parts and build steps
  5. Write short reports and plan the next prototype or test run

Tools you will use

EDA tools: Altium Designer, KiCad, OrCADLab instruments: oscilloscope, multimeter, logic analyzerPrototyping: soldering iron, hot air rework, breadboardVersion control: GitDocumentation: Confluence, Google DocsSimulation: SPICETest automation: Python

Your plan

Chapter by chapter.

1~1 wk

See what hardware engineer work involves

StartFree
2~1 wk

PCB & digital design

Skills
31–2 wks

Review an open-source board's schematic net by net

Proof
4~1 wk

Meet people who do hardware engineer work

People
5~1 wk

Prototyping & lab verification

Skills
6~1 wk

Build readiness & workflow tools

Skills
7~1 wk

Analytical & critical thinking

Skills
8~1 wk

Collaboration & communication

Skills
91–2 wks

Make sensor PCB: design, order, assemble, and bring up

Proof
10~1 wk

Practise role interviews

Interview
11~1 wk

Choose a route into hardware engineer work

Decide
12on your timeline

Apply for roles

Apply

By the last chapter

This is what you can show.

Things you've made

Design review notes and Sensor PCB: design, order, assemble, and bring up

Skills you can prove

11 skills, each rated on work you actually did.

People you've talked to

3 people who do the job, with a message ready for each.

Questions you can answer

20 interview questions and a mock interview, with feedback.

Credentials

10 credentials compared, so you can pick one, or decide you don't need one. None is required.

Ways in

There is more than one route.

Ways to study

  • Bachelor degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or computer engineering
  • Diploma or higher national certificate in electronics with strong lab practice
  • Applied engineering program focused on embedded systems and hardware labs
  • Self-taught plus maker projects and internships, backed by a strong portfolio

How people get their first job

  • Apply for hardware engineering internships or co-op placements with lab work
  • Start as electronics technician and move into design tasks over time
  • Build a portfolio with PCB projects, test notes, and clear design files
  • Join a student robotics or electronics team and own a subsystem end to end
  • Earn a basic soldering and rework certification from a training provider

Life skills on this path: Networking · Job interviews · Job search

How the work is changing

What AI is doing to this role

How AI is changing this role · one of 6 tasks we track

Simulate circuits before building

Sped up a lot

What AI does

AI writes LTspice netlists and reads the plots back to you.

Still yours

You pick what to simulate and spot where the models lie.

Reviewed September 2026

In the app · Premium

The rest is in the app

  • How AI affects the other 5 tasks
  • Whether this job is growing or shrinking
  • How hard the first job is to get
  • Similar roles that are easier to get into
  • Updated every month, with sources
See it in the app →

How we rate a job →

Already working

Already a Hardware Engineer?

Plan your move to Senior Hardware Engineer: 9 chapters that end with a strong case for your next review.

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Questions

Questions about this path

How long does it take to become a hardware engineer with Welica?

The path is 12 chapters, 3 months at 15 to 30 minutes a day. You can go faster or slower; the plan moves with you.

Do I need a degree?

Not always. Common routes are bachelor degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or computer engineering, diploma or higher national certificate in electronics with strong lab practice, applied engineering program focused on embedded systems and hardware labs, or self-taught plus maker projects and internships, backed by a strong portfolio.

What is free?

Chapter 1, See what hardware engineer work involves, is free for good. Premium unlocks the rest of the path.

Start the Hardware Engineer path.

Chapter 1 free. About 15 to 30 minutes a day.

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