Is circuit a promising career?

Hi all
I am a newbie who are on the door to circuit career, I am hesitating
on the door. All my knowledge about circuit design come from two
books. "CMOS circuit design,layout and simulation" and "analysis and
design of analog integrated circuits". It seems to be I have basic
idea about circuit, but it seems to the software is so important in
circuit design and it is very unclear for me about future possible
reseach goal in circuit design region.
Can anyone clear a few questions for me?
1. Can anyone recommend some sources(online preferred) on a recent
circuit design project (like research goal, tradeoff, design and
layout), it will be greatly appreciated.
2. what is the recent research goal in circuit design?
3. where can find job information about circuit design and what is
their requirement?
4. what is goal of circuit design? Does it reach its limitation too?
How long will it last after the device reach its physical limitation?
5. If I decide to become a circuit design engineer, what abilities
are important and how to improve these abilities.\
6. what is the best place to know current research goal in circuit
design
7. Is their online source on cadence system software?
I hope some great professional guys can help me clear and I am
really appreciate your answer.
Thanks a lot

 

Hi,

I guess the classical answer here is:

"if you have fun designing circuit, if you
find it cool, sexy or whatsoever interesting,
you should study it"

If you find it interesting, you should aim
probably for analog design. Like me.

Analog design does usually not use the
smallest devices, analog guys can do cool stuff
in older technologies, too, unless you don't
need to design a gigabit ethernet receiver/transmitter


Analog design means combining OPAMPS,
oscillators, ADCs etc so that a cool system
can be made : add a DSP and you get an MP3
player, add a DSP and a display and you get a video
player.

Stay aware of system demands: my boss
appreciates if I can talk to digital designers.


Go study circuit design.


If you only do it for the money, you better
become a lawyer.

Servus

Martin

 

You don't state what area of interest you have, but it doesn't matter.
Unless you stay with a university, you seldom get to do rocket science
the first years anyway.

To fit the growing complexity circuits into smaller and complexer
packages.

Do a search on your favourite online job site using keywords like
"cadence", "analog", "digital", "layout" and see what you get. The
real work is simulation, simulation, simulation, simulation,
simulation and (did I say?) simulation.

The goal of circuit design is to earn money on putting new thingies on
the market that the market didn't think it needed. Everybody talks
about the "killing" application even if it isn't killing but giving
very much life. iPOD is such a killing application. Don't be afraid of
the limitation of current technologies as long as you are willing to
invest time when time comes to learn something radically new. Don't
forget, there are still applications today using vacuum tubes.

You need to be able to be a cow ignoring the green grass on the other
side. There are always more interesting tasks to do than the one you
are currently doing. Get the current one done and move on. Be fast but
accurate enough for the circuit to work. Over-engineering kills time
to market.

Go to a university and talk to a professor. Become a student member of
IEEE and read the papers.

www.cadence.com www.cdnusers.org www.designers-guide.org