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Firmware Developer
Also goes by: Computer Circuit Design Engineer, Hardware Test Engineer, Hardware Design Engineer, Electronic Design Engineer, Integrated Circuit (IC) Design Engineer,
What Is a Firmware Developer?
Firmware developers work with hardware-level software like embedded systems or computer peripherals.
How much will I make?
Salaries can range by location and years of experience, but these are averages for the US.
$98,969.00
according to Salary.com
Will I get a job?
Projected job growth is 22% for the period 2020-2030 in the US, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
64,957
Total Openings
according to comptia.org
Who will I work for?
- Computer Hardware Companies (Intel, AMD)
- Consumer Electronics Companies (Apple, Samsung)
- Automotive Companies
- Aerospace Companies
- IoT Companies
Firmware Developer’s Daily Activities
No Firmware Developer works alone! Firmware Developers spend their days collaborating with designers, other developers, and product or project managers to bring firmware applications to life. Below you will get a sense for what a day-in-the-life of a Firmware Developer could be:
Collaborate With Your Team Members to Build firmware applications
Firmware Developers work hand-in-hand with their team members to create firmware applications. In order to do this, you’ll need to have an understanding of a wide variety of skills including Embedded C/C++, Real-time operating systems, Microcontroller programming. Collaboration can take many forms, including planning and strategy meetings, design brainstorms, reviews, and pairing.
Code Your firmware application
Much of a Firmware Developer’s day is spent coding. In practice this means having a development environment set up on one’s computer that allows you to track your progress as you go.
Test Your firmware application
One of the joys of working as a Firmware Developer is that firmware applications are ALWAYS breaking! As a Firmware Developer one of your core duties is testing your firmware applications for bugs and errors and working to fix them
Firmware Developer
It’s absolutely possible to become a Firmware Developer even if you have no prior experience in tech and no degree. In fact, a career as a Firmware Developer is one of the best entry level jobs in tech. Read on to learn how to do it!
Learn The Required Skills
First things first, in order to become a Firmware Developer you have to learn the required tech skills!
Embedded C/C++
Embedded C/C++ refers to programming languages used to develop software for embedded systems, which are specialized computing devices embedded in other products or machines, such as microcontrollers in IoT devices.
Real-time operating systems
Real-time operating systems (RTOS) are specialized software systems used in industrial automation, robotics, and aerospace systems (among others) that are designed to ensure that the system executes critical processes consistently, predictably, and within a certain time frame.
Microcontroller programming
Writing code to control and operate microcontrollers, used in embedded systems for specific tasks and applications.
Debugging
Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors in code. Debugging is a critical skill for anyone who works with code.
Embedded systems
Embedded systems are small, specialized computers that are used to control devices such as cars, airplanes, and medical devices.
Hardware architecture
Hardware architectures are the designs of computer hardware systems. Hardware architectures define the components of a computer system, such as the processor, memory, and storage devices.
Assembly language
Assembly language is a low-level programming language that is used to control the hardware of a computer. Assembly language is often used to write performance-critical code.
Hardware Tools
Hardware tools are tools that are used to work on hardware devices, such as computers, printers, and routers. Hardware tools include screwdrivers, wrenches, and multimeters.
Bus communications
Bus communications is the process of sending data between different components of a software system. There are a number of message bus implementations available, such as Apache ActiveMQ, RabbitMQ, and Google Cloud Pub/Sub.
Git
Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in source code during software development, facilitating collaboration among developers and enabling code management across different versions.
Read MoreVersion Control
Version control is the management of changes to documents, source code, or other files, allowing multiple users to collaborate and track revisions, facilitating teamwork and preventing conflicts.
Read MoreBuild A Portfolio
The best way to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills—especially when you have no prior experience—is with a portfolio of professional quality coding samples.
Check out these blog posts for more:
Apply For Tech Jobs
Once you’ve learned all the required technical skills and built a killer portfolio, it’s time to dust off that old resume and LinkedIn profile and hit the pavement, or Internet superhighway as it were, in search of your first job as a Front End Developer!
➡️ Prepare Your Resume, LinkedIn, and Portfolio
Although your most valuable asset as you job search is your portfolio, you do have to cross your t’s and dot your i’s and when it comes to the job search that means optimizing your resume and LinkedIn profile. Tech employers expect you to have all three!
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Build Your Network
Your net worth is in your network, which can be hard when you’re changing careers! But don’t worry, the tech industry is incredibly welcoming to newcomers. Whether you prefer in-person meetups, Slack channels, coffee-over-zoom chats, conferences, hack-a-thons or a little bit of everything, there are tons of opportunities for you to meet fellow techies.
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Find Good Jobs To Apply For
A good job can be hard to find—or is it? The good news about tech is that there are so many openings at so many diverse companies that your biggest challenge will most likely be keeping up with all the opportunities!
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Practice Interviewing
Whether you’re a season pro, or brand new to the tech industry: interviewing for a new job is tough! Add to that technical interviews…and you’ve got a recipe for heartburn, practically guaranteed. Luckily there’s an antacid on the market that works every time: practice. Read on for expert guidance on how to prepare for your next tech job interview.
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Prepare for Technical Tests
Ah the dreaded technical test! Technical tests can come in many different forms: whiteboard tests, pair programming tests, take-home tests, algorithmic tests…just to name a few. Luckily, getting good at technical tests is a skill, just like anything else, and it’s one you can absolutely practice ahead of time.
Check out these blog posts for more:
You Might Also Be Interested In Learning About:
Embedded Systems Development
Embedded systems developers work with hardware and software integration, often working with languages like C and C++.
Learn More
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FAQ
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What does a Firmware Developer do?
Firmware developers work with hardware-level software like embedded systems or computer peripherals. You will find Firmware Developer working at a number of different types of companies including Computer Hardware Companies (Intel, AMD), Consumer Electronics Companies (Apple, Samsung), Automotive Companies, Aerospace Companies, IoT Companies.
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How much do Firmware Developers make?
Although salaries can range by location and years of experience, the average salary for Firmware Developer in the US is $98,969.00 according to Salary.com.
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Is a Firmware Developer the same as a Computer Circuit Design Engineer?
Yes, Firmware Developers are sometimes also referred to as Computer Circuit Design Engineer. Other common names for Firmware Developer include: Hardware Test Engineer, Hardware Design Engineer, Electronic Design Engineer, Integrated Circuit (IC) Design Engineer.
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Are Firmware Developer in demand?
Yes, Firmware Developer is in high demand: there are currently 64,957 jobs open. And the number of jobs is expected to grow substantially over the next 10 years. Projected job growth is 22% for the period 2020-2030 in the US, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Is a Firmware Developer a good job?
Yes, with an average salary of $98,969.00 according to Salary.com, and 64,957 current job openings, Firmware Developer is considered a great job.
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What skills does a Firmware Developer need?
In order to work as a Firmware Developer you will need to know a number of different technical skills including 3D programming, .NET, AI, 3D modeling tools, 3D programming.
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Is it too late to become a Firmware Developer at 35?
Absolutely not! You can become a Firmware Developer at any age. And since so many jobs in tech, like Firmware Developer, are relatively new, if no one over 35 could become one, there would be even MORE job openings than the 64,957 open Firmware Developer roles that there are!