Potential careers in Digital systems
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Types of engineers
This job consists of developing new concepts for the implementation of a technology strategy. Once verified, the next stage of their work is to deal with patent right registration requirements before introducing the technology concept to relevant application end users. In addition to their technology observation activities, their role entails directly helping companies to introduce and circulate scientific and technical information.
They define, study and devise the prototypes and models of electronic materials or systems, within a project approach context, with a view to offering a new product to the market or improving an existing product.
They plan and organise the work of the different teams involved in the process of manufacturing an industrial product. They operate in a supervisory capacity for the entirety of the production process.
Professions
For tailored applications, the development engineer is often a member of a multidisciplinary project team and has the following key responsibilities:
- defining the functional operating specifications of a computing application ;
- selecting the most suitable equipment and work environment to maximise development output ;
- designing software architecture; programming software components and managing the software system integration process ;
- producing the technical and instructional documentation for end users.
Increasingly, these professions involve using existing solutions and centre around the interoperating compatibility of their component communication tools.
Industrial data processing constitutes an extremely vast field of different software applications ranging from all technical design, analysis and programming methods based on computer interfacing and electronic components. Its primary areas of focus are:
- CAD (Computer Aided Design) to design complex systems ;
- CAM (Computer Aided Manufacture) for programming and directing production machines ;
- CAPM (Computer Aided Production Management) to manage and monitor the production cycle.
Industrial data engineers are tasked with designing and improving automated production systems. They build software requiring skills ranging from signal processing to artificial intelligence programming.
Embedded software represents an excellent example of technological software combining:
- electronic components (programmable components, controllers, sensors, etc.);
- real-time systems ;
- wireless networks (Bluetooth, Wifi), mobile systems (GSM, UMTS, 4G, etc.);
- software.
Embedded computer technology is ubiquitous in modern society: in smartphones, positioning and navigation systems, electronic money systems and cars to name just a few examples. Currently, this field is experiencing considerable growth within numerous application areas (security, health, environment, food safety, manufacturing, telecommunications, robotics, etc.).