Computer EngineersComputer engineers and electrical engineers design, build, test, and evaluate new computer chips, circuit boards, computer systems, and peripheral devices. The goal of computer engineering is to produce computing devices that run efficiently and economically.Different kinds of engineers handle different jobs. Development engineers often work in Research and Development departments of computer firms and they come up with new computer ideas. Design engineers work with development engineers to design the actual product. Production engineers supervise the production process in manufacturing the product once it has been designed. More than any other, this type of engineering requires management as well as engineering skills. Quality assurance engineers control the production process, making sure that the product is manufactured properly and that no flaws occur in production.There are a number of different specialties within design engineering alone. Device development: electrical engineers do device developments, it's a tiny electronic component such as a transistor that, when combined with other elements form a circuit.Circuit design: a circuit such as those found on silicon chips or printed circuit boards, is an electronic system that is designed to perform a particular function. Some design engineers specialize in creating circuits, designing them so that they will perform specialized functions and behave in stable ways. Today, most circuits are contained on silicon chips, making the actual circuitry microscope in size.Chip designers, integrated circuit designers, and logic designers are all involved in circuit design. Computer hardware engineering: these engineers design actual computers by combining circuitry so that the various functions of the component circuits work together to perform bigger functions. Much of computer engineering takes place on microprocessors and other specialized boards (graphics, audio, and networking boards, for example)Systems analysts, the first task of a design engineer when approaching a new project is to determine the precise function of the planned device. Having established the project specifications, the engineer designs the components, assembles them, tests the new device, and evaluates the design as to its overall effectiveness, cost, reliability, and safety. This process applies regardless of the end- product.Software engineers design, create, and modify general computer applications software or systems. Software engineers can be involved...
