Occupation Profile

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Computer Hardware Engineers
(SOC Code : 17-2061)
in Santa Cruz County

Research, design, develop, and test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. May supervise the manufacturing and installation of computer or computer-related equipment and components. Exclude "Computer Software Engineers, Applications" (15-1031) and "Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software" (15-1032).

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

Santa Cruz County is the same as Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA.
Occupational Wages[Top]
AreaYearPeriodHourly MeanHourly by Percentile
25thMedian75th
Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA20231st Qtr$68.53$52.71$62.90$0.00

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")[Top]
 AreaEstimated Year-Projected YearEmploymentEmployment ChangeTotal Job Openings
EstimatedProjectedNumberPercent
Santa Cruz County 2018 - 20281101302018.2100

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange[Top]
 
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Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)[Top]
Industry Title
Number of Employers in Santa Cruz County
Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California
Computer and Peripheral Equipmen527.4%
Computer Systems Design and Relate10318.6%
Scientific Research and Developm9713.8%
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component 178.9%
Household Appliances and Electri584.3%
Communications Equipment Manufacturing 53.5%
Professional and Commercial Equi263.3%
Navigational, Measuring, Electro112.9%

About Staffing Patterns
 

Training Programs (click on title for more information)[Top]
Program Title
Computer Engineering, General

About Training & Apprenticeships
 

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)[Top]
Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)
Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology.
Build, test, and modify product prototypes using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.
Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
Specify power supply requirements and configuration, drawing on system performance expectations and design specifications.
Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
Select hardware and material, assuring compliance with specifications and product requirements.
Monitor functioning of equipment and make necessary modifications to ensure system operates in conformance with specifications.
Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data.
Direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed.

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Top Skills used in this Job
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)
Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.
Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

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Alternate Titles
Computer Engineers; Hardware Engineers; Network Engineers; Telecommunications Engineers
 
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