A Day in the Life of an Embedded Engineer: Roles, Tasks, and Tools

As an embedded engineer, the daily life is a dynamic blend of technical challenges, collaborative teamwork, and continuous learning. This article explores the typical activities and responsibilities of an embedded engineer, providing an insight into their daily routine, from morning standups to late-night bug fixes.

Common Activities and Responsibilities

The daily routine of an embedded engineer is structured around several key activities:

Morning

Daily Standup: Participate in a brief team meeting to discuss progress, challenges, and plans for the day. Code Review: Evaluate submitted code by colleagues and provide feedback to ensure code quality and adherence to standards.

Mid-Morning

Development Work: Focus on coding and debugging embedded systems, often using languages like C and C . This may involve developing firmware for microcontrollers or creating drivers for hardware components.

Lunch

Networking: Use lunch time to connect with colleagues, discuss ongoing projects, and share ideas informally.

Afternoon

Testing and Debugging: Conduct tests on hardware to ensure the software interacts correctly with physical components, using tools like oscilloscopes and logic analyzers. Documentation: Update documentation for code, hardware specifications, or design processes to ensure clarity and maintainability.

Late Afternoon

Collaboration: Meet with cross-functional teams, such as hardware engineers and product managers, to discuss project requirements or troubleshoot issues.

Continuous Learning: Spend time researching new technologies, tools, or methodologies relevant to embedded systems.

Evening

Wrap-Up: Review the day’s progress, plan tasks for the next day, and respond to emails or messages. Project Work: Depending on the project phase, this might include prototyping, working on new features, or preparing for product launches. Field Testing: Occasionally, embedded engineers perform field tests to evaluate systems in real-world scenarios.

Variations in Daily Life

The daily life of an embedded engineer can vary significantly based on their specific role and the industry they work in. This section takes a deeper look into the roles and tasks of an embedded engineer in two different contexts.

Current Role

My current role involves:

Answering customer queries Estimating effort for program development Supporting the hardware team and production efforts Performing some research, mostly reading datasheets Designing and coding, primarily in C and my employer’s proprietary language Debugging code and collaborating with colleagues Spending time with family after work

Before the pandemic, I would spend one evening with my wife and a son at band practice, and another evening at karate training.

Previous Roles

In past roles, my daily tasks included:

Project management, creating schedules, tracking effort, and assigning tasks Test management Code reviews Risk management Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) responsibilities First aid Attending meetings and hosting barbecues (yes, you read that correctly!)

Working Environment

The work environment of an embedded engineer is rich in technical tools and equipment. My current home office setup is a testament to the diverse array of devices and hardware that are part of a typical embedded engineer's daily life:

Desk Setup: My desk, despite being a home office setup, is equipped with a range of hardware and tools. Beyond the standard keyboard, mouse, notepad, desk phone, and monitors, I also have hardware components such as:

Soldering iron Powered USB hub 3D input device Power supply Controller and two remotes for a concrete truck Dairy industry controller using load cells Loading cell simulator Touch-screen controller from our company's stock Oscilloscope JTAG/SWD debugger Logic analyzer

This diverse array of hardware and tools reflects the multifaceted nature of the embedded engineer role and the unique challenges it presents.

Although this setup provides a comprehensive toolkit, some roles require additional hardware, which is stored in a box ready for use as needed.