Occupations in the Industry

The computer and electronic product manufacturing industry has a diverse workforce mainly composed of professionals, who conduct research and development work, and production workers, who are directly involved in the assembly and testing of the industry’s products.
Professional and related occupations. About 1 in every 3 jobs in this industry is in a professional occupation (table 2). About 15 percent of those workers are engineers—predominantly electrical and electronics engineers and computer hardware engineers, but also many industrial and mechanical engineers. These workers develop new products and devise better, more efficient production methods. Engineers may coordinate and lead teams developing new products. Others may work with customers to help them make the best use of the products.
Computer systems analysts, database administrators, and computer scientists are employed throughout the industry, becoming more dispersed with the increasing computerization of development and production methods. Many new hardware devices are now controlled by software, which has increased the share of computer specialists in this field. Other professionals include mathematical and physical scientists, and technical writers.
About 6 percent of workers are engineering technicians, many of whom work closely with engineers. Engineering technicians help develop new products, work in production areas, and sometimes assist customers in installing, maintaining, and repairing equipment. They also may test new products or processes to make sure that everything works correctly.
Production occupations. About 3 out of 10 employees are production workers. About half of those are assemblers and fabricators, who place and solder components on circuit boards, or assemble and connect the various parts of electronic devices. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers are responsible for putting together products such as computers and appliances, telecommunications equipment, and even missile control systems. Semiconductor processors initiate and control the many automated steps in the process of manufacturing integrated circuits or computer chips. Some assemblers are highly skilled and use their significant experience and training to assemble major components. A skilled assembler may put together an entire subassembly or even an entire product, especially when products are made in relatively small numbers. Other, less skilled assemblers often work on a production line, attaching one or a few parts and continually repeating the same operation. Increasingly, as production work becomes more automated, assemblers and other production workers monitor the machinery that does the assembly work rather than physically assembling products themselves. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers use sophisticated testing machinery to ensure that devices operate as designed.
Management, business, and financial occupations. About 16 percent of the workers in the industry are in management, business, and financial occupations. Top managers in this industry are much more likely to have a technical background than their counterparts in other industries. This is especially true in smaller companies, which often are founded by engineers or other technical professionals who found companies to sell the products they develop.
Office and administrative support occupations. About 10 percent of workers in the industry hold office and administrative support jobs. The largest occupation in this group is secretaries and administrative assistants.
Sales and related occupations. A small number of workers are involved in selling products manufactured by the industry. Sales positions require technical knowledge and abilities; as a result, engineers and technicians may find opportunities in sales or sales support.