Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, or power generation equipment. Electrical engineers also design the electrical systems of automobiles and aircraft.
Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems, from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPS). Many also work in areas closely related to computer hardware.
Duties
Electrical engineers typically do the following:
Design new ways to use electrical power to develop or improve products
Do detailed calculations to develop manufacturing, construction, and installation standards and specifications
Direct manufacturing, installing, and testing of electrical equipment to ensure that products meet specifications and codes
Investigate complaints from customers or the public, evaluate problems, and recommend solutions
Work with project managers on production efforts to ensure that projects are completed satisfactorily, on time, and within budget
Electronics engineers typically do the following:
Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications
Analyze customer needs and determine electrical system requirements, capacity, and cost to develop a system plan
Develop maintenance and testing procedures for electronic components and equipment
Evaluate systems and recommend design modifications or equipment repair
Inspect electronic equipment, instruments, and systems to make sure they meet safety standards and applicable regulations
Plan and develop applications and modifications for electronic properties used in parts and systems to improve technical performance.