S3 have announced 20 new jobs in Cork & Dublin. As previously mentioned they are actively recruiting for embedded software positions in Cork at the moment (and have already made a number of job offers already to some of the people leaving Motorola in Cork).
Archive for the 'Embedded' Category
So how much is an Irish embedded software engineer worth? The web has a near endless stream of salary surveys. Here are some of the more relevant ones for those working, or considering working, in the embedded realm.
- Embedded Systems Engineers Salary Survey - The most embedded engineering specific survey I could find is carried out by the Ganssle Group. Includes results on age profile, hours worked and career happiness!
- Computer Jobs Salary Calculator - Generate a salary overview from the current salaries being offered for positions found on computerjobs.ie. It breaks down the results based on location within Ireland.
- IT Jobs Watch UK - This site offers a massive amount of specific information and trends on various embedded positions. Although it is specific to the UK it has the ability to filter on the type of embedded work you are interested in.
- Brightwater Recruitment Salary Survey - One of the more respected salary surveys provided by an Irish Recruitment Agency.
If you’re interested in how technology works, enjoy a tough challenge and want to mix science, programming, hardware, software and engineering discipline then embedded engineering may be the career for you.
The most direct route into embedded software engineering is through an EE (electrical/electronic engineering) degree. Every other approach will be harder.
A computer science related course will churn out graduates with some of the necessary programming skills for embedded work, but an EE graduate will understand the code and the layers below the code - from processor design, digital circuit design and semiconductors right down to quantum mechanics. In fact an electrical/electronic engineering degree allows for many different career paths, with various side way moves available into such diverse areas as management consultancy and biomedical engineering.
So if you’re an embedded engineer what was your route to getting there? Any advice for those looking to get into embedded work?
- For some great advice on how to become an embedded geek check out Jack Ganssle’s guide at http://www.ganssle.com/startinges.pdf.
- Study Electrical/Electronic Engineering at University College Cork.
- Study Electronic Engineering at Cork Institute of Technology
Below are some unsorted links relating to the typical (and not so typical) C programming questions asked in interviews. The value of getting a prospective engineer to answer a C quiz is questionable, but C quizzes are still used to at least weed out the most blatant bluffer.
Regardless of the need to prepare for interviews the questions below are of use in helping C programmers to dig a little deeper into the language and understand the underlying programming and C concepts that are essential to the embedded software engineer.
C interview questions TechInterviews.com
Computer Software Interview Questions
Frequently asked interview questions and answers
Google Groups comp.lang.c
Programming Interview Questions
Edit: After looking again at these links (in order to prepare for having to attend interviews myself) the one set of questions that really stands out are those from com.lang.c.
Edit: An excellent list of 10 top embedded C interview questions is highlighted in EmbeddedSphere - Around the Embedded Net #6. These questions (with answers) are some of the best C interview question lists I’ve come across.
Even though Cork is Ireland’s second city there aren’t that many tech companies that are involved in embedded software development. Below is the list of the companies that I am aware of. The list largely comes from my investigations during the summers of 2005 and 2006 into embedded work alternatives in Cork. At the time I was working for Motorola and had been transitioned away from embedded development and into a systems engineering role.
With the impending closure of Motorola in Cork the list may be of some help to those that are looking for suitable work:
Snap-On - Mid size operation in Blackpool covering car diagnostics. They were recruiting back in the summer of 2006.
Globetech - Seem to specialise in wireless hand held devices. I believe they were recruiting back in the summer of 2006.
DDC - Some manufacturing operation in Cork, but they had plans in 2005 to seed a software development goup in Cork. Not sure if the plan went ahead or if they are actively recruiting.
Kostal - Based outside of Mallow (and in Limerick) they are develop in car electronics. Not sure if they are currently recruiting or not.
Moog - Based in Ringaskiddy doing embedded work with a strong focus on motor control and electrical/electronic engineering. Are often looking to recruit software engineers with the necessary hardware understanding.
S3 - Formally associated with Philips they have a number of locations in Ireland and further afield. My understanding is that they currently have 6 positions open in embedded software development located in Cork.
Pilz - Open positions are currently advertised on their website for a requirements and software engineer.
GME - Global Mobile Encryption is developing encryption software for voice on various platforms but is currently not hiring.
Any others? Or maybe these companies aren’t actually doing embedded development in Cork at all!?
If so please let me know via the comments and I will update this list. Even if the companies you know of are not currently recruiting it would be good to be aware of companies in Cork involved in embedded software work.
An Embedded Software Engineer from and working in Cork, trying to contribute something to the online community.
Embedded in Cork is not about….
…a journalist tagging a ride with the Irish military and reporting on it.
…something stuck in a commercially used material from Potugal.
I’ll try and let the posts do the talking but my hope is that this blog will contain some original contributions related to Embedded software engineering with a strong Cork bias.
So let’s get the ball rolling and see how it grows….
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