Want to know how the digital world comes to life? Step into the world of an electronics engineer.

You're at the heart of innovation, designing and developing the electronic systems and parts that power everything from your smartphone to robots and even spacecraft! In this role, there's lots of problem-solving, creativity and constant learning.

There is a wide range of industries you could work in, for example:

• telecommunications: mobile phones, radio, TV and satellite communications

• datacommunications: computers, tablets and ‘hole-in-the-wall’ cash machines (ATMs)

• scientific research: acoustics, optics, physics and nanotechnology

• medical instruments: clinical and laboratory equipment

• military: communications, navigation and weapons systems

• aerospace: avionics, radar, navigation and communication systems

• manufacturing: programmable logic controls (PLCs) and industrial machinery

You’ll conduct research and come up with ideas for improving the electronic equipment or systems. Working as part of a team, you'll create the new component and test how well it works.

Your tasks might include:

• assessing new ideas to see if they are workable

• preparing technical plans using computer-aided engineering and design software

• estimating the costs of labour and production, and timescales for a project

• coordinating the work of technicians and craftspeople

• testing prototypes and analysing data

• planning and overseeing maintenance schedules and that safety regulations are met

You'll often work on a project with a team of engineers, technicians and information technology (IT) staff.

Green job 

In this job you could be doing work to help the environment. You could:  

• design and install ways to power systems and devices that currently rely on fossil fuels 

• working on the electronics needed for renewable energy such as solar power 

Find out more about green jobs.

• Tomorrow's Engineers – Careers resources for young people from Engineering UK and Royal Academy of Engineering

• WISE – inspires girls and women to study and build careers using science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – fosters technological innovation and excellence

• The Engineering Council – the UK regulatory body for the engineering profession

• GreenJobs – Find engineering job vacancies

• The Institution of Engineers in Scotland (IES) – for more information on engineering careers