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Electronics engineer: Salary and conditions

• Starting salaries for newly graduated electrical/electronics engineers are in the range £18,000 - £29,000 (salary data collected July 08).
• Qualified electronics engineers can earn between £35,000 and £45,000 and highly experienced engineers can earn in excess of £65,000 (salary data collected July 08).
• Salaries vary from company to company, with some sectors attracting higher salaries due to demand. Hours of work can vary and this may affect the final salary.
• A 40-hour week is typical. However, the commercial pressures associated with electronic design mean that extra hours during evenings and weekends may be required at busy times in order to meet deadlines. Contract staff are often recruited to meet peaks in workloads.
• Work usually takes place in a laboratory or office environment. However, some projects may require you to work in workshops, factories, or even outdoors.
• Self-employment and freelance work are sometimes possible for qualified engineers with a good track record and experience. Short-term contract work is possible, often arranged through agencies.
• As with all areas of engineering, women are under-represented. Some companies and organisations such as Women Into Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE) , actively encourage female entrants to the profession. The Women's Engineering Society (WES) runs student groups in some universities.
• Opportunities are usually available in areas with a strong manufacturing or research base. Most UK-based electronics employers are small to medium-sized enterprises.
• Travel within a working day is frequent. Overnight absence from home and overseas work/travel may be required, depending on the employer and nature of the business. There are increasing opportunities to work abroad. Chartered engineers can apply for European Engineer status (Eur Ing) in order to gain professional recognition in other European countries.

AGCAS

Written by Rachel Howlett, AGCAS

Last updated:

August 2008

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