Careers
Related Skills
Strong technical background.
Foundational courses in the areas of electronic circuits, control systems, digital and embedded systems, microcontroller, power electronics and systems, renewable energy and smart grids, Robotics, wireless communications, and coding along with proficiency in industry-standard software tools.
Creativity and problem-solving skills.
Engineers need to be able to think creatively about a given problem, and come up with competitive, economical, manufacturable, and renewable/sustainable solutions.
Teamwork.
Working effectively in a team environment requires collaboration, listening to peers, openness to diverse engineering/social perspectives, and belief in shared responsibility. It entails working with fellow engineers, R&D staff, and industry partners to turn novel ideas into realities.
Communication.
Engineers need to be able to convincingly communicate their creative design/product to the world. Engineers communicate via meetings, presentations, 3D visualizations, etc.
Being Successful in the Field
Be willing to learn new things.
Engineering is everchanging, with rapid advancements in mobile devices, generative AI aided engineering, cyber-physical systems, communication networks, cybersecurity, hybrid electric vehicles, unmanned vehicles, etc. Engineers must engage in continuous and lifelong learning.
Don’t be afraid to fail.
Some new ideas work… some don’t. Engineers are constantly experimenting with new concepts, designs, ideas, and solutions to create better designs and technologies.
Build strong teams, communicate effectively, and manage projects efficiently.
Modern engineering problems are mostly interdisciplinary. Engineers must collaborate/communicate with peers who are specialized in other areas. Strong management skills are key for meeting strict market deadlines.
Understanding the global perspective. Engineers develop products used around the globe.
Engineers must adhere to ethical design and development, and international standards, while also ensuring safety, sustainability, and social responsibility. Engineers work on teams that are present worldwide. Therefore, it is important to develop a global perspective.
Related Fields
Example job titles:
- Communications Engineer
- Computer Hardware Engineer
- Control Systems Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Electronics Engineer
- Embedded System Engineer
- Field Service Engineer
- Hardware Engineer
- Instrumentation Engineer
- Power Engineer
- Reliability Engineer
- Research Engineer
- RF Design Engineer
- Robotics Engineer
- Systems Engineer
- Test Engineer
- Vehicle Engineer
Career Industry Liaison
| Name | Office | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sakhawat Tanim | 223 Bone Student Center | stanim@ilstu.edu | (309) 438-5864 |