# Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

> Research, design, develop, or test electronic components and systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use employing knowledge of electronic theory and materials properties. Design electronic circuits and components for use in fields such as telecommunications, aerospace guidance and propulsion control, acoustics, or instruments and controls.

- **SOC code:** 17-2072.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-2072-00
- **Also known as:** Design Engineer, Integrated Circuit Design Engineer (IC Design Engineer), Product Engineer, Test Engineer, Compatibility Test Engineer, Electronics Design Engineer, Engineer, Evaluation Engineer
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications.
- Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform electronics engineering tasks.
- Evaluate project work to ensure effectiveness, technical adequacy, or compatibility in the resolution of complex electronics engineering problems.
- Direct or coordinate activities concerned with manufacture, construction, installation, maintenance, operation, or modification of electronic equipment, products, or systems.
- Confer with engineers, customers, vendors, or others to discuss existing or potential electronics engineering projects or products.
- Provide technical support or instruction to staff or customers regarding electronics equipment standards.
- Recommend repair or design modifications of electronics components or systems, based on factors such as environment, service, cost, or system capabilities.
- Prepare documentation containing information such as confidential descriptions or specifications of proprietary hardware or software, product development or introduction schedules, product costs, or information about product performance weaknesses.
- Prepare necessary criteria, procedures, reports, or plans for successful conduct of the project with consideration given to site preparation, facility validation, installation, quality assurance, or testing.
- Plan or develop applications or modifications for electronic properties used in components, products, or systems to improve technical performance.
- Develop or perform operational, maintenance, or testing procedures for electronic products, components, equipment, or systems.
- Analyze electronics system requirements, capacity, cost, or customer needs to determine project feasibility.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Engineering and Technology _(knowledge)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Design _(knowledge)_
- Mathematics _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Complex Problem Solving _(transferable_skill)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Complex Problem Solving _(Common Skill)_
- Systems Analysis _(Specialized Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Writing _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Python _(hot technology, in demand)_
- The MathWorks MATLAB _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Apache Subversion SVN _(hot technology)_
- Autodesk AutoCAD _(hot technology)_
- C _(hot technology)_
- C++ _(hot technology)_
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks _(hot technology)_
- ESRI ArcGIS software _(hot technology)_
- Extensible markup language XML _(hot technology)_
- Linux _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 74th percentile (High) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 63rd percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 72nd percentile (High) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 84th percentile (High) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 16th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** yes — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 6.2% growth (About average); 5.7k annual openings; 95.9k → 101.8k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $127,590; 93,940 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 40% automation, 45% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 4.0 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** directive.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications. _(2.4% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Provide technical support or instruction to staff or customers regarding electronics equipment standards. _(1.3% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Prepare, review, or maintain maintenance schedules, design documentation, or operational reports or charts. _(0.5% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Prepare necessary criteria, procedures, reports, or plans for successful conduct of the project with consideration given to site preparation, facility validation, installation, quality assurance, or testing. _(0.4% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Analyze electronics system requirements, capacity, cost, or customer needs to determine project feasibility. _(0.3% of measured AI use)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me design electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military, or scientific applications.
- Help me provide technical support or instruction to staff or customers regarding electronics equipment standards.
- Help me prepare, review, or maintain maintenance schedules, design documentation, or operational reports or charts.
- Help me prepare necessary criteria, procedures, reports, or plans for successful conduct of the project with consideration given to site preparation, facility validation, installation, quality assurance, or testing.
- Help me analyze electronics system requirements, capacity, cost, or customer needs to determine project feasibility.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-2072-00_