Changing positions within the field

[nicknails]

First a little back-story. The first job I got in electronics was at a place that did high voltage dc/dc converters. I originally started in high school as a gopher and did little things here and there, nothing serious. I went to college and got a bachelors in electrical engineering. The job market had tanked during my senior year of college (2001/2002) and I could find a job anywhere, but the company I had been working for was willing to take me aboard. I stayed there for just over 20 years and decided to pursue a different job, as there were many things I didn't like about the one I was in.

I started a new job last year at a place that does mostly AC/DC and no high voltage DC. My official job title is Design Engineer. After being here for a year, I've come to realize that I'm not a good design engineer. When it comes to AC, I am completely lost. I don't know any formulas, how to calculate anything (inductance or capacitance required). I also am horrible with op-amps. This might be because I haven't really used any since college, or if I did, it was mostly a voltage follower or a divider at best. I've been going through some books, but feel that I'm not really absorbing anything. If I am to stay in this position, my best bet would be to take some courses, but I don't have the money or the time (2 kids aged 5 and .

What I am good at is being a technician. I can repair most converters. Give me a pile and I'm content trying to figure out what's wrong, and I feel my diagnostic abilities are good. I can generally follow a schematic and figure out what it does, with the exception of some op-amp stuff. I'm considering trying to switch from engineer (at least design engineer) to a technician. I'm concerned about this for two reasons. The first is how it would look to potential employers, and the second, and more important, is the money. I highly doubt that I can make the money I'm making now by being a technician.

I'm just looking for some opinions and thoughts from others.

[jmelson]

Well, learning how to design circuits is not easy.  It really can't be "taught", but it can be learned.  If you can follow a schematic, you can pick up a lot of things by looking at many schematics and figuring out how they work.
Op-amp circuits are mostly pretty easy, there are standard formulas that give you the gain, etc.  There really are only a few basic configurations.  There are some good "cookbooks" that have sample circuits and analysis for the basic types you would run into.

Best, of course, is if you have a "guru" to go to when you get stuck.  And, of course, a simulator is usually faster than a soldering iron when working out the details.

Jon

[SmallCog]

Probably a bit of location bias in this, but in my bit of the world hands on technical knowledge is valued no matter the role.

I personally don't think there's a stigma against having a repair vs design role either - although repair roles are nowhere near as common these days.

Half the guys on benches at my work have come from "theoretical" backgrounds. None seem to regret the move!

Do what makes you happy

[Kerlin]

The actual true situation is you must have both practice and theory.
Tech's who only know practical have massive gaps in their knowledge, I know cause decades ago I was one.

As techs back then we used to say a tech is the "fleshy" part of the bench, let's move on and up eh?

You can't learn electronics design theory and practices on a forum.

[DenzilPenberthy]

If I am to stay in this position, my best bet would be to take some courses, but I don't have the money or the time (2 kids aged 5 and .

These three courses on EdX might help?

https://www.edx.org/xseries/mitx-circuits-and-electronics

You can 'audit' the courses for free and just pay if you want the graded assessments and certificate.  Complete at your own pace, after the kids have gone to bed 

[Kerlin]

Thanks heaps Denzil will be spending some time on that site.
A good refresher and chance to reflash the old cognitive memory.