THINGS I CAN DO/ HAVE EXPERIENCE IN
Primary Electronics Engineering/ Product Development Skills
Things I’ve done a whole lot of:
- Analog, Digital, and Mixed signal hardware design and schematic entry
- PCB layout (Low level through high power analog, digital, mixed signal)
- Prototyping (Electrical and Mechanical)
- High performance analog design
- Cost constrained design
- Review, evaluation, and testing of existing designs as well as physical products (of my own design or others), including Beta testing
- Seeing designs through from concept through manufacturing
- Compliance (ESD, emissions) and safety review and troubleshooting
- Working closely with Manufacturing, Software teams, ASIC designers, Product Managers and Marketing, including worldwide product development teams and Contract Manufacturers
- Project lead, Engineering Team lead (including Software and Hardware teams), small Engineering group management
- Engineering and service documentation
- General technical research
- Training and mentoring of less experienced Engineers and Technicians
- Vintage audio and MI equipment repair, calibration, modification, and refurbishment (synthesizers, guitar, signal processing, studio equipment), including mechanical refurbishment and reinforcement
- Systems design and planning of complicated systems consisting of multiple microprocessors, firmware, software, and interface to existing computer applications, including developing simple communications protocols
Secondary Technical and Product Development Skills
Things I’ve done a fair bit of, but don’t either consider myself the highest level expert in, or just think I may not the best person to do such work full time:
- Embedded Firmware (C and assembly language), including USB and MIDI
- Speaker measurement and testing
- Overall product design and architecture (from user perspective) and user interface design. (I think I’m expert level in this for some types of products, but not all)
- Reverse Engineering
- Manufacturing test fixture design (and some automated testing using Max software)
- Light Mechanical design (flat panel/ 2D CAD and simple metal boxes) and Industrial Design, reviewing all types mechanical designs from others
- Direct end-user customer service, support, and training
- In-field product installation, testing, and debugging
- Administering project management and version control systems, server setup and maintenance (including light database modification and maintenance)
- Technical writing for end user documentation
- Engineering process implementation, control, auditing, improvement, and documentation
- Product feasibility and cost analysis, writing Engineering and technical proposals
Additional Technical/ Engineering Experience
Things I have some experience in, but you probably shouldn’t hire me if these are the main or only things you need:
- Other software, including Python, PHP, C, C++
- Programmable logic
- Max/MSP
- Small database implementation
- Wiring and cable harnessing layout planning and implementation
Other Experience
These are non-technical, or not Product Development related, things that I have varying levels of experience in. Don’t hire me just for these things. But if you need a technical person who can also do (and is interested in) some stuff outside their normal area of expertise…
- Graphics design: 2D and 3D graphics design and art is an on and off hobby of mine
- Website design: Long ago, I did a number of static websites for some bands and related endeavors, using HTML and CSS. More recently, I’m developing some small WordPress experience for this website and another I’m working on. In between, I did some occasional tweaking and modification/ customization of the website for our in-house project management system at Nektar.
- Sales: I’ve done vintage synthesizer sales in the past. I also worked retail sales for a bit, a long time ago.
- Woodworking and refinishing: I’ve designed and built my own heavy duty workbenches and shelving. The vintage synth refurbishment work I used to do sometimes involved wood refinishing, and some of the custom guitar and recording gear I built involved building wood enclosures.
- Wiki implementation and maintenance: I set up my own personal Wiki (DocuWiki) in the past to keep track of unique information I gathered or discovered while working on vintage equipment. I also helped set up and maintain a new Engineering Wiki (MediaWiki) for one of the companies I worked for, to keep track of and share in-house Engineering information.
Useful Advice
The long-time Mechanical Engineer at my first Engineering job told me that anything can be fixed with duct tape and WD-40.
– If it moves and isn’t supposed to, use the duct tape
– If it doesn’t move and is supposed to, use the WD-40
I’ve found applications for that advice a surprising number of times in my career.