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Wayward EE lost and lamenting

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NSCI0T7:
So I have my masters in EE, designed phased array RF coils, ultrasound amps, made energy harvesting circuits to charge phones, and dabbled at ATI Technologies (Nvidia) during my internship.  Cool, right?

But I wouldn't say EE is very lucrative or plentiful, and rarely exciting outside of a university lab.  My small town graduates 40 electrical engineers, and all but 2 of them have to leave town to find EE work.  I decided that contract teaching wasn't very stable, so now I work an x-ray repair job that can be done with a 2-year community college diploma.

Yes, x-ray machines, CT, ultrasound, etc. are very fascinating.  But my boss says "very nice theory, now replace this ethernet cable"

No passion anymore.  Can someone light a fire for me? I see everyone posting projects of electronics they did, but I'm not into hobby circuits.  I need something serious with hard physics to get me going.

Start a design firm with no meny? Start a high risk design/manufacturing company? Waste 5y to get a PhD??

What future could possibly result for someone like me.

james_s:
I'm not sure what you want anyone to tell you. I'd have thought if you were going to take so much schooling you'd have a reasonable idea of the sort of company you'd like to work for? You might have to relocate to where the jobs are if you want a job that is particularly interesting and challenging. Nobody can tell you what you're going to enjoy, you'll have to decide that for yourself.

NSCI0T7:
Well I can't relocate. So should i ask what other jobs an electronics designer should do?

james_s:
I've worked with quite a few EE grads who were working as software developers. There seems to be a lot more money overall in software. If you're unable to relocate then it pays to look into what jobs are available in your area prior to spending the money on school. You might be fortunate and find remote work, especially in the post-Covid world.

bob91343:
Everyone is different.  In my heyday as an engineer I loved the electronics but hated the politics and proposals and stresses.  So I became a consultant.  That worked for a few months but that was all.  Then I grabbed the bull by the veritable horns and asked a girl friend if she'd like to go into business with me.  She instantly said yes and we opened a retail store repairing electronics of all sorts.  Originally we targeted marine electronics but found a more lucrative field in stereo.  We had a successful business for about 13 years.

I went into engineering again for about a year and then retired at the tender age of about 55 and haven't looked back.  I still love electronics but it's a hobby.  Now and then I take in a repair job but it's minimal.

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