Hi. I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, signals and systems, image processing, etc.). I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP related jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open courses at MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP programming in C. Would that do? In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? Do I have to go to grad school?
Jobs in DSP
Started by ●February 22, 2010
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
labamba wrote:> Hi. > > I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a > prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't > disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". > Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but > the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, > signals and systems, image processing, etc.). > > I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP related > jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even > heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR > filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see > things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. > > How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open courses at > MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP > exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP > programming in C. Would that do? > > In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? Do I > have to go to grad school?First of all, those acronyms are the easy part. Search for them. For example, ASIC stands for application-specific integrated circuit. There are tools for designing them and fabrication houses to produce them. FPGA stands for field-programmable gate array. There are several makers, each with proprietary tools. VHDL is one of a few hardware-design languages that can specify ASICs and FPGAs. The field is broad and deep. Reading trade magazines is a way to absorb some of it, enough to know what's there. Good luck and good choices. Jerry -- Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get. �����������������������������������������������������������������������
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
On 22 Feb, 22:12, "labamba" <spootski...@hotmail.com> wrote:> Hi. > > I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a > prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't > disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". > Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but > the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, > signals and systems, image processing, etc.). > > I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP related > jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even > heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR > filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see > things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. > > How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open courses at > MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP > exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP > programming in C. Would that do? > > In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? Do I > have to go to grad school?Find some DSP topic of interest that 1) Is interesting to you 2) Is solvable Then play around with it. If you have access to matlab - use it to test out the various tricks and ideas you have heard about. If you don't have matlab, get one of the clones (octave, scilab). As for the work - I think you will find that the job market DSP is divided into two main parts: 1) The people who design and implement stuff using all kinds of DSP chips, IC, ASICs, FPGAs and those kinds of technology 2) The people who use DSP as a means to an end Ah, and yes: There aren't a lot of jobs around. So I will give only one advice: First get *a* job, regardless of field, that takes care of the main issue, which is to pay your bills. Then play with DSP as a hobby, for fun. Rune
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
Rune Allnor wrote:> On 22 Feb, 22:12, "labamba" <spootski...@hotmail.com> wrote: >> Hi. >> >> I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a >> prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't >> disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". >> Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but >> the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, >> signals and systems, image processing, etc.). >> >> I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP related >> jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even >> heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR >> filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see >> things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. >> >> How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open courses at >> MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP >> exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP >> programming in C. Would that do? >> >> In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? Do I >> have to go to grad school? > > Find some DSP topic of interest that > > 1) Is interesting to you > 2) Is solvable > > Then play around with it. If you have access to matlab - use it > to test out the various tricks and ideas you have heard about. > If you don't have matlab, get one of the clones (octave, scilab). > > As for the work - I think you will find that the job market DSP > is divided into two main parts: > > 1) The people who design and implement stuff using all kinds > of DSP chips, IC, ASICs, FPGAs and those kinds of technology > > 2) The people who use DSP as a means to an end > > Ah, and yes: There aren't a lot of jobs around. > > So I will give only one advice: First get *a* job, regardless of > field, that takes care of the main issue, which is to pay your bills. > Then play with DSP as a hobby, for fun.Get _a_ job, then leverage it to get another job closer to your chosen field, and again and again, as many times as you can. You've got the training, now work on the "five years experience programming in C, or equivalent". -- Tim Wescott Control system and signal processing consulting www.wescottdesign.com
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
On 2/22/2010 2:12 PM, labamba wrote:> Hi. > > I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a > prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't > disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". > Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but > the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, > signals and systems, image processing, etc.). > > I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP related > jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even > heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR > filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see > things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. > > How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open courses at > MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP > exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP > programming in C. Would that do? > > In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? Do I > have to go to grad school?Typically any entry level job will come with the expectation that they'll need to give you training to get you up to speed on things not covered in your undergrad curriculum. Nobody expects you to know much coming straight out of school, so don't be intimidated. Show enthusiasm and interest, and be knowledgeable (but not necessarily expert) about relevant topics in order to get an interview, and then be honest about setting expectations for the job. Asking questions is good, e.g., can you get training for VHDL or the FPGA targets that you'd be expected to work with, etc., etc. For the most part, if you are already competent in a computer language or two, picking up VHDL or Verilog is not that hard. Best of luck. -- Eric Jacobsen Minister of Algorithms Abineau Communications http://www.abineau.com
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
labamba wrote:> Hi. > > I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a > prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't > disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". > Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but > the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, > signals and systems, image processing, etc.). > > I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP related > jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even > heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR > filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see > things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. > > How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open courses at > MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP > exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP > programming in C. Would that do? > > In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? Do I > have to go to grad school? > >three more bits of advice: * If you see a job that requires experience that you don't have but would like to acquire, apply anyway -- or apply for a junior position at that same company. Chances are you won't get the job, so send out lots of resumes. * Use your university job center. It's their job to get you hired. They may fail, but they may still be helpful (and if there are any Juniors or Seniors out there -- chase those internships!). * Keep trying -- every day that you work at it your chances will be slim, every day that you don't work at it your chances will be absolutely zero, and lots of slim chances add up to something. Force yourself to be optimistic, even if you find yourself despairing. -- Tim Wescott Control system and signal processing consulting www.wescottdesign.com
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:43:52 -0800 Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.now> wrote:> labamba wrote: > > Hi. > > > > I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering > > from a prominent Southern California university. For privacy's > > sake, I won't disclose its name but I will say that its mascot > > rhymes with "shoo-ins". Anyway, while I was there I took classes on > > a lot of different topics but the ones I enjoyed the most were the > > ones on signal processing (DSP, signals and systems, image > > processing, etc.). > > > > I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP > > related jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that > > I've never even heard of. When I was in college I studied things > > like FIR filters, IIR filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in > > these job listings I see things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. > > > > How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open > > courses at MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on > > college-level DSP exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know > > I saw a few books on DSP programming in C. Would that do? > > > > In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related > > job? Do I have to go to grad school? > > > > > three more bits of advice: > > * If you see a job that requires experience that you don't have but > would like to acquire, apply anyway -- or apply for a junior position > at that same company. Chances are you won't get the job, so send out > lots of resumes. > > * Use your university job center. It's their job to get you hired. > They may fail, but they may still be helpful (and if there are any > Juniors or Seniors out there -- chase those internships!). > > * Keep trying -- every day that you work at it your chances will be > slim, every day that you don't work at it your chances will be > absolutely zero, and lots of slim chances add up to something. Force > yourself to be optimistic, even if you find yourself despairing. >I'd add that, these days, you might want to consider taking an unpaid internship if you can get one. With as hard as it is to find paying jobs you may very will find yourself without an income either way; at least one way you can be getting some experience. -- Rob Gaddi, Highland Technology Email address is currently out of order
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
Eric Jacobsen <eric.jacobsen@ieee.org> wrote: (snip)> For the most part, if you are already competent in a computer language > or two, picking up VHDL or Verilog is not that hard.I would say, if you are competent in a computer language AND understand digital logic hardware, then picking up VHDL or verilog isn't hard. If you can't think in terms of wires and gates, I believe it is hard to learn HDLs. -- glen
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
labamba wrote:> Hi. > > I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a > prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't > disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". > Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but > the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, > signals and systems, image processing, etc.). > > I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSP related > jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even > heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR > filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see > things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. > > How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open courses at > MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP > exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP > programming in C. Would that do?> In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? Do I > have to go to grad school?1. Courses for horses. While at school, get yourself involved in the actual DSP work besides classes. Such as opensource projects, dsp plugins/addons/applets, or hobbyist type development with evaluation boards. Get your hands on basic tools such as compilers, build chains, version control, matlabi, etc. 2. Get something worked out with your own hands; not just merely 2+2=4 stuff from texbook, but a complete piece of hardware / software / math that you did yourself and that solves some technical problem. So you can display the actual work; this is the best way to present yourself and show what you are worth. 3. There is no such word as "enough". Spend all of your leisure time in the library educating yourself or working on some stuff. Vladimir Vassilevsky DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant http://www.abvolt.com
Reply by ●February 22, 20102010-02-22
>Hi. > >I just graduated in December with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from a >prominent Southern California university. For privacy's sake, I won't >disclose its name but I will say that its mascot rhymes with "shoo-ins". >Anyway, while I was there I took classes on a lot of different topics but >the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones on signal processing (DSP, >signals and systems, image processing, etc.). > >I'd love to get a job in that field but every time I search for DSPrelated>jobs I see several terms in the requirements section that I've never even >heard of. When I was in college I studied things like FIR filters, IIR >filters, Z-transforms, sampling, etc. But in these job listings I see >things like ASIC, FPGA, VHDL, etc. > >How can I teach myself these things? I'm taking a few free open coursesat>MIT on signal processing and I got a few books on college-level DSP >exercises for MATLAB, but is that enough? I know I saw a few books on DSP >programming in C. Would that do? > >In other words, where should I go if I want to get a DSP related job? DoI>have to go to grad school? > > >So what exactly can I learn that won't require a Master's? For example, I know I can learn DSP in C as I know both of them. MATLAB can be self-taught as well. But what about things like DSP architectures, VHDL, Verilog, etc.? One can only learn some things in grad school, right?
