»It is very hard to find C++-developers in Europe«

Sales requires not only technical expertise but also project management

There are also many open positions in the embedded sector, especially in sales, as Sebastian Basedow, Senior Consultant at Schuh-Eder Consulting, explains. Specialists are, in fact, particularly scarce here. »In the area of IoT, networking, robotics or automation, sales doesn't work 'off the shelf',« he explains, because »it's about having an overview of the entire system.« Complex and technically demanding products and systems require qualified engineers »who understand the facts, but at the same time are also skilled in communication as well as in project and interface management.«

This means that customers not only expect a sound theoretical background from an electrical engineer, but also experience in solution-oriented project sales, »preferably from the areas of industrial display solutions, panel PCs, embedded systems and boards, and in the IPC market environment,« says Basedow. Furthermore they need business-fluent English skills, supplemented by soft skills, depending on the company, and the cultural background of the employer, the ability to work in a team and an understanding of common IT applications such as CRM, SAP and Microsoft Office.

Is there such a thing as a candidate profile for technically demanding sales? »Ideally, the future job holder would be an engineer who started out in development, then switched to project management, then that he or she enjoyed sales and is already successful in this field,« says Basedow, explaining the desired spec. With the appropriate »drive«, and without shying away from new customer acquisition. »You have to identify market potential and develop strategies to exploit it.« By the way, new customer business has nothing to do with door-to-door canvassing, the consultant assures. »You can only be successful if your strategy and the technical solution are in harmony.« A challenging task considering future markets such as automation technology, the food industry, medical technology, the transport industry or construction machinery – »it definitely will not be boring there!« says Basedow. Technically demanding sales are well paid. Basedow continues: »The benchmark for a corresponding profile means more than 10 years of professional experience and offers a target salary of around 110,000 euros. Of this, 80 % is fixed and 20 % variable. A company car for private use and home office are usually complementary plus points.«

What would be the ideal educational qualification?

Newcomers to the field of embedded software systems are best advised to obtaining a degree in electrical engineering and information technology, is the advice of fellow consultant Thomas Hegger of Hegger, Riemann & Partner, even if information technology currently appears to be a little more popular among high school graduates. »But if you are interested not only in software and networks, but also in technology and technical systems, you should choose electrical engineering,« he explains.

These days there are 19 embedded degree programs; most of them end with master's degrees, but also two bachelor's degree programs. But how is the industry reacting to this number of courses, especially to the bachelor's degree? Hegger knows that it is not only the industry that is slowly losing track of the range of master's specializations. However, he advises against an "embedded" bachelor's degree. »The bachelor's degree should teach the basics of electrical engineering, and specialization should then follow  as part of the master's degree. That was also the intention of the Bologna reform.« After that, he says, career prospects are »very good.« Those with working experience can qualify via a part-time master's degree, such as the Intelligent Embedded Microsystems (IEMS) further education program at the interface of information technology, microsystems and electrical engineering at the University of Freiburg.

So what do career starters and experienced professionals with embedded specialization earn? Salaries are essentially dependent on three factors, explains Hegger: the chosen industry, the size of the company and the region. Against this background, the range for graduates is from about 45,000 to 60,000 euros, depending on how well the candidate's qualifications and experience match the advertised position. For experienced professionals, the »no limits« principle applies.

1. »It is very hard to find C++-developers in Europe«
2. Wanted: Embedded software developers
3. Sales requires not only technical expertise but also project management