Is There A Shortage Of Good RF Applications Engineers?

This article is part of a series of quarterly guest columns by Rick Cory, Applications Engineering Manager, Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

In the past couple of decades, a not-so-subtle shift has taken place in how RF circuit design is done. The field has essentially divided into two subspecialties: system integrator and RF component designer. RF applications engineers are increasingly called to fill in the gap between these two camps.

The RF designer who toils to produce a working system or end product, such as the radio transceiver in a cellular telephone handset or WLAN access point router, has become a "black box" integrator who skillfully marries disparate integrated circuits and discrete components from various manufacturers into a smoothly functioning, cost-effective product. This skill, however, often comes at the expense of the opportunity to obtain design experience at the discrete component level.

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