Can Electrical Engineer Work From Home (Guide)

Many people, in different engineering occupations, benefit from working at home rather than traveling to an office or job site.

If you are an electrical engineer or training to be one, you may be curious whether it is possible to work remotely.

Traditionally, working from home as an electrical engineer was difficult if not impossible.

However, today, many electrical engineers proudly work remotely.

In this guide, you will learn precisely how to accomplish remote electrical engineering work and what it involves.

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Can An Electrical Engineer Work from Home?

An electrical engineer can work from home, however, they may need to narrow down their work scope.

An electrical engineer conceptualizes, designs develops, tests, assesses, and repairs electrical equipment and systems.

If an electrical engineer works for a major corporation or agency, they cannot perform all these duties remotely.

In most cases, a remote electrical engineer concentrates on conceptualizing and designing equipment and systems.

If certain requirements or systems fail to work, they may analyze test results, invent solutions, and design these solutions for in-the-field engineers to implement.

However, in some cases, electrical engineering companies have state-of-the-art equipment.

Equipment, such as advanced VR goggles, allow novice engineers to live-feed their work to remote engineers.

This way, remote engineers can guide novices in building, installing, testing, or repairing equipment.

That said, some companies will require remote electrical engineers to travel for important on-site installations or repairs.

What Type Of Engineer Works From Home?

Everyone knows engineering as a hands-on field; however, certain electrical engineering jobs can be completely remote or partially remote.

In general, remote work can accomplish any engineering work completed on a computer, with or without internet access.

These types of electrical engineering include:

Electronics engineering
Control engineering
Computer engineering
Telecommunication engineering
Robotics engineering
Machine learning engineering
Microelectronic engineering
Signal processing engineering
Instrumentation engineering
System engineering

Do Electrical Engineers Work Alone?

Typically, electrical engineers work in teams because they require information from different sources.

They may require information coming from in-field workers gathering data, project managers dictating objectives and standards, different departments providing expertise or testers who are establishing whether a machine or system works efficiently.

Additionally, they work in teams to draw from each other’s experience and expertise.

Sometimes, electrical engineers can work on solo projects with a limited scope, but larger or complex projects require teamwork.

How Many Engineers Are Working From Home?

The increasing number of remote engineers indicates working from home may be a progressively available option in the future.

In March 2020, 13% of engineering teams were remote.

In March 2021, that number increased to 74%.

Although many believed this number would fall as the pandemic slowed down, 65% of the leaders noted they would continue remote work afterward.

The amount of available remote engineering jobs in 2022 grants that statement.

There are many remote positions on most job posting websites.

Learn more: Can Machine Learning Engineers Work From Home?

Why Are Some Companies Against Working From Home?

Although many companies offer remote electrical engineering positions, some discontinued remote work soon after the pandemic slowed down.

Companies may forbid remote electrical engineering work for multiple reasons, including:

Distractions: If you work in-office or on-site, you carry out your tasks in a controlled environment. At home, employers cannot manage your distractions. For some employees, this leads to lower focus and productivity.
Work Scope: Your company may not narrow down the scope of your work. As an electrical engineer, they may expect you to perform on-site building, installation, and repairs.
Meetings: If management feels they hold meetings too often, in order to control work and meet objectives, they may pull employees back to the office.
Cybersecurity: Many agencies and corporations feel as though remote work allows for holes in their security.
Training: Companies may find it difficult to train new employees or keep current employees up-to-date remotely.

What Do You Need To Work From Home?

As an engineer, working from home is fairly simple, unlike many professions, such as nursing with fewer work-from-home opportunities.

You need a computer with sufficient storage and processing power, as well as a stable, fast-speed internet connection.

Your company may give you specific software allowing you to calculate, design, test, and communicate.

Companies may also require employees to turn in their computers or devices so that they can install proper security, firewall, or anti-spyware programs.

Note that some engineers need computer with high-capacity dedicated graphics cards that are capable of running heavy simulations.

How To Find Remote Work As An Electrical Engineer?

When you are looking for a work-from-home position as an electrical engineer, the best places to find job listings are on Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Indeed, LinkedIn, and Simply Hired.

If you are still a student at an engineering institution, you can visit your career counseling service or job bank service for directions.

You can also look into electrical engineering companies or tech companies, checking to see if they list remote positions on their career web pages.

Which Companies Work From Home Permanently?

If you need assistance looking for specific companies offering remote electrical engineering jobs, consider the following companies:

Final Thoughts

It may be easier to find a remote engineering job today than ever before, however, it is important to verify with your potential employer that your job will meet your expectations.

Many remote engineering jobs offer remote positions, but they expect you to work on-site a percentage of the time.

Other companies may expect you to work in the office full-time at a certain point in your employment.

If their work scenario is ideal for you, remote electrical engineering may be a perfect fit.