Hi, I have seen job role descriptions for an Electronics Engineer asking for experience of designing analogue circuits.

Can someone define an analogue circuit and give some examples of circuits and components used?

Also if you were to produce a portfolio of work, what kind of things would you put in apart from the obvious like schematics, waveform results and photo's? i.e maybe frequency response, noise, thermal sweeps, worst-case scenario graphs.

 

Here is an animation of some basic principles.
http://www.talkingelectronics.com/projects/OP-AMP/OP-AMP-1.html
Max.

 

FWIW, I think someone here has made the point that all circuits are analog circuits since they function in the real world. Only the purpose or output of a circuit can be classified as digital or not.

Not helpful, but maybe insightful.

 

In analog electronics, the signal is represented by a continuous electrical wave, not discrete levels (except for the value of the electronic charge at the limit). In digital, the signal is represented by discrete levels, typically as a series of digital binary words. Thus an op amp operates in the analog domain and a microprocessor operates in the digital domain.

 

OK, I'll make the point: all circuitry is analog; if it wasn't you wouldn't need bypass capacitors on a flip flop.

Analog circuitry is things like amplifiers, power supplies, radios, sensors... heck, go to Analog Devices and look at what they make.. of crap, they make micro's too!

As far as a "portfolio of work" goes... don't bother. Your resume has between 60 and 120 seconds (!) to score all it's points, make it too long and it never gets read. A list of projects is fine (and desirable), keep it to a project name and a one sentence description.

Remember to just give them a small hint, make them want more to give you the call for a real interview.

 

Hi, I have seen job role descriptions for an Electronics Engineer asking for experience of designing analogue circuits.

Can someone define an analogue circuit and give some examples of circuits and components used?

Also if you were to produce a portfolio of work, what kind of things would you put in apart from the obvious like schematics, waveform results and photo's? i.e maybe frequency response, noise, thermal sweeps, worst-case scenario graphs.

Don't fill your résumé with,
- I know how to use an oscilloscope
- I know how to design PCBs
- I know how to...

Instead, fill it with,
- I've built xyz
- I've designed abc
- I saved my company x thousand dollars by doing...
- I solved xyz problem.


Telling what you have done implies you used all the tools needed for success. These statements build up a nice bases for a conversation at an interview instead. If you don't have a nice conversation, you end up in an interview death spiral - a volley of yes-no questions followed by suggested questions from HR "tell me how you managed to resolve a conflict", "tell me when you had a chance to demonstrate leadership", ...

Good luck my friend.