IC To Board Design. Possible?
I've been doing Analog/RF design work for the last 4.5 yrs or so. Mostly RF characterization and passive design. Is it possible for me to move into a SI or design role at the board level. The reason I'm interested in this is because I think it's a step closer to working to the actual finished product and you get to work on a broader range of applications. Not too mention, I see a lot more openings for board design positions these days.
Im in a similar position. It’s hard to move to product without taking steps back in the career. Maybe some products with RF focus could be a stepping place. Or design some boards on the side as a self project.
I think it's reasonable to take a small step backward if it increases your prospects substantially. But how small would it be is the question. I don't want to go back to being a fresh hire out of school. And I can see how some of the RF passive concepts can transfer over relatively unchanged from ICs to PCBs. I have some side projects, which are somewhat complex for something made from scratch, but nowhere close to commercially produced electronics. Good luck with your search. Feel free to DM if you want to talk more about this. Might help both of us.