It’s a good time to be a hardware engineer
Can you spot what’s wrong with this (in)famous stock photo? If so, you’ll make a great hardware engineer. And you’re in luck because right now, it’s also one of the most promising careers in tech.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), demand for hardware engineering roles is projected to outpace the average job growth rate over the next decade (7% growth), driven in large part by the boom in automation and AI infrastructure in the fields of defense, clean energy, robotics, and other advanced manufacturing. In fact, employers have been struggling to fill these roles even during the current tight job market.
To get a pulse on the current hardware engineering landscape, Duro was fortunate enough to speak with Cormac Eubanks, principal at APX Product Design, and Nate Padgett, cofounder of informal, about their thoughts on where the industry is headed.
Hardware is hot
Hardware engineers are one of the most sought‑after workers in today’s labor market, particularly as companies attempt to reshore manufacturing and build smarter, more connected physical products for the real world.
“I do think hardware is hot right now,” Nate said. “It’s an exciting time because we’re at an inflection point, and I’m seeing more founders get into ‘physical AI’ wanting to work in robotics. People are appreciating the physical world right now.”
Cormac added, “Industrial automation and robotics are the hot topics. Robots used to be back of the house, and now they’re more in the real world. That also means aesthetics are more important as more regular people interact with them.”
And while the software side is seeing some contraction in recent years due to advances in AI and offshoring, hardware expertise remains harder to replace by these methods. Physical systems still need to be designed, tested, validated, and manufactured; and that work isn’t being automated nearly as fast as other tech industry jobs. In fact, it’s expanding as electronics are embedded into more products than ever before.
“I can reindustrialize [stateside] from hardware industries like drone manufacturing,” said Nate. “Purpose-built drones can get the right funding. There’s a drone company in Northern California that’s building ones specifically for firefighting, for example. I’m seeing more and more startups doing their assembly in the US.”
Hardware engineers need modern software
The modern hardware engineer looks very different from the stereotype of the isolated CAD jockey or spreadsheet-bound BOM manager. Today’s hardware engineers are systems thinkers. They work at the intersection of mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines, designing products that must integrate seamlessly with firmware, cloud platforms, manufacturing partners, and supply chains.
Nate shared, “Software will make engineering teams more productive today. For example, AI is in the loop for internal tooling. You used to have to create your own calculators, tolerance analysis cobbled together in a spreadsheet. Now you can vibe code all of that. Software tools make you faster on the operational and admin side.”
“I’m shocked at how bad engineering software is, especially around PLM and PDM,” said Cormac. “The hours I spent dealing with change orders and permission requests instead of what I actually want to do, which is designing. In the dev stage, you want to go as fast as possible. PDM shouldn’t be slowing you down. And each time you bring on a new contractor, it’s like having to learn a new language, and it’s just much higher friction.
Industries for hardware engineers
In 2026, a hardware engineer isn’t confined to just one industry. They’re building products across:
- Robotics and automation (warehouse robots, humanoids, industrial systems)
- Aerospace and defense (avionics, satellites, unmanned systems)
- Medical devices (diagnostics, wearables, surgical robotics)
- Consumer electronics (smart devices, IoT, wearables)
- Automotive and EVs (ADAS, battery systems, vehicle electronics)
- Clean energy and climate tech (power electronics, grid hardware)
In each case, hardware engineers are solving hard, real‑world problems, often with massive downstream impact. And because hardware connects directly to the physical world, the work tends to be tangible, visible, and even deeply satisfying.
“I work with or know of companies building things like lightweight biometrics trackers, new consumer cameras with built-in social networking aspects, and AI-enabled toys. There are people doing cool things in the climate space. There are teams building new chemistries for metals,” said Nate.
Education matters, but adaptability matters more
Most hardware engineers still begin with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or computer engineering. Many go on to specialize through master’s programs or certifications as technologies evolve.
That said, employers are placing more emphasis on applied experience and tool fluency than on credentials alone. Engineers who can demonstrate hands-on design work, system integration experience, or familiarity with modern development tools stand out quickly.
“My company, informal, is a talent network for hardware, and we hardly ever look at where you went to school or what your degree is in,” explained Nate. “I want to know: What did you build? What clubs were you a part of? What labs were you a part of? Did you attend a college to work with a specific professor or be part of a specific lab? You can have crap grades but an insane portfolio of work; doing is more important than sitting in a classroom.”
Cormac added, “School is good to learn the process of learning. Understanding why it works the way it works makes you a better engineer. But you want to develop depth and breadth. I look for people with that T-shaped experience. So you could work at a design agency to help build that diverse knowledge, and then go deep on something that excites you. Finding something you can be excited about is key.”
Much like in the software space, hardware is advancing so rapidly that it’s difficult for colleges and universities to keep up with the latest and greatest. The true education comes from hands-on experience.
Skills and tools hardware engineers are expected to know
Successful hardware engineers today often bring a mix of:
- Core engineering fundamentals like mechanical, electrical, or mechatronics
- CAD and simulation tools for rapid iteration
- Data literacy, including working with structured product data
- Cross‑functional collaboration, especially with manufacturing, quality, and operations
- Modern development workflows, not spreadsheets and siloed file systems
In-demand roles increasingly expect engineers to be fluent not just in design, but in how designs move from concept to production. Meaning, they’re much more holistic than the classic siloed engineers of yore.
Compensation is trending in the right direction
Hardware engineer salaries have risen steadily in response to demand, with compensation varying by specialization, industry, and geography. According to aggregated salary data, hardware engineers command competitive pay with a median annual salary of $155,020, and with strong upside in high-growth sectors like robotics, defense tech, and AI infrastructure.
Source: Coursera
As companies race to secure scarce talent, experienced hardware engineers are seeing greater leverage, not just in salary, but in project ownership and career progression.
The tools are finally catching up
Historically, one of the major irritations of being a hardware engineer wasn’t the engineering itself (that’s the fun part) — it was everything around it. Spreadsheets for BOM management. Disconnected CAD files. Manual change tracking. Endless status meetings just to understand what’s current, approved, or shipping. So much of the engineering work was sidelined for the seemingly never-ending documentation needed to keep production on course and the products themselves operational for their lifecycle — everything that Cormac emphasized earlier.
Fortunately for today’s hardware engineers, these productivity tools have gotten much better and more intuitive to use. While AI and automation may never replace their core responsibilities, new AI-native PLM tools are effectively reducing the time spent on tasks that are less about engineering and more about management.
Duro’s take on PLM for hardware teams
Duro was built and then rebuilt specifically for modern hardware teams who move fast and iterate often. Instead of forcing rigid, enterprise-era workflows, Duro treats product data as living, collaborative, and version-controlled, which is closer to how software engineers work, but designed for the workflow of physical products. Simply put, engineers can actually enjoy using PLM software now.
With Duro, hardware engineers can:
- Manage BOMs without spreadsheets
- Track changes with clear revision history
- Collaborate with manufacturing and partners in real time
- Maintain a single source of truth for product data
This all means less time fighting tools and processes, and more time engineering. PLM is nothing new, but traditional PLM systems felt like they were working against the engineering team, not for them. Today’s teams are rethinking how product data should work in a modern workflow, and Duro was built from the ground up to work exactly in that way.
Hardware engineering is entering its next era
Between labor demand, technological acceleration, and improved tooling, hardware engineering is undergoing a quiet renaissance. It’s a career that offers:
- Stability in a volatile tech market
- Exposure to cutting‑edge innovation
- Tangible results you can see and touch
- Better tools than ever before
And as the boundary between hardware and software continues to blur, engineers who can navigate both worlds will be especially valuable. The right PLM tool can help, bridging the gap between those worlds.
Note: This article first appeared on the Duro blog.
Informal is a freelance collective for the most talented independent professionals in hardware and hardtech. Whether you’re looking for a single contractor, a full-time employee, or an entire team of professionals to work on everything from product development to go-to-market, informal has the perfect collection of people for the job.