Embedded Testing: Future Prospects, Differences from Software Testing, and Employment Advantages

From the “carrot fastrun” driverless technology entering the lives of the public, we can see that: the fully intelligent era has arrived, and various devices/facilities may replace many aspects of our lives. So, from the perspective of us testers, what can we participate in during this technological iteration?

First, let’s take a look at the career development and prospects of embedded testing:

Market Demand Growth

1. According to data from Job Friends, the market demand in 2024 has increased by 219% compared to the same period in 2023. The widespread application of embedded systems in various fields such as IoT, smart homes, automotive electronics, and industrial automation has driven the demand for embedded testing engineers.

2. With the popularization of 5G and the continuous integration of emerging technologies, the iteration and innovation of related embedded products also require ongoing testing assurance.

New Opportunities from Technological Development

1. The development of smart hardware and complex embedded systems means that testing is no longer limited to traditional functional testing. There is an increasing demand for professionals in performance testing, security testing (such as preventing embedded devices from being maliciously attacked and invaded), and compatibility testing (with different communication protocols and hardware environments).

2. The application of automation testing technology in the field of embedded testing is deepening, and embedded testing engineers who master automation testing tools and scripting skills are more competitive.

Salary Improvement Potential

Although data from Job Friends shows that salaries in 2024 have decreased by 10% compared to 2023, in the long run, with the improvement of experience and skills, as well as market stabilization, there is room for salary increases. Moreover, in key cities such as Shenzhen, the salary level is relatively high (average ￥20.8k).

Diverse Development Paths

1. Technical expert route: Grow into a senior testing engineer, testing architect, etc., focusing on the depth and breadth of testing technology, with a deep understanding of testing various complex embedded systems and innovative methods.

2. Management route: Be promoted to testing team leader, testing manager, etc., responsible for project testing planning, resource coordination, and team management.

3. Cross-domain expansion: Can transition to project management, product development, and other positions, leveraging a deep understanding of embedded systems and testing experience to play an advantage in new fields.

Industry Importance Highlighted

Embedded systems often involve critical application scenarios, such as aerospace and medical devices, where reliability is crucial. Embedded testing engineers are key roles in ensuring product quality and safety, and their importance and career satisfaction in the industry are relatively high.

So, what are the differences between embedded testing and software testing?

Based on these differences, some may wonder if transitioning from software testing to embedded testing would offer advantages?

In fact, moving from software testing to embedded testing not only provides a new career choice but also allows us to leverage our software testing experience for significant advantages:

Transfer of Testing Fundamentals and Methods

1. The knowledge and experience accumulated in software testing regarding test case design, defect management, and testing processes can be directly applied to embedded testing. For example, the case design methods mastered in software testing, such as boundary value analysis and equivalence class partitioning, can effectively identify potential issues in embedded testing.

2. Familiarity with testing management tools and processes enables quicker adaptation to project management and collaboration methods in embedded testing.

Programming and Scripting Skills

Software testing engineers usually possess certain programming skills, such as Python and Java, which will be valuable when writing automation test scripts and developing testing tools in embedded testing. For instance, using Python to write test scripts for communication with embedded devices.

Problem Analysis and Solving Skills

1. The keen insight and logical analysis skills developed in software testing help quickly locate and resolve complex software-hardware integration issues in embedded testing.

2. The systematic troubleshooting and problem-solving mindset formed when facing various anomalies and errors in software testing can be transferred to fault diagnosis in embedded testing.

Understanding of Software Quality

1. A deep understanding of the importance of software quality and how to ensure software stability and reliability can be applied to the software testing portion of embedded systems.

2. The ability to grasp the software’s performance under different environments and conditions provides valuable references for software quality assessment in embedded testing.

Ability to Adapt to New Technologies

Software industry technology updates rapidly, and software testers usually develop the ability to learn and adapt to new technologies quickly, which is very helpful in learning and mastering new hardware architectures and communication protocols that continually emerge in embedded testing.

The above roughly introduces some content related to embedded testing. If you have any further questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Additionally, Songqin is preparing to launch a new embedded course online after three years of development. Let’s take a look at the ten features of our course!

Ten Features of Songqin Embedded Practical Course

Moreover, during the course launch period, not only can you enjoy the launch group purchase discount, but the first 20 registrants will also receive a set of 6 hardware devices!

Contact the teacher via the QR code below to receive the syllabus for the embedded testing course!

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