Hardware and electrical engineer resume keywords
We counted the skills in 505 open hardware and electrical engineer job postings from 54 employers, including Astranis, Rocket Lab Corporation and Zipline. The ones employers ask for most are electrical (84% of postings), manufacturing (58%) and prototyping (35%). 29% of the postings mention AI, though often in the company's description rather than as a skill the job needs.
Top skills and tools in hardware and electrical engineer postings
| # | Keyword | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | electrical | 84% |
| 2 | manufacturing | 58% |
| 3 | prototyping | 35% |
| 4 | PCB design | 31% |
| 5 | firmware | 30% |
| 6 | assembly | 24% |
| 7 | Python | 20% |
| 8 | compliance | 20% |
| 9 | supply chain | 19% |
| 10 | troubleshooting | 18% |
| 11 | communications | 17% |
| 12 | schematics | 16% |
| 13 | automation | 16% |
| 14 | FPGA | 15% |
| 15 | embedded systems | 15% |
| 16 | contract negotiation | 12% |
| 17 | fabrication | 12% |
| 18 | C++ | 10% |
| 19 | robotics | 10% |
| 20 | logistics | 10% |
| 21 | process improvement | 9% |
| 22 | product roadmap | 9% |
| 23 | circuit design | 9% |
| 24 | laboratory | 8% |
| 25 | Linux | 7% |
| 26 | CAD | 7% |
| 27 | MATLAB | 7% |
| 28 | data analysis | 7% |
| 29 | system design | 7% |
| 30 | backlog management | 7% |
Share of the 505 postings whose description names the skill (plurals and common spellings, such as “JS” and “JavaScript”, count as one).
Soft skills employers mention
communication · 21%ownership · 21%cross-functional · 18%leadership · 11%documentation · 10%creativity · 10%collaboration · 6%problem solving · 6%mentoring · 4%
Show these through results in your bullets (“led a team of six”) rather than listing them as adjectives.
How to use these keywords on your hardware and electrical engineer resume
- Start with the posting, not this list. These are averages across 505 jobs; the one you're applying for has its own priorities. Use this page to spot common gaps, then match the specific posting.
- Name skills the way employers do. If you use “electrical”, “manufacturing” and “prototyping”, write those exact words. Applicant tracking systems and recruiters search for them, and a close synonym can be missed.
- Put each skill in a bullet that shows a result. Naming PCB design inside a bullet about what you achieved with it, with a number where you can, is stronger than listing it alone in a skills section.
- Add only what's true. If you've worked with “PCB design”, “firmware” and “assembly” but your resume doesn't say so, add it. If you haven't, leave it out: interviews expose padded resumes quickly.
More about hardware and electrical engineer jobs
Resume keywords for other jobs
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How these numbers are calculated
Every figure comes from open hardware and electrical engineer job postings on MANY Hired, imported from employers' own career pages. For each posting we pick out the skills, tools, certifications and qualifications its description names, then count how many postings ask for each one. A job counts as hardware and electrical engineer by its title. Updated November 8, 2026.