Businesses hire electrical engineers to design, develop, test, or improve electrical and electronic systems. Their expertise can support projects ranging from custom circuits and embedded devices to power distribution and industrial equipment, helping teams address technical requirements, safety considerations, and production needs.
What does an electrical engineer do?
An electrical engineer designs, develops, tests, and evaluations electrical and electronic systems, components, and equipment. Their work can span consumer electronics, power distribution, embedded devices, industrial equipment, and building systems. Depending on the project, they may contribute to early design and prototyping, detailed engineering, testing, troubleshooting, or technical documentation.
Key responsibilities for electrical engineers include:
- System design and prototyping. Design and test circuits, circuit boards, sensors, and other electrical or electronic components
- Technical documentation. Produce schematics, CAD drawings, specifications, bills of materials, and other engineering documentation
- Simulation and analysis. Model and analyze electrical behavior using tools such as MATLAB, PSpice, or other engineering documentation
- Maintenance and troubleshooting. Test designs, diagnose failures, perform root-cause analysis, and recommend corrective actions
- Compliance and safety. Design and document systems with applicable electrical codes, standards, and safety requirements in mind
- Production support. Refine designs for manufacturing, component selection, testing, and other production requirements
How to hire an electrical engineer on Upwork
Since its founding, Upwork has facilitated more than $30 billion in total transactions and services, connecting businesses with independent professionals across a wide range of creative and technical skills. Our structured four-step approach helps you identify and hire electrical engineering candidates with the right mix of technical expertise and reliability.
Step 1: Post a job
Start by writing a job post that clearly defines your electrical engineering project and technical requirements.
- Define the scope, such as PCB design, embedded electronics, power distribution, or industrial systems
- Specify whether a professional engineer (PE) license or other credential is required
- List required software such as Altium Designer, ETAP, Simulink, or AutoCAD Electrical
- Note applicable codes, standards, testing, or certification requirements
- Share your budget range, timeline, and expected deliverables
- Adapt this electronics freelancer job description to structure required skills and responsibilities
To draft a post quickly, try the Job Post Generator powered by Uma™, Upwork's Mindful AI. Describe your needs in a few sentences and Uma will write a job post for electrical engineers. On Upwork, the average time from job post to first proposal is just three hours.
Step 2: Evaluate candidates
Next, review candidates for electrical engineering experience relevant to your project and technical requirements.
- Look for portfolio samples with schematics, PCB layouts, wiring diagrams, or other work similar to your project
- Confirm hands-on experience with your target hardware, systems, and engineering software
- Review examples of simulation, testing, prototyping, or troubleshooting work
- Check relevant licenses or certifications when your project requires them
- Review client feedback, Job Success Score (JSS), and relevant work history
Uma can run instant video interviews and return shortlists of candidates with side-by-side comparisons.
Step 3: Interview your top choices
Then, interview your shortlist to understand how candidates approach design decisions, testing, and technical problems.
- Ask candidates to walk through a relevant design and explain the trade-offs they made
- Discuss their process for schematic capture, simulation, prototyping, and design validation
- Inquire about their approach to applicable electrical codes, standards, and safety requirements
- Present a troubleshooting scenario, such as a failed prototype or an overheating circuit
- Ask how they document calculations, design decisions, and test results
- Adapt these mechanical engineering interview questions to your electrical engineering project
Schedule and hold interviews inside Upwork Messages, where Uma delivers a transcript and summary right after each call.
Step 4: Agree on scope and begin work
Finally, define technical deliverables, milestones, testing requirements, and responsibilities before work begins.
- Set milestones for stages such as concept design, simulation, prototyping, testing, and final documentation
- Define deliverables such as schematics, PCB files, CAD drawings, bills of materials, calculations, and test reports
- Establish acceptance criteria for functionality, performance, testing, and documentation
- Confirm applicable codes, standards, and any required professional review or sign-off
- Agree on design files, source files, software formats, and intellectual property ownership
- Clarify responsibilities for prototyping, component sourcing, manufacturing support, and revisions
Manage the project through messaging and the contract workroom, backed by identity verification, payment protection, hourly tracking, and project funds. Uma can help you track milestones and next steps.
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The rates and information provided in this article are based on current data and industry sources available at the time of publication. Freelance rates can vary depending on factors such as experience, location, project scope, and market conditions. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research to confirm current rates and trends, as this information may change over time.