Becoming an electrical engineer in Switzerland

The sector

• 45,000 jobs in electrical engineering in Switzerland
• Players: ABB, Siemens Schweiz, Hilti, Sonova, Schindler
• Energy: transition to renewables, smart grids
• MedTech: sensors, connected medical devices
• Industry 4.0: IoT, automation, robotics

Training

• HES Bachelor electrical engineering: 3 years, HES-SO, ZHAW, BFH
• EPFL/ETHZ Master electrical engineering: 5 years
• Electronics CFC + diploma: technical route
• Specialisations: energy, automation, telecoms, microelectronics

Skills

• Software: MATLAB/Simulink, EPLAN, Altium Designer
• Automation: Siemens TIA Portal, Rockwell, Beckhoff
• Embedded: C/C++, microcontrollers, FPGA
• Industrial networks: Profinet, EtherCAT, Modbus
• English + German: standard

Salaries

• Junior HES: CHF 75-90K
• Junior EPFL/ETHZ: CHF 85-100K
• Mid (5-10 years): CHF 105-145K
• Senior / lead: CHF 140-175K
• Systems architect: CHF 160-210K
• R&D director: CHF 200-300K

Tips

• Internships at ABB, Siemens, EPFL during studies
• Siemens TIA certifications highly valued
• C1 German for German-speaking Switzerland (where 70% of positions concentrate)
• Specialise: energy transition is booming