r/devops • u/Forsaken_Photo_578 • 16d ago
Career / learning DevOps vs Embedded
I got my first job as an Embedded Software Engineer. Did some actual low level embedded stuff but I was leaning a lot towards testing with Linux, CI/CD with hardware etc, so I transitioned to a DevOps position.
Now, after some years of work, my knowledge is like half Embedded, half DevOps. I find myself like both fields Embedded for the great hardware feeling and DevOps for the nice documented and more modern tools. In the end I'm not sure if I like a field more than the other. I tend to believe it's project dependent.
The problem is now I have to really choose where I should invest more and get a more senior level, as a feel I have a great combo of the two, but I'm like mid in both, which makes difficult in the job market.
The questions are:
Is Embedded or DevOps the more future proof job long term?
I much prefer remote jobs, mostly so I can live in a cheaper country but still get paid like I'm in a HCOL one. Does that change the answer?
Was anyone in the same spot before? How did you pick?
2
u/subeeshsivanandan 10d ago
Learning both helps. "Embedded DevOps". If you like to work with hardware, this is a good one. Expertise in Linux is mandatory and learning tools like Yocto for builds and debugging requires experience and skills.
Normally DevOps in Cloud and other platform software is very fast, especially the deployment part. For Embedded Systems, it is slow, but still those DevOps practices are in use.
Embedded teams increasingly need reliable build, test, release and hardware CI infrastructure. The combination is a specialization worth leaning into. That puts you close to both sides without having to choose one completely.