A professional interest (highly RFF OT)

[alexz]

That will probably sound weird for RFF, but perhaps someone among our fellow RFFers will be able to help me.
I'm at the turning point of my carrier (few months ago finished by B.Sc.EE degree but have quite a few years of experience in hardware design/testing as practical engineer in electronics). Now, that my engineering job hunt is approahcing its happy ending I've been approached by two companies with their offers (as hardware R&D engineer - systems/board level design) and I'm torning between these.
Both operate in the field of electro-optics, one is focused on communication (optical communication - trancievers based on their patented waveguides and related optical and electro-optical communication solutions), another one operates in military/law enforcement market producing tritium-illuminated sights for firearms among other related products and now actively entering the market of thermal uncooled sight systems for light and heavier firearms.
Naturally, as an avid photographer I really like the field of interest where my professional and personal interests intersect (such as electro-optics, video processing, etc...), however communication engineering always had very little attraction for me.
I have the reasons to expect the electro-optical comunication company that approaches me may offer somewhat higher sallary and probably somewhat better (though yet subjectively) benefits packet, however it is still communication if seen in larger perspective.
I'm not yet familiar with the field of thermal uncooled sights technology (just now reading about microbolometers technologies) so have very brief and shallow insight into it. I'd like to broaden up my understanding of what is involved in typical thermal imaging sights for firearms, how complex the electronics can be there and what kind of hardware it incorporates. Can it be observed as a full-featured joint-point of electro-optical fields (such as IR optics bearing familiar to a photographer's mind concepts such as apertures, focusing, DOF etc...) with video processing (DSPs, CPUs) and other related electronics ? I'd just like to understand the conceptual basis of what to expect should I chose that offer.
So, if anyone is experienced in related fields or have any other related information to share - I'll be grateful.
Yet again, I realize discussing sensitive or classified technologies in public isn't acceptable, but I guess a general concepts aren't something that needed to be kept shut...

Thanks in advance, Alex

 

[Trius]

My highly opinionated position leans to the communications positions. Getting entangled with the direct military position is not something I would want to do.

Other than the political/ethical considerations (I will not respond to flames from others), I think having a job that does not coincide with photography helps keep one a bit better balanced. Better to keep hobby and profession separate.

 

[alexz]

Thank you Trius.
I probably missed the point with military application and allowed me to be misunderstood...
That position isn't direct military one, the company is commercial one but produces military/law enfrocement optical and electro-optical equipment. Their products go to government/military/law enforcement markets throughout the world as well as commercial market of firearms. Neither of these jobs interfares directly with photography itself, however both employ electro-optical priciples while thermo-sight system natuarlly involves IR optics and probably the some general concept applicable in photography (such as focus, aperture, etc...) hence will probably be interesting to one who does have the clue and an interest in photographic optics.

 

[Al Patterson]

I work in IT and can't speak directly to either of these choices, but I would pick whichever choice seems to lead to longer term employment. What with continued offshoring and layoffs, project based jobs are not as good as they were years ago. Good luck, and hope you get enough $$ to support your hobby...

 

[alexz]

Yeah, thanks.
In fact I did some modest online "research" in both fields as about the technologies and also got advised by more knoweldgable people then me (in the related fields) and made up my mind for a proper choice, no delibiration any more ! 🙂
Besides, just got an official job proposal from the communication company and it turned out not to be such greatly compatitive against the other one so that even strengthen my decision to go to the other direction (military thermal vision sights).

The salaries and benefits in the entire hi-tech R&D industry in the country are quite good (at least by our local standards) and usually are more or less competitive, so no fear as about my hobby support 🙂 (not that I had planned another purchase though), as long as a family CFO gets convinced (rare occasions)...🙂

 

[John Camp]

Go with the one where the company feels more congenial -- or where you like the research better. You didn't say how old you are, but if you're typical college age, or even a few years older, don't worry about it. Pick one, go with it; you can change later. I wouldn't worry about job longevity, as long as the company you choose is relatively sound (maybe check the stock market pages on MSN.) The fact is, things change so fast now that you'll probably have a different career in ten years anyway.

JC