ECE Graduate Handbook 2024-2025

ECE Graduate Student Council- The goal of the ECE Graduate Student Council is to organize both academic and social events for the graduate student body, faculty, and staff in the department, and to be a resource for ECE graduate students as they begin their work at UCSD. 

Eta Kappa Nu (HKN - Kappa Psi chapter)- Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN) is the student honor society of IEEE and is dedicated to encouraging and recognizing excellence in IEEE fields of interest. Members consist of students, alumni, and professionals who have demonstrated exceptional academic and professional accomplishments. Student members are selected on the basis of scholastic standing, character, and leadership.  At UCSD, HKN provides free tutoring and hosts a variety of workshops and events to promote technical, professional, and academic development.

UCSD Graduate Student Association- Council includes representatives from every graduate program at UCSD, and meets on a regular basis throughout the school year. Council has the authority to pass resolutions and other documents expressing the official position of GSA on any number of issues. Council oversees the dispersal of funds to campus departments, programs, and organizations. As expressions of the unified voice of the graduate and professional student community, such position statements serve as powerful tools for campus administrators to gauge the practicality and effectiveness of various policies and initiatives.

Jacobs Graduate Student Council- The Jacobs Graduate Student Council (JGSC) is the representative student body of Jacobs School of Engineering  at UC San Diego. Their mission is to improve UC San Diego’s reputation as #1 Engineering School in the country by providing graduate students the opportunities they need for success in their academic and professional life. They encourage collaboration between students, administration and industries through providing social and professional networking opportunities for graduate students in Jacobs School through various programs and seminars. JGSC will promote a sense of identification with and participation in the community of Jacobs graduate students to enhance the overall Jacobs experience.

IEEE at UCSD- IEEE at UC San Diego is a non-profit pre-professional student organization. The organization is dedicated to providing engineering students with hands-on experiences, technical and professional development and other resources to help them achieve their true potential as they develop into professional engineers.

Women in Computing (WIC)- An organization composed of coders and engineers - both women and men - who support the female presence in computing. WIC runs events, from tech talks to socials, grad school preparation, joins conference scholarships, and coding competitions. WIC provides opportunities for female engineers to connect and succeed.

Center for Student Involvement (CSI)- The Center for Student Involvement offers student positions, student organizations, leadership opportunities, community service, Greek life, workshops, seminars, events, and more!

IDEA Center- The IDEA center  fosters an inclusive and welcoming community, increases retention and graduation rates, and promotes a sustainable culture of academic excellence among all engineering students at UC San Diego. 

Gordon Center- The Gordon Center provides hands-on leadership and team building skills, mentoring, individual and team coaching, community outreach, and connections with industry partners. This program is a comprehensive, clearly defined pathway for students to develop into engineering leaders. Gordon Scholars are selected students who demonstrate exceptional engineering leadership attitudes, capabilities, and knowledge. The Scholars attend a rigorous 20-week development program to increase the success rate in college and post-college careers.

Resources for Research- The Library at UC San Diego provides various links and guides for graduate students who are conducting research. 

Academic Integrity- The Academic Integrity (AI) Office promotes and supports a culture of academic integrity in order to reinforce quality teaching and learning at UC San Diego.

International Students and Programs Office (ISPO)- The ISPO is an inclusive and globally-engaged University community where all international students achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals. They enrich the academic, research, and intercultural experiences of international students, provide the highest levels of knowledge and expertise in advising and immigration services within a welcoming and supportive environment, and advance global education and engagement efforts, in partnership with campus departments and units, at UC San Diego

Physical & Mental Health- Physical and mental health provide an important foundation for ensuring academic, professional, and personal success. UCSD graduate students have access to a wealth of resources for the improvement and maintenance of physical and mental health. Some helpful resources on campus (and virtually) include the Collegiate Recovery Program, Triton Food Pantry, CARE at SARC (Sexual Assault Resource Center), The Zone, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), UCSD Recreation, and Student Health Services (SHS).

Community Resource Centers- Campus Community Centers at UC San Diego build community among a diverse population of students, faculty and staff members. They are places of belonging, where traditional notions of diversity are challenged. It is where self- awareness is learned, leaders are developed and open dialogue and expression is encouraged. A list of resource centers include the:  Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American (APIMEDA), Undocumented Student Services Center, Black Resource Center (BRC), Cross Cultural Center, Intertribal Resource Center, LGBT Resource Center, Raza Resource Centro, Student Veterans Resource Center, and Women's Center. 

Basic Needs Center- UC San Diego Basic Needs Initiatives is a collection of services provided by campus partners to work with both undergraduate and graduate students who have concerns with access to Basic Needs Resources. Services are categorized by Food Security, Housing Stability, and Financial Wellness

The ECE Department is excited to announce a Travel Fund that will be offered to all eligible M.S. and Ph.D. students for future conference-related travel or participation in a competition. Students can receive the Travel Fund during their M.S./Ph.D. career. In order to be eligible, you MUST be:

• A current ECE graduate student 
  • Ph.D. students are eligible to apply if they are not being currently funded by a PI
• Presenting at an engineering-related conference - you may NOT be reimbursed for simply attending a conference
• Competing at an engineering-related competition

The Travel Fund will allow a one-time only reimbursement of up to a maximum of $500 over the course of your M.S./Ph.D. career towards:

• Conference Fees (registration)
• Hotel/Lodging
• Travel Fees (airfare, ground transportation)

Expenses for items such as meals, poster printing, presentation supplies, or unnecessary materials will NOT be reimbursed. To request travel funds for an upcoming conference, you must email Christina Neillo prior to booking your trip:

1. Description of your trip and proof that you will be presenting (conference invitation, brochure, a pamphlet listing your name, etc.)
2. Written/email PI approval of your trip
3. Completed and signed Student Certification for Business Related Travel form

Once you have received confirmation from Christina that your trip has been approved, you may begin booking your trip through Concur Travel, the UC's travel program. Please make sure that the selected airfare is the most economical (this is University policy) and that you include price comparisons in the backup documentation. Avoid "package deals" as they are generally ineligible for reimbursement. Expenses combined in a package (for example, using Expedia to book airfare and hotel together) usually fail to meet receipt requirements. Reservations and purchases must be made under your name in order to be eligible for reimbursement. 

Within one week of returning from your trip, you must email Christina all of your backup documentation to claim expenses. You will be reimbursed only AFTER your trip has taken place. The Travel Fund will allow a one-time only reimbursement of up to a maximum of $500.

For any questions, please contact Christina.

Submitting a Reimbursement Request

To submit a reimbursement, please follow these steps. All reimbursement requests MUST be submitted within 10 DAYS of the event or purchase in order to prevent processing delays.

Graduate students who are using Jacobs/Powell Fellowship funds to make a purchase, please complete this form and contact Chelsea Largoza for any questions.

For all other event reimbursements, please complete and submit the reimbursement request form.

For Travel information:

Once these items have been received and you have received confirmation from your Faculty Assistant that a trip number has been created for you through MyTravel, you may begin booking your trip. Please make sure that the selected airfare is the most economical (this is University policy) and that you include price comparisons in the backup documentation. Avoid "package deals" as they are generally ineligible for reimbursement. Expenses combined in a package (for example, using Expedia to book airfare and hotel together) usually fail to meet receipt requirements. If you are planning to book through Connexxus, UC's travel program, please contact your Faculty Assistant and they will be able to guide you.

Once you have completed your trip, you will email your Faculty Assistant all of your backup documentation to claim expenses. You will be reimbursed only after your trip has taken place. Ask your PI for the name of the Faculty Assistant who can help you if you are not sure who to contact. For further information, please visit UC San Diego's Travel page.

If you are a M.S. student looking for information regarding the ECE Travel Fund, please look at the above tab. 

If you are scanning your documents before sending, please make sure all information is clear and easy to read. Private and sensitive information should be covered (for example: phone numbers, birthdays, Social Security Numbers, etc.)

If you are not enrolled in direct deposit, reimbursement checks will be delivered to the ECE Student Affairs Office (Jacobs Hall, 2nd floor.) You will be emailed a reminder to pick up your check once it has arrived. Reimbursements typically take 3-5 weeks to process. Please keep this in mind when deciding to make out-of-pocket purchases.

UCSD Career Center: 

• Current Graduate Students 
• UCSD Career Center - main website

General Job/Internship Postings: 

• Handshake

Coaching Appointments: 

• Schedule a Coaching Appointment via Handshake

GradCareers Listservs: 

• Students can sign up for the STEM listserv

Lunch & Learn Events: 

• Log in via Handshake.  Events are usually recorded.
• Students may access to the recordings via Handshake if they miss the event. 

UCSD Career Center YouTube Channel:

• Graduate student-specific playlist
• Engineering-specific playlist
• Resume and cover letter videos

Workshops & Advising Sessions:

• Career Center Resources
• Resumes/Cover Letters/LinkedIn/Informational Interviewing/Interview Strategies/Salary Negotiation
• 1-1 advising with individual students

Contact Information:  

• M.S.:  Jessica Wilson, Associate Director, Masters Advising,  UC San Diego Career Center
• Ph.D.:  Giulia Hoffmann, Senior Associate Director, Career & Professional Development, UC San Diego Career Center
• Students can send general questions to gradcareers@ucsd.edu

GrAdvantage Website

• GSA Career Nights:  hosted each quarter. invite UCSD alumni as speakers
• Leadership & Teamwork Certificate Program:  $350 / 6 months.  The program offers three courses (1 course on Leadership and Teamwork + 2 courses about Project Management + Capstone Project)  
• Note:  Department may sponsor students
• Recruitment will happen sometime in the summer
• Canvas Module on Campus Resources:  To be released by July 1, 2022 for FA22 incoming students.  Self-paced module that student can watch on their own.   Student can access to the module by logging on their Canvas.  The module will introduce campus resources available.  
• Contact Information:  Shana Slebioda, Student Affairs Coordinator, Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs

JSOE: Jobs and Internship Resources

• Job & Internship Portal:  JSOE students have access to the Jacobs School Job & Internship Portal. Companies use the database to proactively search for talented students for full-time jobs and internships.
• Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program:  students are employed full-time by a company for up to six months, which includes summer and one academic quarter, to supplement education with real-world experiences.

Networking Opportunities

• Tritons Connect: Tritons Connect is an online community of UC San Diego alumni, students, staff and faculty. It’s a Triton exclusive network where you can be matched with a mentor, post and apply for job opportunities, join a community group, access a directory of Triton community members, and so much more!
• UCSD LinkedIn Page: The official LinkedIn account of UC San Diego

Job Placement Data

• Ph.D. Initial Placement Data

• The ECE Department sent out an anonymous survey to current students + alumni inquiring about their internship and employment search experience. We wanted to share the survey information in order to assist current students who are seeking a job. We hope that this can provide some valuable insight! 

Salary ranges (According to data compiled in Spring 2022)

• Average hourly wage was $46/hour
• Lowest hourly wage was $20/hour
• Highest hourly wage was $67/hour
• Range of hourly wages was between $40-54/hour
• Range of monthly income was between $8000-12,000/month

Companies ECE alumni were offered jobs to:

• Acquco
• Advanced Micro Devices
• AMD
• American Express
• Analog Devices 
• Apple
• Applied Materials Inc
• ARM
• Brain technology 
• Breakout Mentors
• Broadcom
• Capital One
• Cirrus
• Cisco
• Coast Autonomous Inc
• Commonwealth Fusion Systems
• Cubic
• Dexati
• ECE Department SRIP Program (Arc Lab under Professor Michael Yip)
• Epson
• Experian
• Ford
• Fungible
• Google
• Hewlett Packard Company
• Houlihan Lokey
• HP
• Hughes Aircraft Company
• Hughes Network Systems
• IBM
• Intel
• Lockheed Martin
• Marvell Technology Inc
• Maxim Integrated
• Maxlinear
• Mediatek
• Megatek Corporation
• Meta
• Microsoft
• MIT Lincoln Laboratory
• NASA
• Network Equipment Technologies
• Nissan
• Nokia
• Northrop Grumman
• Nuro
• Nutanix
• NVIDIA
• Oracle
• Plitzie LLC
• pSemi 
• Qualcomm
• REMEC
• ResMed
• Rivian
• Rivos
• Robinhood
• Rockwell Semiconductor
• Roku
• Rubrik
• Samsung
• ServiceNow
• Siemens
• Silicon Labs
• Skyworks
• Synopsys 
• Tesla
• Tinder
• TuSimple
• Uber
• Utvate
• Verana Networks
• Verisk
• VMware
• Walmart
• Wayfair
• William Blair 
• XCOM labs
• Zscalar

Internships Pursued by ECE Alumni