PCB Manufacturer manufactures electronic products and has a cycle of production to go from concept to end user or customer. It could be thought of like this: Marketing - Sales - Product Concept - Engineering & Design - Design for Manufacturing - Manufacturing - Assembly - Packaging - Distribution.

The Design for Manufacturing step is where a PCB designer makes his contribution to that portion of the product that involves electronic circuits. For that part of the product, an electrical engineer has done the engineering, or circuit design in the step just before this. He has produced, among other sub-products, a diagram of the functionality of the circuit. This diagram is called a "schematic." It contains symbols connected by lines. For example, a zig-zag line is used to represent a resistor, a type of electrical component that reduces the voltage of a current that passes through it. The little zig-zag line does not even resemble what a resistor looks like, it simply symbolizes the function of a resistor, that it sort of "slows down" the current. A schematic diagram is composed of a variety of such symbols, not one of which looks like the component which it represents.

In order to manufacture a printed circuit board, it is necessary to take the design from the functional diagram or schematic and change it into a form of artwork that makes the pattern of the components and wires, which is used in photographic imaging techniques to manufacture the PCB. The PCB designer is the person who creates the artwork for that purpose. The artwork is a lot like the plates used in printing, it forms the pattern that is "printed" into the PCB. The process is only analogous to printing. Technically it is quite different.

PCB Designer applies principles and techniques of Printed Circuit Board design to produce moderately complex analog, digital, RF, power supply and mixed signal PCB layouts. Designs PCBs under guidance of Electronics Engineer and/or Lead Engineer. Creates assembly drawings, fabrication drawings and artwork files. Experience designing and maintaining a component a library a plus. Interfaces with board fabricators and manufacturing personnel. Displays familiarity with a wide variety of concepts, practices, and procedures common to PCB design practice. Maintains effective communication with supervisor, project leads, and others on aspects of work assignments including current status, progress, problems, and appropriate resolutions. Creates and sustains effective communication with others on all aspects of work assignments including current status, progress, problems, and appropriate resolutions. Exhibits strong written and verbal communication skills.

The typesetter is the "layout guy" or PCB designer.