[zerohp]

1. Chip design

2. Prior to going to school I was a full stack web dev. I was tired of the framework of the week treadmill and didn't think it was something I could find fulfilling for the next 20-30 years until retirement.

3. I'm very sure. Hardware is a different beast than software. In order to excel as a modern hardware designer you need all of the fundamental EE knowledge and a lot of the fundamental CS/programming knowledge.

[ultrasounder]

Hardware(PCB) EE here. Worked with non- degreed PCB level systems integrators at a not so glamorous FAANG. Perhaps the entry requirement at the Mother of all FAANGs might be a BSEE min and MSEE maximum.