This is a very interesting discussion. I'm looking for work too, but I come from the other side. I have a grad degree in EE and spent quite some time designing different projects with different microcontrollers and I partly agree with guerilla in that most people in the arduino community don't really know much about digital or analog design (ask someone how does an ADC or DAC work or what's a schmitt trigger or where to start with a switched-mode power supply design!). But, I think that building commercial products with arduino boards is not elementary at all, especially if you design your own board and understand the code in the "bootloader" being assembly or C.
I explained what I just started doing here Robustness and long term reliability of Arduino boards and AVR chips - Microcontrollers - Arduino Forum (last reply on page 3).
[ I don't see most of the engineers I know getting excited about that second part because running a business in not necessarily their forte./quote] I totally agree with this. I'm one of those engineers and have many ideas but being new in America and trying to get established makes starting a business an overwhelming task.
If anyone is starting something here in NJ and knows how to start (or do kickstarter stuff or attract investments) and needs technical help, please let me (and my friend who started this discussion) know.