What does a System Engineer do?
What does a system engineer do
Systems engineers play a vital role in the success of companies in
many industries.
The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) dates
the origin of systems engineering back to World War II (the 1940s) at Bell
Telephone Laboratories.
Today, systems engineering is a process that includes
identifying a problem based on consumer needs and developing a solution that is
reassessed cyclically throughout its execution.
In short, systems engineers
monitor the performance of systems and continually assess all stages of
operations to ensure that a problem is solved.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers reported that systems
engineers possess an in-demand ability to apply an interdisciplinary approach
to ensure technical needs are translated into step-by-step processes—in effect,
producing efficient and effective results.
A systems engineer will often
collaborate with a project manager and the engineering team and take the lead
to translate between the two to facilitate the achievement of a successful
system.
The systems engineer will also work throughout each stage of the given system
or process, from design and development to validation and operation, onto
quantitative risk assessment, often focusing on performance, testing,
scheduling, and costs.
Due to the broad nature of the work, a systems engineer
may work in virtually any industry, from software development and robotics to
nanotechnology or civil engineering.
Because of the type of work involved, not surprisingly, those who
hope to pursue a career as a systems engineer should be highly proficient in
math and science-related topics.
Additionally, many systems engineers will be
in near-constant communication with engineering teams, project managers, and
other stakeholders in the project.
Ultimately, aspiring systems engineers
should have highly developed interpersonal skills.
Systems engineering can be a truly rewarding field.
Read on to
discover what it means to be in systems engineering, including the common
everyday tasks, typical employers, specializations, and the work environment.
System engineer job overview
Generally, systems engineers are responsible for the development
and maintenance of efficient systems and processes.
The ultimate goal of a
systems engineer is to eliminate inefficiencies in a specific process for the
benefit of everyone involved, from those participating in the system to the
eventual stakeholders who will reap the benefits. The following lists the scope
of responsibilities in systems engineering:
· Systems operations
· Systems performance
· Testing, analysis, and retesting
· Manufacturing
· Training and supporting
· Scheduling
· Cost analysis
· Proper disposal of inefficiencies
While systems engineers may find work in almost any industry, in
spite of the differences, the process outlined above represents the practice of
systems engineering that these professionals utilize day-to-day.
System Engineering Specializations
In many institutions, systems engineering may be considered an
extension of the industrial engineering program, which is also concerned with
the development and optimization of existing systems to help avoid
inefficiencies and waste.
However, systems engineering is considered its
discipline with additional specializations within the field itself. Systems
engineers who wish to focus on a specialization may be able to choose from the
following options.
Biosystems Engineering
A biosystems engineer is often tasked with the design and
facilitation of efficient systems as they relate to the natural environment.
It
could include responsibilities such as managing resource conservation
practices, analyzing waste treatment systems, assisting in the development of
food processing systems, and other related industry jobs.
Logistics Engineering
This field of engineering, at its most basic level, handles all
actions related to the distribution of finished goods.
Logistics engineers may
design and implement new methods in all stages of the distribution process,
from storage and transport to eventual distribution of the goods to consumers.
Ultimately, logistics engineers could potentially find work in any industry
where goods are manufactured and sold to others.
Transportation Systems Engineering
Transportation systems engineers often share similar tasks with
civil engineers.
Besides, transportation systems engineers work on the design,
development, and engineering maintenance of transportation systems in all
stages.
These engineers may be responsible for the development of traffic
maintenance methods, the creation of evacuation planning processes during an
emergency, or even an alert system notifying travelers of upcoming issues with
transportation.
Software Systems Engineering
This field of engineering is concerned with the design and
development of complex systems of software.
A software systems engineer must take into consideration a multitude of
factors during the course of their projects, including the real-world
application of the software system, as well as the current restraints on the
project; the type of the software; analysis methods to ensure the software
system is functioning as intended; and, finally, a process to utilize
developments in technology that continuously arise over time.
Product Development Systems Engineering
Rapid and constant changes in the world force businesses to
consistently analyze and update their systems regarding product development to
remain competitive in the marketplace.
Here in lie the responsibilities of
product development systems engineers who have homework with facilitating
systems meant to eliminate inefficiency and allow for the most productive
method available to the specific business.
While the list above outlines the most popular specializations
within systems engineering, it is important to note that this is only a sample
of specialties that systems engineers can pursue.
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