How do you become a system engineer?

Acquiring a bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, or physics lays a solid foundation for a career in system engineering. Specialized degrees in system engineering, covering essential topics like design and optimization, provide targeted knowledge. The potential pursuit of a master's or PhD, particularly for senior or research roles, reflects the evolving demands of the field, demonstrating a commitment to advanced expertise in system engineering or related areas.

Many universities don’t offer Systems Engineering degrees and this is usually because the discipline isn’t well publicised in schools. But many do offer degree courses such as robotics that cover substantially the same subjects. Pick a university that offers plenty of opportunities for project work, focussed on skills as well as knowledge and allows you to choose optional courses across a wide range of disciplines.

In my experience, Get a bachelor's or master's degree in Electronics or Computer related engineering. If you didn't get any direct System Engineering job out of college, You can start working as a software developer or tester and gather knowledge of the system you worked on & then do an internal transfer (which should fairly make sense to your organization).

In my experience, it is important to know the full life cycle of a product/project to become system engineer. It is critical to know the interfaces between different phases and different subsystems. A system engineer needs to understand different phases of a product life cycle from feasibility analysis, design, manufacturing, testing & commissioning and operation and maintenance fully and their internal details and requirement . A person needs to get practical exposure of different phases so he/she can appropriately contribute in different aspects during system design. Practical exposure provides insights of risks and different challenges arising in different phases and between different systems.

Given that SE is a set of processes and a way of applying them, anyone can become an SE, much the same as anyone can become a project manager. Familiarity with the processes is one aspect. Knowing when and how to use the processes is another. There is a careful balance between applying too much rigor, slowing the project down and unnecessarily adding complexity; and not applying enough rigor, adding risk to the effort. Practical experience is the key to learning what this balance entails. Project managers or new SE's should begin their journey on smaller, less risky projects, exercising as many processes as practical and tailoring as the project progresses. Finally, keep the adage, "Plans mean nothing, but planning is everything" in mind.

System Engineering needs a good amount of knowledge on various engineering subjects. It is not necessary to be an expert of that particular area of engineering rather understanding on its impacts on the overall system design is essential. For example, materials play a significant role in any design engineering and without a thorough understanding of the behavior those materials under different environmental conditions may geoparadise the entire design process. Like, knowledge on manufacturing, electrical and electronics engineering, chemical engineering area,QC/QA, application are important from system design point of view. Usually system engineering is the last stage of product design process from where the project management starts.

Probably, one of the most important traits for a systems engineer is to know and appreciate the sensitivities between the different elements that make up the system. How does a performance change (degradation) in one part affect the performance in a different area and the overall system performance? This allows the systems engineer to make timely and important decisions during the design and development process.

One of the advantages of getting certification as a SE such as INCOSE is that its certified members speak a common language-especially what is required in a program/project lifecycle activities. I have seen too many times where in a project someone calls themselves a SE and yet cannot write a good requirement or understand managing risks-especially in safety-critical projects. Also, and this comes with experience, is to tailor the SE process to each project.

The main advantage of getting a certification such as the INCOSE's SEP Program is that they are worldwide recognized since certification exams are standard no matter where you take them. Besides, the certification institutions provide bodies of knowledge and handbooks that present the best practices and helpful tips for those who are interested in acquiring systems engineering skills.

If you want to change and apply to a new job, certs are a good way to show somebody, that you have a paper saying that you a successfully listened to a course on a specific knowledge field. But if you want to be successful in your application you need to be able to prove that you have used this theoretical knowledge in a real-life project. Don't collect certs as a hobby. Carefully select the right and important one's supporting your CV and track records.

Try to obtain Certifications along with your day to day job you do. That gives you a broader picture. Updating the skills are very important aspect as growing in a career.

Securing certifications in system engineering, like CSEP or ESEP from INCOSE, or CAPM and PMP from PMI, IREB, validates expertise and enhances professional credibility. Successfully passing exams and meeting education and experience criteria not only showcases dedication but also ensures a comprehensive understanding of crucial aspects in system engineering and project management. These certifications serve as valuable benchmarks, reinforcing the competence necessary for success in the field.

For a systems engineer, the most helpful soft skill is communication. Since complex systems always have a considerable number of stakeholders, getting a shared understanding of the system's goals, requirements, and functions is always challenging. It is a systems engineer's job to achieve this understanding. If you have to choose just one skill to develop I recommend communication.

Communicate, communicate, communicate, though most importantly "listen". Working in diverse teams is more common place these days amd as the systems.engineer you are in the sense making business.

Soft skills/EQ are very important to System Engineers like any other field. Particularly, SEs play a role of 'glue' to the system. They need to ensure the top requirements are clearly defined and help each function - mech, elec, software etc teams to decompose them to subsystem requirements. This will help to design subsystems to meet the specifications and align with high level requirement. For this it is critical that SEs must have good communication skills, team player attitude, critical thinking, failure analysis skills, creativity & flexibility. They need to learn to carefully listen and understand others' opinion before pitching in their selling points. There is always a path to satisfy opposing requirements, SE needs to master that.

As a system engineer you have to connect to other engineers as a lot of relevant information is between the ears of your team member. You need empathy and communication skills to get the job done. And most important: communication does not mean talking but also listening!

Cultivating soft skills is a pivotal aspect of a successful system engineer's journey. Effective communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability are indispensable when working in multidisciplinary teams and engaging with diverse stakeholders. Investing in courses, books, and daily practice to enhance these skills not only enriches professional interactions but also contributes significantly to navigating the complexities inherent in system engineering. The ability to seamlessly blend technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills sets the stage for impactful contributions and successful collaboration in this dynamic field.

According to the learning pyramid theory, engaging in a group discussion is a form of active study that guarantees deeper learning and longer-term retention than just reading texts or watching lectures. So, joining online communities and forums helps you in the continuous learning journey. INCOSE has several working groups on different topics for those interested in learning more about systems engineering. Even better than that is teaching others about things you have learned. That is the best way to retain knowledge.

In system engineering, staying ahead means embracing continuous learning. Technological landscapes evolve rapidly, necessitating up-to-date knowledge in areas like AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. Engage with professional development through webinars, conferences, and online courses. Subscribing to industry publications and joining forums can also provide valuable insights. Advanced certifications or degrees further deepen expertise. Adapting to new tools, languages, and methodologies not only enhances your skill set but also keeps you competitive and relevant in the ever-changing field of system design.

Early in my career, the essential half life of an engineering degree was said to be about 5 years due to the speed at which technological innovation and discovery was being made and that was down from 10 or 11 years in the 1960's. One of the best physics professors of mine had a great approach, and he said my job isn't to teach you formulas and laws, the best thing I can do is to teach you how to teach yourself. There are a million ways to keep learning, chose ones that suit your temperament and abilities, almost all will involve being an omnivorous reader.

Le fait de vous former au quotidien permettra de vous développer personnellement et professionnellement.... A chacun sa motivation....

Never assume you know enough, never think your knowledge will be correct, always second guess yourself. A few fundamental things may hold forever, but these are rare and even things that seemed to be unchangeable truths have been proven wrong over time. Hence, each opportunity to learn has to be taken and there are so many different ways of learning, that you need to find the best for yourself. Each person is different and what works well for one, may be completely useless for another. In the area of SE, there are also many things that are continuously evolving, so keeping up to date is vital.

Creating a portfolio can be a challenging task for systems engineers. Unlike architects and designers who can showcase their expertise through visual representations of their work, systems engineers face unique obstacles. Much of our work involves complex systems development, often classified, with impacts that may not be immediately tangible. Thus, traditional portfolio formats may not effectively convey our expertise. However, there are a few certifications available (e.g. INCOSE, IREB) for those who want to demonstrate knowledge. I believe these are more effective.

A portfolio is something that's as equally desirable as it is difficult to achieve. For a new Systems Engineer, having little domain experience can be daunting, and difficult to find and navigate those first few projects. As your progress, you can be easily stove piped into certain domains based on previous projects, and find it ever more difficult to branch away from your core expertise. Key here is an employer that offers that diversity. Look to work across the lifecycle, look to find tasks that require transferable skills you've developed, but in different domains. Look to support domain experts in their projects, learning from peers, and being able to legitimately add experience to you CV will help your portfolio grow.

If you're starting from scratch, you can begin with a small project (for example, a radio-controlled drone) and use systems engineering tools to lay the groundwork for the project; this can serve as the foundation for your portfolio. Also, industry experience in systems engineering will help you build your portfolio over time.

Be curious And then use ideas of properties observed in Systems as a framework for curiosity (aka Systems Thinking) Recognise iteration - between requirements and solution, and between system layers And realise the journey from uncertain to certain is not a straight, linear path

A systems engineer is the “go-to” person who knows all the disciplines that go into making up the product. The person is able to translate the product needs into systems requirements and further decompose & allocate expectations from each sub-system and work with the architects & designers to see how these can be engineered. While certifications can help speak the common language, it takes time and rotations in different functions & roles to truly become a good systems engineer that product managers trust and want on their team.

One does not simply "become" a Systems Engineer by reading books. You have to think & act like one! Here are 3 steps to do that: 1. Be curious & ask questions 2. Have a hollistic understanding of a wide range of subjects (Mechanics, Electronics, Software, Materials, Processes, Operations, Regulations etc) 3. Learn to draw block diagrams to show: what is inside the system, what is outside the system & how is it connected to other systems Bonus: Use a whiteboard!!!

It is easier to become a systems engineering if you are 'wired' as a systems engineer. The natural raw talent and ways of thinking are a huge head start. Can you hold the big picture and the detail in your head at the same time? Are you constantly thinking about how things are influencing other things? Training someone with that natural raw ability is a good way to bring new people in to the discipline - even mid or late career people. All of those natural talents and soft skills also need to be honed with additional training, along with the hard skills.

Good System Engineers perfect the art of knowing enough to see the big picture without getting swamped with the detail. Focus on building a broad understanding across the chosen domain / product rather the getting too deep in any specific area / subsystem Sadly, the experience needed to be a good system engineer takes time to aquire.....