A systems engineer designs and coordinates all the parts of a computer system. Although many engineers may be experts in individual sections of each computer system, a systems engineer is the one that connects all of these parts together.
Both the public and private sectors employ these skilled individuals, whose first responsibility is to collect all the information they require about their organization’s needs. Next, they use diagrams, systems analysis, mathematics, statistics, and other means to select the best design methods for their systems. Further testing is then conducted after a system is designed.
These types of engineers also frequently make improvements to systems which already exist, or take part in large research projects whose teams include many different types of engineers and other career professionals. These research theories often become the basis for future systems.
Although more and more universities are offering systems engineering degree programs, most systems engineers have backgrounds in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering. Understanding of other engineering fields, computer programming, and modern management techniques is also important in this relatively new profession whose median salary is C
$71,000.