information security engineer

  senior information security engineer

Do you want to be part of software development but also have a desire to work with hardware? If so, a job as a systems engineer may be the ideal hybrid job for you.

A systems engineer helps design and implement software. But what separates this IT professional from a software engineer is that a systems engineer also plays a large role in the infrastructure side of the solution.

Here’s a rundown of what these engineers do, what they earn and what qualifications are needed to be hired for this job.

Job duties and responsibilities

A systems engineer designs, implements and maintains the infrastructure necessary to run traditional client/server platforms, mainframes and web applications. This role includes installing and supporting software, debugging multiple systems and supporting an enterprise’s users. This specialist also performs high-level root cause analysis for service interruption recovery and implements preventive measures.

On any given day, the system engineer’s duties may overlap with those of a software engineer, systems administrator or network engineer.

Job skills and expertise

The best systems engineers are flexible employees who thrive in complex and rapidly changing work environments and have a solid mix of technical and nontechnical skills.

On the technical side, an engineer must be able to perform analysis, troubleshooting and systems design. Some employers seek candidates with experience in software development, including specification, documentation and quality assurance. Most hiring managers require at least three years of direct experience in the software or hardware the company uses. Experience in a specific industry is also beneficial. As for education requirements, a bachelor's degree in systems engineering or a related field is generally preferred.

On the nontechnical front, systems engineers spend much of their time working with others to determine requirements and solve problems, so solid soft skills are an absolute must. They need top-notch abilities in communication, customer service, time management and teamwork.

Project management skills can be valuable in an engineering job as well, given the central role the systems engineer has in large projects that involve many different aspects of the enterprise