Are you a systems engineer actively looking for a job or a career change? Well, we have decided to cover something that will interest you. This article will discuss the roles and responsibilities of systems engineers as well as the accompanying requirements, i.e., education, skills, and experience, to help you understand what the interviewer wants.
We have also included two resume examples to guide you through your resume writing. Remember that your resume has to be up to the required standards, especially in this era of applicant tracking systems (ATS). Let us learn more about system engineering roles and how your resume should look.
Position Description
A system or systems engineer is mainly charged with maintaining information technology systems of organizations, just like the name implies. These professionals first design and implement these systems before performing general maintenance, which makes them part of the organization’s IT department.
Other fundamental tasks include troubleshooting network errors and technical issues, coming up with networking rules for cyber security purposes, and building basic computing infrastructure for the company. Owing to these roles, they must have several skills and related qualifications that we will look at in our article.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Designing and implementing the organization’s networked computing infrastructure for the accomplishment of various tasks
- Monitoring systems and troubleshooting networking or technical issues when they arise
- Deciding on the best possible systems-related solutions by applying their knowledge of different available technologies
- Regularly/Constantly monitoring systems to ensure that they do not inhibit productivity
- Installing and setting up the company’s application software and operating systems
- Monitoring systems to anticipate potential networking or technical issues and planning the best solutions
- Working closely with the IT team and regularly communicating with them for smooth setup of systems
- Regularly updating different stakeholders on development progress
- Building and maintaining close relationships with vendors for fast and efficient procurement of systems-related purchases
- Ensuring that the organization’s systems are secure through a range of best practices
- Performing cost-benefit analysis to develop cost-effective systems for project teams
- Ensuring that the system meets the organization’s quality standards through a range of control features
- Collaborating with different stakeholders, including clients and management, when creating and maintaining systems
- Participating in quality control procedures to ascertain that systems are not only operational but also efficient
- Training the IT team on data security and troubleshooting processes
- Improving system efficiency through the creation of automated scripts
- Determining all the hardware needed for an organization’s computing functions and software support.
Required Knowledge and Skills
- Outstanding knowledge of networking technologies, including TCP/IP
- In-depth knowledge of system monitoring and maintenance best practices
- Excellent verbal and Witten communication skills
- Outstanding troubleshooting skills
- Time Management skills
- Excellent analytical skills
- Outstanding organizational skills
- Software development skills
- Cloud computing skills
- Risk management skills
- Scripting skills
- Excellent networking skills
- Data architecture and programming
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in systems engineering, computer engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or any other related field
- Master’s degree in the disciplines mentioned above for senior positions
- Certifications such as Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
- Proven experience in installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of UNIX-based systems
- Proven experience designing automated scripts using different frameworks and programming languages such as Pearl, Ruby, and Python
- Experience setting up software for automation purposes
Salary
Systems engineering is a lucrative field. According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for these professionals is close to $89,000, with additional pay of roughly $21,000, bringing their average total pay to around $110,000. Senior systems engineers make a lot more, given the seniority of their roles. It is estimated that they make close to $128,000.
Systems Engineer CV Example 1
Robin Taylor
Physical address: 417 Hames Rd, Watsonville, California 97058
Email address: taylorrobin@gmail.com
Phone number: (757) 867- 3465
Personal Profile
Professional systems engineer with 10+ years of experience in information technology systems maintenance and computer programming. Avid team worker with outstanding knowledge of networking technologies and troubleshooting skills. A certified engineer dedicated to bettering the entire organization.
Work Experience
03/2019- 06/2022, Senior Systems Engineer, Belfast Solutions, Miami, Florida
- Managed and supervised a 15-members+ systems maintenance team, mentoring them to achieve their productivity goals
- Managed the development and implementation of 50+ computing and networking infrastructures
- Designed and implemented new recovery solutions for the company’s systems, increasing server uptime from 80 to 98 percent
- Regularly performed root cause analyses to establish the genesis of network and production issues before troubleshooting operations
- Significantly improved the company’s data management processes by automating data collection, reducing physical labor by 4 hours a day
- Kept 5+ stakeholders on systems development and operations at any given time
- Worked closely with 5 IT specialists to ensure that system setup processes ran smoothly
- Liaised and built excellent relationships with 10+ vendors, ensuring timely and quality purchases and interactions
- Improved the company’s system security by 30% through best practices implementation
- Reviewed options and settled on the best solutions after extensive analysis
- Ensured 0 productivity hindrances through monitoring of network systems
- Trained 20+ new hires on system engineering and maintenance techniques and best practices for a highly skilled IT department
02/2016- 01/2019, IT Systems Engineer, Bradley Communication Solutions, Portland, Oregon
- Achieved a 300% increase in network communication speeds after identifying, assessing, and solving network conflicts
- Regularly drafted and updated network-related inventory and documentation
- Performed systems administration duties with utmost diligence and commitment, including maintenance of 5 network services
- Regularly updated software and hardware for the organization, ensuring that every employee achieved at least 95% of their productivity goals
- Managed and maintained database and large-scale web servers in collaboration with two junior database administrators
- Thoroughly researched, tested, and implemented 100+ new technologies to be used in in-house applications
- Provided in-house tech support for 200+ employees
- Improved the company’s data collection processes by upgrading data collection systems to Linux-based server
- Coded customized solutions for the organization in close collaboration with third-party vendors and developers
06/2012- 11/ 2015, System Administrator, Audrey’s and Jenkins Inc., Tampa, FL
- Reduced daily employee-related issues by 30% by creating and regularly updating system-related documentation to guide employees
- Regularly perform system monitoring and hardware location, saving the company $100,000 in material loss and unplanned system maintenance repairs
- Diagnosed and resolved software, hardware, system, and networking issues for 160+ employees
- Participated in the improvement of the company’s networked computer system by extensively researching and recommending new effective approaches
- Replaced and upgraded outdated system components, maintaining productivity levels at 90%+
- Oversaw the upgrade of 150+ computers and devices to Linux OS
- Awarded the best employee of the year in 2014
- Mentored and trained ten junior system administration employees on relevant techniques, procedures, and best practices
Education
- 02/2008- 03/2012, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley
- 01/2006- 12/2007, High School Diploma, High Fliers Senior High School, California
Skills
- Languages
- English
- Mandarin
- French
Hard skills
- Software development
- Computer programming
- Information Security
- Networking
- Data Programming
- Scripting
- Software and hardware-related skills
- Project management
- Risk Management
Soft Skills
- Verbal and written communication
- Organizational
- Adaptability
- Decision making
- Critical thinking ability
- Leadership
- Resourcefulness
- Persuasion
- Active listening
Certifications
10/15, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), Global Knowledge
Systems Engineer CV Example 2
Rachel Ankita
Physical address: 540 Locust Road, Sausalito, California 78987
Email address: ankitarecho17@gmail.com
Phone number: (465) 678-4365
Personal Profile
Certified systems engineer with 9+ years of experience configuring and maintaining network systems in different industries. Systems expert with excellent troubleshooting and analysis skills, ready to push the organization’s IT department to the next level. A self-motivated and hardworking professional with outstanding networking systems knowledge ready to be used.
Work Experience
03/2019- 07/2022, Chief Systems Engineer, Universal Technologies, Fresno CA
- Used Unix Scripts to automate data collection, leading to 2 hours day decrease in manual labor
- Troubleshoot network and production issues, ensuring that the company’s systems and structures were 99.9% effective
- Managed to achieve 99% uptime for all servers in the organization by implementing effective disaster recovery solutions
- Supervised a team of 10+ junior system engineers and IT staff, ensuring adherence to system maintenance best practices and improved performance levels
- Ensured that setup processes ran smoothly through consistent communication with 10+ IT support staff
- Liaised with five vendors and built and maintained excellent relations with them for easier procurement of systems-related tools, equipment, and general purchases for smooth execution of projects
- Oversaw the migration of the organization’s data center front Linux servers to VMware, a better virtual environment
- Offered support to 300+ company staff in Mac and Linux environments
- Anticipated potential issues 98% of the time and created effective solutions, ensuring that the staff’s productivity was not hampered
- Oversaw the development and installation of 100+ computing and networking infrastructures for more efficient operations
- Ensured 0 productivity setbacks by regularly and extensively monitoring systems in the company’s network
- Trained five junior systems engineers on maintaining system security, backing up data, and general best practices in systems maintenance, improving their productivity by 60%
- Awarded the best IT professional of the year in 2021 for ensuring 99% server uptime through effective disaster recovery solutions
02/2016- 04/2019, Systems Engineer, Sunrise Telecommunications, Oakland, CA
- Led and oversaw the complete migration of the company’s data center to cloud solutions such as AWS and Azure
- Designed and implemented effective data recovery solutions, maintaining 98% uptime for all organizational servers
- Offered support to 200+ company staff both in Mac and Linux environments
- Worked closely with the chief systems engineer and 10-member IT team to maintain network services
- Regularly updated network documentation with utmost accuracy to mirror changes
- Ensured that the company’s data center met all security requirements to counter the 10+ identified monthly security vulnerabilities
- Automated data collection activities, leading to a productivity increase of 65%
- Troubleshot and resolved technical issues within the company’s system in under 2 minutes, allowing the company to keep up its productivity levels
- Implemented best practices for system security and data backups, preventing breaches by 98%
- Ensured 0 productivity challenges by constantly monitoring systems within the company’s network
- Ensured the smooth setup of systems by regularly communicating with the company’s IT department
08/2012- 11/2015, Junior Systems Engineer, Base Companies, Orlando, Florida
- Helped develop and maintain 100+ computer systems and network infrastructures for the organization
- Resolved communications, internet, VPN, and LAN connection-related issues for a $20M Company
- Offered ready support to 150+ users in Mac, Windows, and Linux environments
- Participated in the design and implementation of disaster recovery solutions for 98% server-uptime maintenance
- Automated data collection activities via scripting, increasing total productivity by 50%
- Collaborated with five junior systems engineers to configure and maintain the organization’s network services and web servers
- Created virtual systems for the company through VMware
- Develop scripts across different Linux distribution servers such as Gentoo and Debian
Education
- 02/2007- 02/2012, Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
- 02/2005 12/2006, High School Diploma, Albert’s College Preparatory School, Cambridge
Skills
- Languages
- Hindu
- English
- French
Hard Skills
- Scripting
- Automation
- Data Programming
- Architectural programming
- Information Security
- Networking
- Cloud computing
- Risk Management
- Project management
Soft Skills
- Ability to work in team settings
- Organizational
- Decision making
- Problem-solving
- Stress management
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Adaptability
- Active listening
- Time Management
- Persuasion
Certifications
10/14, Certified Information Systems Security Personnel Professional Architecture ( CISPA), CISCO
Systems Engineer Resume Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which Keywords Should I Include in My Systems Engineer Resume?
We have always stressed using the right keywords in resumes to bypass applicant tracking systems used by applications and capture the hiring manager’s attention. Well, it also applies to systems engineering. Remember to include the following where they apply: visualization, analysis, system evaluation, system monitoring, collaboration, troubleshooting, training, documentation, clearance, innovation, analysis, systems engineering active directory, windows server, documentation, VMware, Microsoft Windows, hardware, Linux, customer service, systems administration, scripting, development, automation, etc.
These keywords should be evenly spaced in your skills and work experience section for the best result.
2. Do I Need Soft Skills In a Systems Engineering Position?
Note that every position requires soft skills. These competencies help you get along with others and get the work done. They are the same for every job, unlike technical skills, which are role-specific. Some of the soft skills that apply to this position include excellent verbal and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work well and thrive in team settings, ability to manage stress, emotional intelligence, excellent time management skills, ability to solve problems creatively, high levels of self-awareness, excellent collaboration skills, open-mindedness, patience, and active listening skills.
Remember, these skills make you a good employee, making them just as necessary as hard/technical skills.
3. Which Certifications Can I Pursue a Successful Systems Engineering Career?
You should get as many certifications as possible to improve your skill set and get an advantage over other job applicants. Most certifications take 3-24months. To spice up your resume and skill-set, consider getting any of the following system engineering certifications: Master Certified Electronics Technician, which you will only be eligible for if you have at least six years of experience; Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), offered by Global Knowledge, Certified Information Systems Security Professional Architecture( CISSP) by International Information Systems Security Organization or Cisco Certified Network Associate by Global Knowledge.
Other available certifications include VMware Certified Professional Data 5 – Data Center Visualization by VMware and Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) by Cisco Systems, Inc. Most of these certifications run for two years.
4. Which Technical Skills Should I Include in My Resume?
Systems engineering is a technical position and thus requires several technical skills. Remember, these skills are measurable, unlike soft skills. They can also be sharpened as time goes by. Here are the job-specific skills you will need as a software engineer: excellent software development skills, extensive risk management skills and ability, scripting ability, software and hardware-related skills, cloud computing skills, proficiency in data architecture and programming, information security skills, and networking skills, among many others.
It is also worth noting that systems engineers need project management skills given their role in the systems development processes where they act as a link between customers, suppliers, management, and specialty engineers.
5. What is the Career Path of a Systems Engineer?
Like in most professions, systems engineers begin their careers with entry-level positions such as network administrator, systems administrator, or software engineer, where their gain extensive skills and experience needed in systems engineering. You can then move to project management after some time and be charged with managing IT projects. Other possible roles include information technology manager, IT director, information systems director, director of information technology services, or information technology infrastructure director. All in all, this is a lucrative field worth your time and effort.
6. Who Should I Expect to Work with as a Systems Engineer?
Before applying for a system engineering job, note that you are expected to act as a link between stakeholders in systems development processes and projects. Therefore, you are destined to work with suppliers, specialty engineers, and customers.
Also, prepare to work closely with management, who expect regular updates on system development processes. You will also collaborate with the organization’s IT department in your undertakings. Therefore, take some time to work on your collaboration skills, which will come in handy.