Generally, systems engineers are responsible for developing and maintaining efficient systems and processes. The ultimate goal of a systems engineer is to eliminate inefficiencies in a specific method 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 sequential scope of responsibilities in systems engineering:
While systems engineers may find work in almost any industry, despite the differences, the process outlined above represents the practice of systems engineering that these professionals utilize day-to-day.
In many institutions, systems engineering may be considered an extension of the industrial engineering program, which is also concerned with developing and optimizing 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.
A biosystems engineer is often tasked with designing and facilitating efficient systems as they relate to the natural environment. This could include responsibilities such as managing resource conservation practices, analyzing waste treatment systems, assisting in developing food processing systems, and other related industry jobs.
The University of Minnesota’s Department of Bioproducts and Bioengineering Systems offers online courses to current and non-enrolled students. Current students can take these courses online and earn liberal education credits that count toward their undergraduate degree programs. Topics include renewable energy, renewable resources, materials, food sustainability, water sustainability, and recycling.
For more information about systems engineering, a field related to biosystems engineering, please see our online master’s degree programs in systems engineering.
At its most basic level, this industrial engineering field 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.
University of Southern Mississippi offers an online bachelor of science in industrial engineering technology (logistics). This 120-credit program prepares graduates for work in logistics, supply chain management, distribution, transportation, operations management, and other similar engineering specializations. Students must complete an undergraduate admissions application, pay a $45 fee, submit official transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, and prove measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) immunization documentation.
Please visit our online industrial engineering master’s degree programs page for more information about industrial engineering.
Transportation systems engineers often share similar tasks with civil engineers. In addition, transportation systems engineers work on the design, development, and engineering maintenance of transportation systems in all stages. For example, these engineers may be responsible for developing traffic maintenance methods, creating evacuation planning processes during an emergency; or even an alert system notifying travelers of upcoming issues with transportation.
The University of Louisville features an online graduate certificate in transportation engineering. Designed for engineering professionals with bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering, this 12-credit program teaches advanced technical knowledge related to highway design, traffic engineering, and transportation systems.
Credits earned in this program can be transferred to a master’s degree program or used as career enhancement and possibly a tool to negotiate higher salaries. Students take three core courses in geometric highway design, traffic engineering, and fundamentals of intelligent transportation systems. Elective courses include transportation planning and urban development, airport planning and design, and pavement design.
To learn more about degree programs in transportation engineering, please visit our online civil engineering degree programs page.
This field of engineering is concerned with the design and development of complex software systems. A software systems engineer must take into consideration a multitude of factors during 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.
Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering ranks #3 on the U.S. News & World Report’s list of best online industrial and system engineering schools. It offers multiple degrees in software systems engineering. Students can decide to earn a master’s degree, a graduate certificate, or a post-master’s certificate entirely online or via hybrid learning (a combination of on-campus and online).
In this program, students learn and apply technical knowledge in mathematics, science, and engineering to evaluate complex systems on a macro and micro level. In addition, software systems is one of five specialization areas that enables graduates to focus on systems efficiencies with databases and other software-based systems.
Please visit our online information technology (IT) programs page for more information on online software 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. Herein lie the responsibilities of product development systems engineers tasked with facilitating systems meant to eliminate inefficiency and allow for the most productive method available to the specific business.
University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering offers a fully online and on-campus master of science in product development engineering. This program can be completed part- or full-time and integrates art, management, and engineering disciplines. Students in this program learn innovation related to modern theories and practical experiences.
Graduates go on to find work in industries such as aerospace and defense, automotive, manufacturing, robotics, and refrigeration systems. This is a joint degree program offered by the aerospace and mechanical engineering and the Daniel J. Epstein industrial and systems engineering departments.
Please see our online materials engineering degree programs page to learn more about product development degree programs.
While the list above outlines the most popular specializations within systems engineering, it is essential to note that this is only a sample of specialties that systems engineers can pursue.
Any business hoping to eliminate ineffective processes and develop efficient and functioning systems could benefit from the assistance of systems engineers. As an example, a systems engineer could likely find work with a multinational business that is aiming to deliver products to consumers nationwide; a municipal agency that is seeking to develop a new transportation system throughout the city; or a local software company that needs to monitor and adjust a current program that is under development.
The BLS lists the following industries as the top five employers of civil engineers (BLS 2021):
In addition, local, state, and federal government agencies may also employ systems engineers to spearhead an operation. Since systems engineers manage and coordinate the overall process of a system, there are vast and promising opportunities available to them.
The daily responsibilities of a systems engineer will depend on the industry and the stage or cycle of a specific project. However, many system engineers will likely take on similar responsibilities throughout their careers. Below is a list of general employment responsibilities systems engineers might encounter within various occupations:
As can be gleaned from the list above, systems engineers may encounter a wide array of responsibilities depending on the type of career they pursue.
Just as the tasks of a systems engineer might be highly varied, so too might the work environment or even location. Systems engineers may work in:
In sum, all major industries have systems that can be tweaked or optimized to deliver better results by a systems engineer.
Rachel Drummond has combined her experience in education and mindfulness to foster a holistic approach to engineering studies since 2019. She explores how nuance can be integrated into repetitive practices, advocating for balancing mental and physical well-being to enhance productivity and innova...
Meet several top professors of systems engineering who teach at well-regarded universities, and who contribute both to the field of systems engineering and to the knowledge of students in their respective programs.
