<p>I rarely hear about systems engineering. Is there anyone here with a masters degree in systems with mechanical undergrad? What is the job market like for fresh grads?</p>
<p>The job market for systems engineers is nothing short of spectacular. A recent search of the Washington Post came up with 2800 vacancies. They are probably not all systems engineers. The search site stopped at 250, but even #250 was a legitimate systems engineering job. </p>
<p>I know many systems engineers. In fact, my background (Operations Research) is very close -- the same department in many universities.</p>
<p>Come on in, the water's fine!</p>
<p>Where did you goto school? I live in Fairfax County. I'm thinking ODU or GMU for Systems Engineering. Many people here fail to realize that ODU has fantastic connections with NASA and the big defense contractors, but GMU has always been more of a brand name in the NoVA area in general.</p>
<p>From some reading i've done, it seems like its something that might require a little management experience for a few years. I'm just worried about not being able to jump into the field right after getting the degree.</p>
<p>Anyone with an engineering degree can transition into the role of a System Engineer. I know many companies that come to campus to hire entry level graduates (whose majors are mainly EE and ME) for System Engineering positions solely.</p>
<p>Think of it this way: you have a very large project with several members (anywhere from 5-300) working on a team. The team is composed of MEs, EEs, Industrial Es, ChemEs, Operations Es, etc. While the EE might design the hardware for the specific application and while they ME might design the structure of the device, the System Engineer tries to keep everything flowing smoothly according to plan. They hold more of a "project manager" role in the team. They're responsible for interconnecting all the different parts of the projects together. They're also responsible for making sure that the design/device that they're building meets requirements.</p>
<p>It is a good field if you want to transition into management. If you want to strictly write code for microprocessors, then you want to get a job that is specific tailored to direct electrical engineering. Systems Engineers get more of a broad view of the picture. Of course, what I described above can be different from company to company, but the jist is the same.</p>