<p>So I see that a lot of compsci majors end up as systems engineer/systems analyst, but I have no idea what they do. I've read some job descriptions but they are all very vague. "Systems engineers design and create systems ..." What is a "system" exactly?</p>
<p>There are technical definitions, but the easiest statement is that a system is made of individual components and subsystems and constitutes a complete product. A resistor is not generally a system, a circuit board is. Note that one person’s system can be another person’s subsystem. Another way to look at is that systems are defined in terms of inputs and outputs, rather than the details of their underlying physics and chemistry.</p>
<p>This latter definition helps to show what systems engineers do, and why they are often software types. Systems engineers deal in terms of size, weight, and power (aka SWAP), and other discipline specific parameters. They work with design teams to make sure that all the pieces fit together and work together to produce the desired system. They are also responsible for making sure that the finished product meets all the overall requirements not directly attributable to a single subsystem - for example, cars need to meet certain fuel efficiency standards, but their ability to meet those standards depends on nearly every subsystem in the vehicle!</p>
<p>You do not need to understand the components and subsystems in depth to be a systems engineer, you just need to know how the overall system will work and how the subsystems go together.</p>
<p>Hope that answers your question.</p>
<p>So what does a computer systems engineer do? What is a “computer system” is it the hardware inside the computer?</p>
<p>What is a “network system”? Does a “network system engineer” just link up computers?</p>
<p>Systems Engineers integrate sub-systems and components into large(r) system(s). They are, in essense, the jacks of all trades, masters of none. In other words, systems engineers are generally required to have a moderate level of understanding of every engineering discipline, but they are not expected to be specialists in any particular discipline. </p>
<p>At the very core, systems engineers ensure that components/sub-systems are interoperable with eachother and that the end product meets the requirements. Systems engineering work is generally quite complex and can be very stressful since there is a lot of pressure to make sure the end product will function as desired and meet specifications. Systems engineers can also be project leads/managers. Systems engineering is a good career option if you want exposure to many areas of engineering, and/or don’t want to specialize in one area.</p>
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Well, it depends a bit on your underlying education and experience. With a software background I suspect you would at first be involved with making sure that communication between the motherboard and subsidiary boards is proper and efficient. This means working with all the programmers making the firmware for each board to make sure that Tab A fits into Slot B (metaphorically) and that it does so with a minimum of fuss. As a hardware guy it is hard for me to really say more about that entry-level software systems work.</p>
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Yes, but I would not use the word “just” around people who do this for a living. A network is a system of its own, and building one larger than a couple of units is not trivial, especially when you want or need it to be robust and adaptable. This does usually fall under the category of Information Technology, however.</p>
<p>From what ive seen in the software development domain, “systems engineers” is a term used for billing purposes and generally refers to the IT workers (people who do network configurations, server rack wiring diagrams, set up servers, gather requirements, and have a variety sys admin duties). They are not the software engineers who write code or design user interfaces. The other way I’ve seen that play out is people with the title “systems engineer” tend to have only a basic technical background and are primarily used as the even more non-technical PMP’s go between for the client and technical team translating features/requirements to the team and shielding the client from the team.</p>
<p>In engineering not in the software domain, say at NASA building a rocket, systems engineers are usually specialists (electrical, propulsion, etc) who over the years have been charged with more and more high level project responsibility, usually on a variety of different projects (read exposure to different problems), until they are more supervisory and doing little if any design work. There is a lot of blur between a senior/chief engineer and a system engineer, but gathering requirments, making sure requirements are met, and figuring out how to meet those requirements seem to be the SysE’s primary function.</p>