A Systems Engineer: Coder? Developer? Hacker? Designer?… All of the Above «

A Systems Engineer: Coder? Developer? Hacker? Designer?… All of the Above

What is a Systems Engineer?

A Systems Engineer (SE) designs, implements, and manages large or complex technical systems. They work to organize a body of knowledge within technical systems that collectively deliver a useful function greater than the sum of its parts. They specialize in many different things and at UNCOMN, engineers code, develop and test software, design custom websites, design custom website applications, conduct cybersecurity analysis, and ultimately create efficient and cost-effective systems that improve client operations without compromising security.

At their core, an SE is a champion for improvement and provides the technical infrastructure to enhance how a business operates.

What does it take to be a Systems Engineer?

They use a wide range of technologies and languages including Vue, Angular, and React for User Interface frameworks; Typescript and Python for services; and DynamoDB and MySQL for building databases. An SE isn’t defined by one specific specialty in one industry or technology. They are cross-functional and are constantly learning new and emerging technical tools to develop more intuitive and efficient systems.

Soft skills are a key component of being an effective Systems Engineer. Puzzle solvers, model builders, creative thinkers, and people who can recognize patterns are the types of people that excel in this career path.

The systems engineer must develop the skill and instinct for identifying and focusing efforts on assessments to optimize the overall design and not favor one system/subsystem at the expense of another. The art is in knowing when and where to probe.

 

-NASA Systems Engineering Handbook

Some are military veterans, bringing the expertise of years working for the armed forces. Some have college degrees. Some are primarily self-taught. There is not a single path to become an SE, making the field constantly evolving as new technologies emerge.

What projects does a Systems Engineer work on?

A Systems Engineer can find themselves working for clients in healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, government, legal, banking, or any other industry that has growing technology needs. An engineer does much more than just develop software, and UNCOMN’s engineers can have an impact, not just on businesses, but in the community as well. We’ve developed healthcare apps for ChiroUp that are changing how chiropractors treat patients, giving them access to more informative data and creating systems that help track patient improvement more effectively.

We’re creating systems for law firms using AWS Glue to transform large data sets so that our legal system can make informed, data-driven decisions on cases that affect thousands of people.

Cybersecurity analysts and hackers protect employee and customer data through penetration tests and defensive cyber solutions. They also are able to respond to attacks and recover stolen data for clients.

Curious to learn more about Systems Engineering? Go here.

Want to see what engineering positions UNCOMN currently has open? Go here.