You Can Be Anything › All careers › Engineering & Technology
Systems Engineer
Designs and manages complex systems from start to finish — ensuring all parts work together seamlessly.
Did you know?
The International Space Station is one of the most complex systems engineering projects ever, with parts from 15 countries
How subjects help
- Mathematics: Model how changing one part of a system affects its cost, weight and performance.
- Physics: Check that power, heat and vibration from one part won't disturb the others.
- Computer Science: Use software to track long lists of requirements and link each one to a test.
- Engineering: Make sure parts built by different teams fit and work together as one machine.
A famous name
Simon Ramo: Engineer who led the systems engineering of the US ICBM programme in the 1950s and co-founded TRW.
Try it yourself: Measure your sensor delay
- Your helper holds the ruler at the top end. Hold your thumb and finger open just below the bottom end, without touching it.
- Your helper drops it without warning. Catch it as fast as you can and read the number at your fingers.
- Do five drops and write them down. Then try with a "1, 2, 3" countdown, and with your other hand.
- Label your body like a robot: eyes = sensor, brain = controller, hand = motor. Which part of the chain do you think takes longest, and why did the countdown help?
Robotics and control engineers measure how long a machine takes to sense, decide and act, because a slow loop makes a robot overshoot or react too late.
Adapted from TeachEngineering (University of Colorado Boulder): Pupillary Response & Test Your Reaction Time.
Also try: Design a base on Mars.
Known for it in
USA, Germany, UK, France, Japan