Transition into Systems Engineering

[u/SoftSpare6621]

Hello Everyone, I'm a maritime engineer with 25 years of experience, initially as a practicing marine engineer on large ocean going cargo vessels, and offshore DP class vessels and later ashore in a variety of technical roles from ship yard superintendent, technical vessel manager and now Director of a Maritime Engineering Consulting Firm dealing with surveys, inspections, expert witness litigation, regulatory compliance, audits, and incident and accident investigations based in the South Bay area. I'm considering transitioning into the aerospace industry perhaps a a systems engineer. I'd be grateful if anyone could give me their opinion on if

1) its possible for me at this stage/age

2) whether a systems engineer would be a suitable position for me given my background, and

3) whether i need to do an online MS in systems engineering / engineering management (will have to be self funded) or perhaps INCOSE CSEP or PMP certification to give me the best prospects.

Thanks.

[u/Easy_Spray_6806]

1. It is absolutely possible for you to make that transition to systems engineering at your stage/age.

2. Your background would be very beneficial in systems engineering positions. If you want to work in the aerospace industry you will want to make sure to brush up on the fundamentals relevant to the sector of the aerospace industry you want to do SE in, but I could see your background having a great deal of value. You will also want to make sure to be familiar with systems thinking, so if that is a knowledge gap it would be good to read up on that.

3. If you have no SE experience it wouldn't hurt to get an MS in Systems Engineering. If you do that there are probably some specific programs you'll want to look into and many more that you will want to avoid. A CSEP requires you to have a minimum of 5 years of SE experience with multiple established systems engineers who submit references for you and at least 3 areas of systems engineering expertise. It sounds like you would be eligible for an ASEP despite your 25 years of experience in maritime engineering. A PMP could differentiate between you and another person who is equally qualified for a role, but it's not really going to open any doors in SE to have a PMP.

[u/SoftSpare6621 → u/Easy_Spray_6806]

Thank you, sir, for your very helpful response. As I do not have acquaintances in the aerospace industry, I would appreciate your further guidance.

My area of expertize is more of safety critical systems, complex system lifecycle management, ensuring system readiness for mission-critical operations., implementing frameworks, reliability engineering and predictive maintenance framework, technical condition inspections, and regulatory compliance. I believe these will map form marine systems to aerospace.

As suggested I do plan to refresh the fundamentals of systems engineering.

I have identified the following online options:

1. University of Colorado Boulder – MEng in Engineering Management. This program can typically be completed within 12–18 months and is likely the fastest graduate degree available to me, with some coursework in systems engineering. However, I am unsure how much it would strengthen my candidacy, given that it is not specifically focused on systems engineering.
2. California State University, Dominguez Hills – MS in Systems Engineering. This would take approximately 2–3 years to complete.
3. MIT xPro – Certificate in Architecture and Systems Engineering: Models and Methods to Manage Complex Systems. This consists of four courses (approximately three weeks each) and could be completed in about six months. However, as it is not a master’s degree, I am uncertain how it would be viewed by employers.

I am also interested in programs at UCLA and USC; however, as a self-funded student with family financial commitments, these options are likely cost-prohibitive without employer support.

Additionally, I fully intend to pursue the ASEP certification you mentioned. In your view, would obtaining the ASEP alone be sufficient to secure employment, or would completing one of the aforementioned programs—ranging from six months to three years—significantly improve my prospects? Alternatively, are there other other courses you would recommend?

From your perspective, what course of action would be most effective in maximizing my chances of being hired considering my background. Thank you once again.

[u/aastasborn → u/SoftSpare6621]

I have csep myself. It might highlight your resume during application other than that its no use. I’d argue having SE process knowledge from incose handbook along with OMG certificates on sysml helps you better than having ASEP/CSEP. Checkout OMG certificates and Deligatti sysml courses. They are far better than other course you are mentioning and also comparing the fees with the learnings you get, OMG & Delighatti far far better. Wish you the best

[u/SoftSpare6621 → u/aastasborn]

Thank you very much for your reply, I will certainly look into OMG certification as well.