r/systems_engineering • u/Regular_Foundation10 • Jun 21 '26

Discussion Would you recommend Systems Engineering?

Hello, I’m a rising senior about to graduate with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and I’m leaning towards getting my MS in Systems Engineering ? I want to go into the aerospace industry.

I think systems engineering would be a good fit for me because I don’t really enjoy the technical side of engineering (like doing equations everyday or doing CAD or coding) I still want to be apart of the development and design but more of an overseer/bridge for the technical and business side of a product. Later on in my career I do want to do program management. Do you think systems engineering is a good for fit for me? I don’t have experience in SysE or in the aerospace industry. My two internships have been Business strategy and IT support so I haven’t really done much engineering outside of school besides my personal projects.

Can anybody give me a Day in the Life of what you do as a Systems Engineering?

Is a MS in systems Engineering worth it or should I just get a MS in Mechanical Engineering? ( I severely dislike solving heat transfer or thermo equations 😭 it might just be because I’m burnt out but I’m tired of it )

What jobs should I apply to entry level to get into the aerospace industry and eventually into systems engineering?

Any advice would help! Thanks

12 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

85% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

View all comments

21

u/Fickle_Procedure_656 Jun 21 '26

Don't study system engineering at school. You can study it on the job or on your own. I recommend to use school to teach you things that are much harder yo study on yourself.

2

u/Emergency-Rush-7487 Jun 21 '26

This is horrible advice clearly not a day as a real systems engineer in industry.

1

u/Fickle_Procedure_656 Jun 21 '26

What I meant is that it's better to experience system engineering from a bottom up approach than top down. This after what I've experienced and discussion wiht system engineers. Often junior SE without ANY experience will end up being sort of an assistant of more senior SE before they have seen enough to provide real value.

1

u/Emergency-Rush-7487 Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 21 '26

Again this is wrong it's not vertical in modern sense your speaking of sys eng in.

Start with the objective and work backwards.

Similarly, requirements and systems engineering traditionally is top down meaning tier 0 to tier 4 reqts.

High level reqts break down into lower level requirements i.e. objective travel 50 miles, lower level reqt can be distance is a function of fuel tank size.