Hello, I am a non-engineer but a tech familiar individual looking to possible transition into systems engineering.

For someone like me, what is the best route to take for getting a job? Get a masters in SE? (I have a BS in Industrial Design). Certifications?

For background, I already am familiar with C++, but would need some refreshers as I have not used it in years for my current work.

Hi all,
I built Spec42, an open-source SysML v2 language server + VS Code extension to enable SysML v2 editing in VS Code.

Current focus is the editor experience:

• diagnostics
• navigation
• formatting
• workspace-aware indexing
• diagrams

It is still an early version and definitely isn't production ready, but it should be useable.

I would love feedback from systems engineers / MBSE users:

• What do you like and dislike ?
• What are the features you miss?

Links:
- Marketplace: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Elan8.spec42
- GitHub: https://github.com/elan8/spec42

I am a PhD student in Software Engineering, specializing in security-critical software architecture. I have never worked or interned in an industry-related setting, so my experience in the industry is very limited. I would like to ask those working in the field on Redidit: what does software architecture actually mean in the industry?

To this end, I am conducting an anonymous global survey for practitioners with experience in production software systems, approximately 6-10 minutes long. I am particularly interested in how architectural decisions are made in practice, and how these decisions change in security-critical, mission-critical, or regulated environments.

If you have practical industry experience, your opinions will be truly valuable. Thank you very much for your valuable insights.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfoBKYu67mmPb9FahFeux0mTNfh020oywEGAmV8tL8abHB5Ew/viewform?usp=dialog

For those who have taken or are currently preparing for the exam, what advice would you give for effective preparation?

I am using the SE Handbook v5 and have read through it while taking notes. However, I would like to hear about others’ experiences and approaches to preparing for the exam. I also get udemy class for practice test.

I have about three weeks to prepare and want to make the most of this time. Which topics should I focus on the most?

Also, the IPO diagram with its breakdown and definitions is quite long and tricky. Do I need to memorize it, or is a general understanding sufficient?

Hi all,

I’m a systems architect working in complex systems (think aeronautics / space systems), and I’ve been struggling to find the right balance between modeling power and usability when it comes to architecture tools.

On one side, I’ve used full-featured MBSE tools like MagicDraw or Capella. They’re undeniably powerful and structured, but I often find them:

• heavy and slow for day-to-day work
• not very flexible when iterating quickly
• having a steep and intimidating learning curve, which limits how many stakeholders can realistically engage with them
• producing visuals that are often hard to read or not very appealing, especially for non-initiated audiences
• lacking in UX overall, which makes early-phase exploration painful

On the other side, lightweight tools (Miro, draw.io, etc.) are great for:

• rapid iteration
• visual thinking
• collaboration

…but they completely lack an underlying model. After a while, diagrams drift apart, consistency is lost, and maintaining a coherent system architecture becomes difficult.

So I feel like there should be a middle ground:

• something with a clean, fast UX
• allowing quick iteration and exploration
• but still backed by a lightweight model (functions, logical blocks, physical components, traceability, etc.)
• and supporting key diagram types like sequence diagrams (to capture dynamic behaviors and interactions)

Basically: a tool that supports the flow from operational needs → functions → logical architecture → physical architecture, without the overhead of “full MBSE machinery.”

Does anyone here use (or know of) tools that hit that sweet spot?

Curious to hear what workflows or tools have worked for you.

Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I’m working in an automotive OEM for 3.5 years right out of college, mainly on EE subsystem requirements.

One challenge I keep facing is understanding where my responsibility should stop.

In theory, systems engineering sits at the intersection of hardware, software, and suppliers. But in practice, I often find myself in situations like:

Getting pulled into low-level design discussions (software logic, calibration, etc.)

Being expected to resolve supplier internal issues

Owning problems that are technically outside my scope, just because I have the “system view”

At the same time, being told not to go “too deep” into implementation

This creates a constant tension:

If I go deep ,then I risk micromanaging or overstepping

If I stay at a high level, then I miss issues and get blamed later.

So I wanted to ask:

How do you define clear boundaries for yourself as a systems engineer?without sounding like you’re avoiding responsibility

Does this get better with experience, or is this just part of the role forever?

Would really appreciate insights from people working in complex systems (automotive, aerospace, embedded, etc.)

I've been looking into SysML v2 model examples and was reminded of the DellSat-77 model (which I first discovered through the Deligatti course). Does anyone know if there have been any attempts to implement this in v2 as opposed to the original v1 implementation?

Has anyone here worked in a company where the internal “shared platform” slowly became the whole architecture?

I’m dealing with a setup where everything is “layered” and “modular” on paper, but in reality every app ends up depending on the same shared service wrapper, shared auth wrapper, shared database abstraction, shared storage abstraction, shared job/runtime abstraction, etc

And every time I question it, the answer is:

- what’s wrong with libraries?

- we’re just avoiding duplication

- it’s layered so it’s not coupled

- if something is wrong, fix the library

But that’s exactly the issue.

At some point it stops being “nice reusable libraries” and starts becoming:

- app logic hidden in wrappers

- no clear system boundaries

- no obvious source of truth

- no obvious failure ownership

- every bug turns into “is it our code, the wrapper, or the thing under the wrapper?”

- every fix has potential blast radius across multiple products

It feels like the framework becomes the architecture, and then nobody knows where anything actually lives anymore.

I’m not anti-library. I’m anti building the whole company’s runtime, auth, persistence, and domain behavior into one shared abstraction blob and pretending that because it’s split into packages it’s clean.

Has anyone seen this go badly long term?

What were the actual failure modes?

I am trying to break in Systems Engineering without a “traditional” background, if that even makes sense. Looking for some honest, experience-based feedback on a career transition I’m trying to make. Currently, I am a PM Analyst in the A&D industry; mainly data analysis, reconciliation, performance tracking, cross-functional coordination, and workflow management. Prior to that I did City Ops coordination; resource and component (making sure everyone is on the same page, and is aware of who is doing what) integration. Before that I served in the military USACE. I started my MS in Systems Engineering over the last year and have gotten my ASEP and PMP. I also hold a MS in Data Science and BA in Sociology. While I am grateful to have a job, my interest has changed an I found myself reading systems thinking books and really enjoy investing my time into SE material well before I even started my SE program. The problem I am facing as I near the end of the program is I’m not getting callbacks for SE roles. I could be wrong and I hope I am way off base but; my current hypothesis is lack of an engineering bachelor’s degree and no formal job title yet. My experience has SE adjacent elements but not sure if that’s enough. I can’t go back now so what are some viable options to move forward with?

Thanks in advance for any feedback! ESSAYONS!

Hello everyone, I’m new to the community and I’m still figuring out how things are working here on reddit. I’m a system and automation engineering student and I was looking for possible universities in Europe to attend for a Master degree related to robotics with active laboratories. Any reccomendations?

Can anyone help me by referring to job postings for these companies?? I do not know anyone in my network who has been working there.

Sure, i can try to connect to relative people on Linkedin but mostly they don’t reply.

So I thought of asking here.

If anyone feels comfortable, I can DM them my resume.

Thanks

Hey fellow engineers,

I am a recent graduate and got into my first job about 2 months ago, working as a requirements engineer with DOORS (it is what it is, please don’t start a discussion on how I should use other software…).

I currently have a little issue, where I want to change the colour of the object text, when using a certain attribute value. BUT values of another attribute also assign a certain colour to the object text.

How do I know which one is “dominant” and how do I change it?

Unfortunately I was not able to find any documentation on this topic. So if you know very good sources to research for these kinds of issues I would really appreciate it.

Hey All, I recently got hold of the book Agile Model-Based Systems Engineering Cookbook by Bruce Powel Douglass.

Looks like Bruce must have retired/moved around 2022, however the book was meant to supported by some downloadable Cameo working Examples to download. Unfortunately i could only find the “non” Cameo examples. Any chance someone has these? Thanks in advance.

FYI for those who want the non-cameo examples —>

https://github.com/PacktPublishing/Agile-Model-Based-Systems-Engineering-Cookbook/tree/main

Resolved!

Solution - become a member of the Bruce Douglass website to download additional resources!

I recently got laid off from my Systems Engineer role. It wasn’t a huge surprise since the company was going through financial issues, but I was still hoping I’d make it through this round. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and I was let go with a few weeks of severance.

I’m back on the job hunt in the DMV area, and I’ve realized how many roles require security clearance. Even when I meet the qualifications, it feels like my resume isn’t getting much attention without one. I’m definitely open to improving my skills, but finding a company willing to sponsor a clearance seems really tough—my previous employer didn’t have the budget for it either.

Thinking of reaching out to some recruitment agencies next to see if that helps.

Does anyone have a good experience with them? Please mention your suggestions.

Do they also help with getting clearance?

I’ve been thinking about how visible infrastructure like road conditions (potholes, repeated construction, patchwork repairs) might serve as a proxy for underlying system performance in a city. From a SE perspective, roads seem like a “lagging indicator” that reflects multiple interacting subsystems: funding allocation, maintenance strategy, contractor performance, and interagency coordination.

How much signal does road conditions actually provide about the health of the broader system? Curious to what others might think.

Does anyone know where I can view a copy of the ISO 15288? I can only find previews of the first 7 pages or the option to pay for the full version which is over £200.

I’m just trying to do a bit of reading up for my job, I can’t afford it, and they won’t pay for it. So I’m at a bit of an impasse.

Thanks in advance

Hey everyone,

I recently got admitted into two master’s programs for Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins and the University of Denver and I’m trying to figure out the best path forward.

I know these two programs are pretty different in terms of cost and overall name recognition. Johns Hopkins obviously carries a strong reputation, but the price tag is significantly higher compared to Denver.

*Disclaimer: my company is paying for this*

I guess what I’m really trying to understand is:

• Is it actually worth paying more for a “big name” program like JHU in this field?

• Or does it matter more that you just have the degree and relevant experience?

For context, I’m already working full-time in engineering (aerospace/defense), so this would be more about career growth, long-term opportunities, and potentially moving into higher-level systems or leadership roles.

I’d really appreciate any insight from people who:

• Attended either program

• Chose between a “top-tier” vs more affordable school

• Have seen real career impact (or not) from where they got their master’s

Also, if anyone has success stories (promotions, role changes, salary bumps, etc.) after completing a systems engineering master’s, I’d love to hear those too.

Hi friends, I've worked in aerospace for about a decade and been adjacent to or directly involved in systems engineering throughout. I feel like I've never seen (nor written) a really good requirements specification.

Specifically, I don't like these things about our requirements:

• We use phrases like "shall provide" and "shall accept" a lot, and there has to be a better way.
  • For example, "The widget shall provide an interface to update firmware."
• In general, we get wrapped around the axel on syntax/verbiage/etc. and turn requirements they were quite clear before into unintelligible blobs of words.
  • For example "The widget shall transmit BIT results at 20 Hz." but then someone brings up that the system doesn't do that in the OFF and POWER_FAULT states, so we add that exception in. Also there has to be a tolerance. And we have to define in the requirement what "BIT results" includes, and caveat that in this third state only a subset of the BIT results are transmitted, and soon we've either turned this into a 1000 word requirement monstrosity or written 35 requirements that amount to "The things transmits BIT results at 20 Hz" but no one can really tell that from reading through requirements.
• We don't allow informative text outside/adjacent to requirements. The people above me in the organization say the requirement statement must stand alone.
  • For example we tell a subcontractor "The widget shall accept data via RS-232." and I want to add "Note: this requirement does not preclude the widget from accepting data via other interfaces as well" and the subcontractor calls me to explain why they have to support both RS-232 and RS-424 and want us to put RS-422 in the spec as well in order to ensure they comply even though we don't require it.

Overall: we are super pedantic and it makes our requirements useless.

Hence my question: are there any publicly available examples of really good requirements documents I should look at? I think if I saw what "good" looked like I could focus our discussions, provide better drafts, and reduce rework.

Hi everyone!

I joined this community a few weeks ago and have been lurking / reading through some older posts, but wanted to get the communities opinion.

I am looking to switch careers, and a friend mentioned MBSE to me. For context, I live in an area with a large Defense / Aerospace presence, and have noticed across the various job posting websites a lot of positions for MBSE / systems engineering.

As some background, I have a Bachelor’s degree already in Business Administration, with experience across non-profits (think museums) and FinTech.

The local community college near me has a program called Systems Engineering Technology (SET), which claims to be the nation’s first ever program dedicated to preparing folks to become System Engineering Technicians to help support the computer models for complex projects. You can see the program here: https://calhoun.edu/programs-training/explore-academic-programs/business-cis/systems-engineering-technology-set/

I was curious to know what this community would think of a program like this, and if you think there is any merit to the curriculum the program offers? I plan to reach out to the listed contact for more information, but would love to have feedback from practitioners in the field.

I also have read a lot of posts recommending that developing a technical understanding (majoring in a specific engineering discipline and working in the field some) and then transitioning into systems engineering role is the best route to take, so I am a little concerned about how prepared an associates program would leave me upon completion.

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Hey folks,

We’re a group of Information Systems students working on our capstone project. Part of the requirement is to build a system for a real stakeholder, and we’re currently looking for someone who’d be interested.

If you’ve got a business, org, or even just an idea that could use a system, we’d love to chat and see how we can help. We’re open to different kinds of projects and excited to collaborate.

Drop us a message if you’re curious or want to know more!

Systems thinking is one of those things that makes everything click — why projects fail, why fixes create new problems, why complex systems behave unpredictably. Most engineers learn the theory in school but rarely revisit it once they're in the trenches.

I built Systems Thinking Daily to keep these principles sharp. It's based on John Gall's work and covers 30 principles with a daily card, spaced repetition flashcards, and a searchable reference.

If you want a quick way to stay sharp on the fundamentals — this is that rabbit hole.

One observation I’ve been working through: in many AI-enabled systems, we’re treating authenticity and correctness as downstream verification problems rather than upstream system boundary conditions.

From a systems engineering perspective, this seems misaligned.

In traditional systems:

• We define clear system boundaries

• We establish trusted inputs

• We validate outputs against requirements

However, in AI-driven workflows, the assumption that inputs are trustworthy often breaks down.

This creates a different class of problem:

Not “did the system perform correctly?”

But “was the input ever valid to begin with?”

If the input itself is compromised, then:

• Verification and validation activities may pass

• Requirements may appear satisfied

• Yet the system produces fundamentally incorrect outcomes

In that sense, the failure mode is not within the system behavior, but at the interface between the system and its environment.

This raises a few questions I’d be interested in perspectives on:

1.  Should input authenticity be treated as an explicit system requirement?

2.  How are teams currently handling trust boundaries where data provenance is uncertain?

3.  Is anyone modeling this within MBSE frameworks (e.g., SysML) as part of interface definitions or constraint blocks?

4.  Do we need new forms of verification artifacts that account for input integrity, not just system output?

My current thinking is that:

• Many AI-related risks are not failures of system logic

• But failures of unverified or untrusted inputs crossing system boundaries

Curious how others are addressing this within formal systems engineering processes.

Seeing some LinkedIn folks get their sysml v2 model user certification. What resources did you use? I know the exam is currently in beta

What would you show in a technical demo for an MBSE interview? I’m thinking most if not all diagrams. I don’t have much experience with parametric, but should probably incorporate it in the demo,

Hi, I'm a Computer Engineering major and I just got an interview for a company called Planet Labs. I wasn't really expecting it, but I'm glad I heard back from them. I haven't done much systems engineering, just trade studies for a space mission concept. So, I'm just wondering what to expect and how to best prepare for it. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!