What does an applications & systems engineer do?
An applications and systems engineer is an information technology (IT) expert whose responsibilities revolve around designing and developing applications and systems to optimize company operations. They typically perform internal assessments to identify company needs, evaluate existing systems and applications to determine areas needing improvements, establish testing structures, and providing solutions for different IT issues. Furthermore, as an application and systems engineer, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks on IT systems and networks, ensuring efficiency and providing corrective measures as needed.
Applications & systems engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real applications & systems engineer resumes:
- Used to update issue tracker and manage code using version control system git.
- Support multiple Unix and DB2 UDB SQL scripts along with various store procedures.
- Perform extract, transform and load (ETL) for converting server base DB2 to host CICS data bases.
- Used MFC (VC++) and XML in development.
- Integrate platform into GitHub, JIRA and confluence.
- Read XML logs to identify application issue and provide solution.
- Analyze and frame the business logic for the ETL process as per the requirements.
- Verify program logic by overseeing the preparation of test data, testing and debugging of programs.
- Used IBM RAD7 as IDE tool to develop the application and JIRA for bug and issue tracking.
- Install Jenkins and work on setting up automation of build, deploy, infrastructure automation through Jenkins.
- Perform testing activities to include: planning, design, scripting, execution, debugging and reporting tasks.
- Create comprehensive support documentation for client for IA and also for Linux server build tasks for other less experience colleagues.
- Research, plan, install, configure, troubleshoot, maintain and upgrade hardware and software interfaces with the operating system.
- Support day-to-day operations of corporate UNIX servers and workstations.
- Configure and deploy the enterprise application security using JENKINS.
Applications & systems engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 11% of Applications & Systems Engineers are proficient in Application Development, C++, and Java. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Problem-solving skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Applications & Systems Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Application Development, 11%
Worked with application development, project management and other technical service areas to support document imaging.
- C++, 8%
Designed and developed energy trading and marketing systems and applications to automate financial decisions using technologies such as PowerBuilder and C++.
- Java, 7%
Participate in the enhancement of the application functionality using Java TestNG with Selenium WebDriver for Automation.
- Architecture, 5%
Developed customized SNMP applications over Linux platform architecture to further enhance monitoring effectiveness of network/systems monitoring processes.
- Database, 5%
Upgraded software, resolved problems, monitored security, provided performance tuning and executed backups through Oracle database administration functions.
- SQL Server, 3%
Extracted and summarized weekly workload and tickets entered into the system for the entire front-end team using SQL Server.
"application development," "c++," and "java" are among the most common skills that applications & systems engineers use at work. You can find even more applications & systems engineer responsibilities below, including:
Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for an applications & systems engineer to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what applications & systems engineers do because "developers often work on many parts of an application or system at the same time and must therefore be able to concentrate and pay attention to detail." Additionally, an applications & systems engineer resume shows how applications & systems engineers use detail oriented: "created a highly detailed and automated quoting and configuration tools using excel/visual basic and visio. "
Problem-solving skills. Another essential skill to perform applications & systems engineer duties is problem-solving skills. Applications & systems engineers responsibilities require that "because developers are in charge of software from beginning to end, they must be able to solve problems that arise throughout the design process." Applications & systems engineers also use problem-solving skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "analyzed business requirements, designs and wrote technical specifications to design or redesign computer solutions. "
Analytical skills. This is an important skill for applications & systems engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how applications & systems engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "developers must analyze users’ needs and then design software to meet those needs." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an applications & systems engineer: "created and ran oracle data integrator j2ee agents. ".
Communication skills. For certain applications & systems engineer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of an applications & systems engineer rely on this skill, as "developers must be able to give clear instructions to others working on a project." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what applications & systems engineers do: "established a json contract to make a communication between the js pages and java classes. "
Creativity. Another common skill required for applications & systems engineer responsibilities is "creativity." This skill comes up in the duties of applications & systems engineers all the time, as "developers are the creative minds behind new computer software." An excerpt from a real applications & systems engineer resume shows how this skill is central to what an applications & systems engineer does: "developed api's from customer php websites to inventory backend utilizing custom web service calls via xml / json. "
The three companies that hire the most applications & systems engineers are:
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Applications & systems engineer vs. Systems analyst
A systems analyst is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of technology systems and analyzing its efficiency for business operations and clients' needs. Systems analysts create specific modifications to operating systems and help design solutions and processes. Other tasks include managing the system's workflow, diagnosing and detecting malfunctions, performing troubleshooting, and assisting clients' with their concerns. A systems analyst must have excellent command with programming languages and the knowledge with the technology industry to understand systems' complexities and processes.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an applications & systems engineer are more likely to require skills like "architecture," "database," "windows," and "web services." On the other hand, a job as a systems analyst requires skills like "customer service," "c #," "data analysis," and "business processes." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Systems analysts tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $86,904. In contrast, applications & systems engineers make the biggest average salary, $113,463, in the finance industry.On average, systems analysts reach similar levels of education than applications & systems engineers. Systems analysts are 1.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Applications & systems engineer vs. Lead engineer
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real applications & systems engineer resumes. While applications & systems engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "application development," "sdlc," "technical specifications," and "etl," lead engineers use skills like "python," "c #," "javascript," and "git."
On average, lead engineers earn a lower salary than applications & systems engineers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, lead engineers earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $110,872. Whereas applications & systems engineers have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $113,463.lead engineers earn similar levels of education than applications & systems engineers in general. They're 2.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for applications & systems engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Andrea Welker Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University
Applications & systems engineer vs. Software engineer
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an applications & systems engineer is likely to be skilled in "architecture," "technical specifications," "windows," and "troubleshoot," while a typical software engineer is skilled in "python," "software development," "git," and "c."
Software engineers earn the best pay in the start-up industry, where they command an average salary of $122,617. Applications & systems engineers earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $113,463.software engineers typically earn similar educational levels compared to applications & systems engineers. Specifically, they're 4.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Applications & systems engineer vs. Senior engineer
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Types of applications & systems engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
