Principal systems engineers can work in various fields, from manufacturing to product development and even software. Their job is to create systems that enable the business's smooth performance from product creation to final delivery.
Principal systems engineers may study existing systems to understand their functions and implement upgrades as needed. They may also design and test systems for new business processes. Principal systems engineers usually have a team of other engineers under them. They coordinate their activities, supervise work, and create work plans.
As a principal systems engineer, you may report to the business' operations manager or CEO. Your other responsibilities may include maintaining your department's operating budget and meeting with clients.
To become a principal systems engineer, you need an advanced degree in computer engineering or other specializations. You'll also need some years of experience to qualify for the role.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a principal systems engineer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $67.12 an hour? That's $139,604 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 18,200 job opportunities across the U.S.
There are certain skills that many principal systems engineers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, problem-solving skills and analytical skills.
If you're interested in becoming a principal systems engineer, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 66.2% of principal systems engineers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 21.9% of principal systems engineers have master's degrees. Even though most principal systems engineers have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a principal systems engineer. When we researched the most common majors for a principal systems engineer, we found that they most commonly earn bachelor's degree degrees or master's degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on principal systems engineer resumes include associate degree degrees or doctoral degree degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a principal systems engineer. In fact, many principal systems engineer jobs require experience in a role such as senior systems engineer. Meanwhile, many principal systems engineers also have previous career experience in roles such as systems engineer or senior software engineer.