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What is a senior technical system engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Senior technical system engineers utilize their outstanding technical skills and knowledge to manage organizations' computer and network systems. This advanced position requires senior technical system engineers to develop strategies to meet performance goals, plan and implement infrastructure changes, and address complex application and network issues.

Additional duties of a senior technical system engineer may also include developing, patching, and testing complex channels and systems that meet predetermined specifications and requirements. Furthermore, they may serve as the leader for developing network security strategies and protocols within their organization.

If you want to become a senior technical system engineer, the first thing you need is a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, information technology, or other similar fields. Then, you would have to gain around two to three years of experience as a junior technical system engineer or some other relevant position.

The qualifications for this role may be high, but the average salary of $110,000 per year should serve as a great motivation for you to pursue this job position.

What general advice would you give to a senior technical system engineer?

Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Director of Graduate Studies for the Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Assistant Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University Bloomington

Look for a job that you would enjoy doing, even if it takes some time to find such a position. Internships are great to explore various options.
ScoreSenior Technical System EngineerUS Average
Salary
7.8

Avg. Salary $107,278

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 11.54%

Black or African American 8.61%

Hispanic or Latino 12.30%

Unknown 5.06%

White 62.17%

Gender

female 13.64%

male 86.36%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Senior technical system engineer career paths

Key steps to become a senior technical system engineer

  1. Explore senior technical system engineer education requirements

    Most common senior technical system engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.9 %

    Associate

    14.3 %

    Master's

    11.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior technical system engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Infrastructure11.62%
    Cloud8.60%
    Architecture8.53%
    Windows Server6.41%
    VMware5.65%
  3. Complete relevant senior technical system engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior technical system engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior technical system engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior technical system engineer resumes.
  4. Research senior technical system engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage Cisco switches, web filter, and wireless controllers.
    • Provide functional and technical expertise in managing EMC SAN storage environments.
    • Lead a team of UNIX and Intel systems professionals responsible for the administration and maintenance of countrywide internal business systems.
    • Recruit to establish and manage Virtualization\Storage\Backup environments.
  5. Get senior technical system engineer experience

    Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a senior technical system engineer. The most common roles before becoming a senior technical system engineer include senior systems engineer, systems engineer team lead and systems administrator.
  6. Prepare your senior technical system engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior technical system engineer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior technical system engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior technical system engineer resume templates

    Build a professional senior technical system engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior technical system engineer resume.
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
    Senior Technical System Engineer Resume
  7. Apply for senior technical system engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior technical system engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior technical system engineer job

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Average senior technical system engineer salary

The average senior technical system engineer salary in the United States is $107,278 per year or $52 per hour. Senior technical system engineer salaries range between $82,000 and $139,000 per year.

Average senior technical system engineer salary
$107,278 Yearly
$51.58 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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