Robotics careers · Career guide

Systems engineerwhat the job involves, pay and who’s hiring

There are 381 open systems engineer roles on Robotics Connected today, at 106 employers. Where roles give pay, the middle figure is $193K a year. Below is what the work involves, the skills employers ask for, how people get in, and the roles open now.

By Olivier Ayache · Figures from the jobs board, updated
381
open systems engineer roles
106
employers hiring
$193K
middle pay a year, from 46 roles
4%
can be done remotely

What does a systems engineer do?

Systems engineers look after the robot as a whole. They turn what a customer needs into requirements, make sure the mechanical, electrical and software parts fit together, and check that the finished system does what was promised.

The role is especially common in drones, defence, space and autonomous vehicles, where safety and certification shape much of the work.

Also advertised as: Systems integration engineer, Autonomous systems engineer, Systems architect.

A typical week

  • Writing and tracing requirements
  • Defining how the parts of the system connect and interact
  • Planning and reviewing tests and verification
  • Working through safety analysis and certification

Skills employers ask for

  • Requirements and systems engineering practice (often model-based, with SysML)
  • A broad technical base across hardware and software
  • Safety analysis such as FMEA
  • Test and verification planning
  • Clear writing and coordination across teams

How much do systems engineers earn?

  • $168K to $232K a year for the middle half, $193K in the middle, from 46 roles paid in USD

These figures come from the 49 of 381 open roles that give pay, taking the middle of each role’s range. Most are in US states where job adverts have to show pay, so they lean towards American salaries; roles in the UK and Europe rarely publish a figure.

Who is hiring systems engineers?

The employers with the most open systems engineer roles today:

Where are the jobs?

The cities with the most open systems engineer roles, each with its own page of robotics jobs:

And by country:

What levels are open?

203 of the 381 roles say their level in the title. They split like this:

Entry-level roles are scarce across robotics, not only in this one. I looked at why, and what I’d suggest if you’re starting out, in this article on the entry-level gap.

How to become a systems engineer

Most systems engineers start in one engineering discipline and broaden out. I'd suggest volunteering for integration and test work early on, since it is the quickest way to learn how a whole system fits together.

If you’re early on, the robotics internships and entry-level and graduate roles are the places to start.

Open systems engineer jobs

The newest, one an employer:

Search the jobs board for “systems”All Test, Safety & Quality roles

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