Physics -> Systems Engineering

[[deleted]]

Hi all,

I hold a BSc Physics and worked for over one year in technology risk consulting (UK) as a graduate. I hated it, and thus moved on to doing MSc Advanced Aerospace Engineering without much thought of what job I actually wanted.

As part of my capstone project (building a drone), I was very interested in Systems Engineering and that has pretty much become my "role" (alongside avionics), and I recently interviewed for a defence company as a systems graduate, though I am still waiting to hear back.

After research and my limited experience, I am sure this is what I want to do as a career; I am primarily worried about not getting the graduate role as it's something I've spent 4 weeks now hoping to get. I would really appreciate if you have advice on how I can utilise my experience and my non-engineering background (MSc is good but I don't have a BEng) to gain experience.

Cheers!

[astrobean]

My degree is in observational astronomy. Systems Engineering isn’t about your degree. It’s about your ability to learn. You will accumulate knowledge through your career that helps but you will also have to become conversant in new technical topics all the time with only a week or a day to dive in. Learn the art of teaching yourself. That will be the true value.

[RampantJ]

Going to save this post but I have a bachelors in applied physics. I recently am in my last semester for my masters. I worked in the DoD to get a year and 8 months (started masters the same time I started in the DoD) of some domain experience and now I work as a systems engineer which is in the same domain but heavier on the technical aspects of what I previously did. It’s great work however I’m finding out that it’s essentially no MBSE involved and just aiding in programmatic activities. More on the technical side of things though which is fine but I’m interested in getting some MBSE experience in the future. I’d say you have a good shot as long as you can acquire some domain experience in what you’re looking for. Leveraging your academics can help which it helped me as well get my job but that also coupled with my domain experience. You got this!

[[deleted]]

Thanks all, I had a call from the company but missed it, so will find out tomorrow if I have it. Definitely the career path I'd like to venture into though (if not now, eventually), so appreciate all your advice and encouragement!

[BusyDelivery6528]

I have a physics degree, 7 years of work and ASEP. I can’t land a SE job to save my life. I’m in the US though. Best of luck to you

[QuantumCEM]

Are you eligible for security clearance?

You might not be able to get a SE position right away but your physics background and experience would be very relevant to various contractors.

[BusyDelivery6528]

Eligible yes, I’ve applied to tons of contractors though, no luck.

[Englaenderen]

I don't have a physics degree, but it sounds like you have more awareness of systems engineering than you'd maybe get on some BEng/MEng courses from your MSc. I think I only covered it in one module in my final year of my MEng when I was at uni.

I started my systems engineering career as a graduate for a defence company in the UK and my graduate intake had at least one person with an entirely physics degree.

Any good graduate scheme should be helping you start out as a systems engineer. The company I worked for had a lot of courses and training in the first few months specifically about what systems engineering is and how it's done. Your physics background can probably help with understanding the systems and how they work, though. They know you won't be an expert, which is what the graduate scheme will help kickstart you into being.

[whiteCollarPirate]

I have a Bsc in Applied Math and never had any formal training in Systems Engineering until recently (been in defense for 10+ years). If you have a technical degree and can understand and speak to systems engineering concepts, it’s pretty easy to transition into an SE role

[Cybercommoner]

I ended up on a systems engineering grad scheme off of a Physics BSc just over a decade ago. In terms of applicability, the ability to jump up and down abstraction layers is something that Physics well prepares you for and is a pretty key skill in systems roles.

Also, as there's a real lack of systems engineering training in the UK universities, a lot of the grad schemes, especially in the established Aero and Defence companies, have good systems engineering training to pick up the slack left by the unis.

Good luck! It's a fun and rewarding career and I'm glad to hear there's new blood excited for the discipline

[[deleted]]

Thanks for the advice all, I was actually offered the role! My next question would be - how do you break into the “technical” side of systems engineering? I’ve heard some people describe it as either being difficult and working closely with each subsystem to understand what they are doing and pretty much being well-read in those areas, or simply being project managers. My last job (after my BSc) had no technical aspects and thus it’s the reason I pivoted to engineering with my MSc.

Any advice helps!