Fortunately, like many other jobs during the past couple of years, many engineering jobs are now available remotely.
And now you may be curious if you can be a system engineer under the work from home model.
In this brief guide, you will learn everything you need to know about working from home as a system engineer.
Can System Engineers Work Remotely?
System engineers may be able to work remotely, depending on the particular industry and the specific responsibilities for your position.
In general, as a system engineer, you are responsible for developing, analyzing, and fixing projects or systems in a specific industry, such as software or product development.
Typically, you can perform a large portion of your tasks digitally, making it easy to work from home.
Interested in learning more about system engineering, read our comparison of system engineering vs. electrical engineering.
Some companies may face challenge with engineering under a WFH model because engineering is a collaborative job.
You must work with others, both from their own team and from other business departments, to accomplish precise and thorough work.
Since this has been the norm, system engineers have typically spent the majority of their time in-office or on-site.
Yet, system engineering companies usually have access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology.
Therefore, they can allow you to connect with networks, systems, and devices to carry out your work.
You can also communicate effectively through collaborative tools and product development software to receive and develop relevant information.
In some cases, you may need to work on-site to inspect or analyze systems in-person.
For instance, system engineers may need to inspect physical manufacturing equipment or physical servers.
Fortunately, with the development of new technology, someone can be sent into the field and provide real-time footage of systems for you to view and analyze.
This method can actually be more productive in the long-term, as you don’t waste valuable time and resources moving from place to place.
Is It Good To Work From Home?
System engineers may enjoy working from home as long as they are self-disciplined and self-motivated.
To be successful at remote working, you must manage your time effectively and complete your work and tasks on-time.
It may be particularly difficult to WFH if you’re in charge of many tasks.
For instance, most systems engineers not only create and install new systems, they also test those systems, analyze feedback, fix errors or malfunctions, design additional features, ensure client satisfaction, provide technical assistance, and work with other company departments such as marketing.
Accordingly, it can be difficult to manage being pulled in various directions at any given time.
However, WFM is also preferable for many reasons.
It gives you the flexibility to balance your work and home life easily, focus on demanding projects better, and control over your own work pace.
Additionally, it cuts back on transportation and unnecessary on-site work.
This way, you can perform higher quality work remotely than in-office.
Also read: Hardware Engineers Guide To Working From Home
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Working From Home?
System engineers love working from home for the following reasons:
- Less Distractions: When system engineers work from home, they have less distractions from peers and a workplace environment. In turn, this means they can complete work more efficiently.
- Better Health: A WFH job gives employees more time and energy to devote to mental health, wellness, family, friends, and other important aspects.
- Decreased Expenses: One of the biggest benefits of WFH is considerably reduced travel expenses. Although you may need to cover electricity and internet costs, your employer may offset the costs, or you can potentially to write it off your taxes.
- Job Availability: As many companies make the shift to a WFH model, they have the capacity to hire more employees.
However, there are some cons with WFH as well, such as:
- Lack of Company Culture: It can be hard to engage with work and understand the goals and values of a company when you work remotely. For this reason, you may feel like there is no cohesive company culture.
- Isolation: When you work remotely, you do not have peers around you.
- Accountability: In the office, you’re typically held accountable by your management and team. However, when you work from home, you must carry out a lot of the manager’s role on your own to make sure you hit targets and goals.
Recommended article: Can Chemical Engineers Work From Home?
Where Do Systems Engineers Work?
System engineers work in many different industries.
You may work dominantly for the government, academic institutions, manufacturing companies, computer companies, software companies or security companies.
Additionally, you may work on contracts for government or academic projects.
Learn more: Can Electrical Engineer Work From Home (Guide)
How To Find Jobs To Work Remotely?
Today, it’s much easier to find a remote system engineering job than ever before.
Typically, you can find a remote system engineering job by looking on websites such as Upwork, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and Workopolis.
You can also look for system engineer jobs by researching particular companies in your area to find out if they have any open system engineer positions.
What Do You Need To Work From Home?
To work from home as a systems engineer, you need to have a powerful computer and processor, a secure server and firewall protection, and a high-speed ethernet internet connection.
The company will probably give you any programs or software that you require.
You’ll also need a quiet place to work and the discipline to complete tasks on time without direct supervision.
If you’re working for a high-level security company or a federal agency, they may supply a secure computer and other equipment as well.
Recommended article: Do Civil Engineering Students Need Laptops?
Best Online Companies For System Engineers
There are many top-rated companies hiring system engineers as remote workers.
You may like to look at any of the following companies:
Final Thoughts
Since fully remote system engineer jobs are becoming more and more commonplace, it will only become easier to find a remote job.
If you acquire a system engineer remote job, you may only need to work on-site for inspections or consultations.
However, you may have the opportunity to outsource this part of your position as well.
Moreover, be sure to ask your hiring company about their standards, expectations, and level of support during your WFH system engineer job to make sure you are comfortable with their corporate culture.
This way, you can make sure your remote job is exactly what you expect it to be.
