Systems Engineer Resume Examples | A Complete Guide with Examples

To create a perfect resume for systems engineer jobs, you need to do your research and follow a methodological approach to writing it.

That’s what we have compiled in this article: a complete guide to writing your next resume.

This includes:

• How to pick the right layout, format, and template for your resume.
• Example resumes to get inspired from.
• A step-by-step guide to writing each section of your resume.
• Pro tips to make your resume stand out from the rest.

As a systems engineer, you’ll be excited by how smooth our resume builder runs and creates exceptional resumes in no time. You can try it for free to create a perfect resume with a modern resume template to make it extra special to the hiring manager.

This is a senior systems engineer resume specializing in mechanical and electrical engineering.

Entry-Level Systems Engineer Resume Example

This is an entry-level systems engineer resume specializing in computer engineering systems.

Sometimes, it’s very difficult to distinguish your field of specialization as a systems engineer as you’ll have to deal with systems that involve multiple fields of engineering. If so, align yourself as much as possible with the system engineer job description.

If you need further inspiration for writing your systems engineer resume, we have listed other fields of engineering as well for your reference👇.

• Network engineer resume
• Mechanical engineer resume
• Data engineer resume
• Electrical engineer resume
• Chemical engineer resume
• Audio engineer resume

Salary & Employment Stats for Systems Engineers

According to payscale.com, the average salary of a systems engineer is $81,000/ year 💰. It could go anywhere from $61k to $130k all depending on your experience, skills, and personality.

A great resume helps you develop the confidence to negotiate your pay and ask for two times the salary that everyone else is getting.

How to Write a Systems Engineer Resume from the Ground Up

System engineering is the type of engineering that involves planning, designing, and optimizing electrical, mechanical, and computer systems.

When writing a professional systems engineer resume, you should start with a proper plan. In resume writing, we start with defining your resume’s layout, format, and template.

That makes the resume writing process streamlined with modern HR practices and makes your resume stands out from the hundreds of resumes your hiring manager receives.

Systems engineer resume layout

The resume layout is the plan that you’re going to execute. It consists of the headings, subheadings, and important sections you’re going to include in your resume.

When finalizing the layout, make sure you include all mandatory sections for your resume and also include the sections that demonstrate your personality to the hiring manager.

We recommend the following layout for a Systems Engineer resume:

• Header: name and contact information.
• Professional summary statement.
• Work history.
• Education.
• Skills.
• Additional sections (certificates, languages, and publications).

Also, consider the order in which you list these sections on your resume. For instance, if you’re an entry-level systems engineer applying for your first job or internship just after graduation, you may list your education before the experience.

Best resume format for systems engineers

The format of your resume comes into play when you write your resume experience section. The format explains how you organize your work experience on your resume.

There’re three standard resume formats in use:

• The functional (skill-based) format: A functional resume format highlights the candidate’s skills. Under each skill, the respective job position, achievements, and other details are written.
• Reverse chronological order (traditional) format: The reverse chronological resume format is about organizing your experience section starting with the most recent job.
• Combination format: This is a hybrid version of the above two formats.

We suggest you use the reverse chronological format for your systems engineering resume as it represents your most recent experience with the recruiter and the order in which you have moved in your career.

The reverse chronological format makes a clear representation of your work experience and it’s the most popular resume format of all.

In fact, most hiring managers prefer this format as they are easy to read and understand.

Systems engineering resume templates

The resume template you choose will produce the final look and feel of your resume. It will be a key factor in making the first impression on the hiring manager. Therefore, choose wisely.

Pick a modern resume template that utilizes your resume space effectively. In our resume builder, we have composed some of the best resume templates you could find online. Most of our resume templates come with multiple columns saving you space and would make your two-page long CV into a single-page beautiful resume.

When choosing the template, also consider you’re applying for an engineering job – show your organizing skills – use relevant colors and fonts. Find a template that you could tailor to your requirement.

If you’re creating your resume template on Microsoft Word, consider the following guidelines:

• Define consistent font, font sizes, and colors.
• Maintain consistent margins throughout the document.
• Save the document in PDF and Text formats.

Keyword Research

System engineering is a highly demanding profession and the well-paid jobs in reputed companies receive hundreds of resumes.

To make the screening process more efficient, hiring managers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to carry out the initial shortlisting.

Here, your application will be checked for the inclusion of relevant keywords.

To pass the ATS test, your systems engineering resume should include a decent amount of keywords the hiring manager is looking for. Do your research and find out the right keywords. You could use the following sources:

• The job advertisement/ job description
• Company website
• Industry Blogs and forums
• Our comprehensive guide to Keywords for your resume

Start Your Systems Engineering Resume with the Header

Your resume should start with your name and contact details. As this section mostly gets the hiring manager’s first attention, you should know what to write here and what to avoid.

We have highlighted some of the mistakes candidates make in this section👇

A good & a bad header

CORRECT

Daniel Marsh

Senior Systems Engineer

dmarsh@gmail.com

(265)826-6257

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmarsh

INCORRECT

Systems Engineer

Daniel Marsh

danielmarsh@kdlholdings.com

(265)826-6257

2615, main street, IT plaza building,

Washington DC

USA

• Start your resume with your name – use the first name and the last name – make it big and bold.
• Just under your name, put your current job position.
• Use your personal email instead of your current employer’s email.
• Do not write your physical address/ mailing address.
• Put the link to your portfolio or LinkedIn account – make sure they are up to date.

Hook the Reader with a Systems Engineer Resume Summary

You can encourage the hiring manager to read your full resume by including an excellent resume summary/ professional summary at the beginning of your resume.

Use 3 to 4 lines from the top of your resume to write a sales pitch to your hiring manager – consider this a mini-cover letter. Tailor it to the job you’re applying for – make it look like you’re directly talking to the hiring manager.

State how you’ll be a perfect match for the position – prove it with facts and figures from your previous experience. State your key skills.

Here’s to get an inspiration to write yours:

Examples

CORRECT

A technically sound systems engineer with solid project management skills seeks to join AKD industries to further my career in automated manufacturing systems. As a system support engineer, I have been involved in automation system design and maintenance projects valued at $35M in the last two years.

INCORRECT

I am a senior systems engineer with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical engineering and a Master’s in systems engineering seeking an upgrade in my career.

Professional Objective

A professional objective is just as same as a professional summary in terms of structure. If you’re an entry-level candidate applying for your first job, consider writing an objective summary highlighting your career objectives, passion for the industry, and skills.

Demonstrate Your Systems Engineering Experience

Illuminate your systems engineering resume with a perfectly written experience section. This section will make or break your chances of getting the interview.

Not only that, most interviews are based on your resume’s experience section. A well-written resume experience section increases your chance of being hired.

There’re mainly three times a hiring manager looks at your resume. The first time is before they invite you for the interview – the second time is at the interview – the third time is when they have to choose between two or more candidates after the interview. Each time they look at your resume, the most highlighted area would be your experience section.

Your new potential employer is keen to know in detail how your experience aligns with their job description. Therefore, you need to tailor your resume to answer that very question.

A mere set of roles and responsibilities you held at your previous employer would not convert the best results – instead, you should talk about your personal achievements at work.

Refer to the following examples – take note of our Pro Writing Tips to improve your experience section.

Experience section for Senior Systems Engineers

INCORRECT

Aug 2016 to Present

Systems Engineer

Betterteam consultants

• Designed information technology-based systems.
• Managed 10 system engineers.
• Used the relevant software tools.
• Operating systems installation for machinery.
• Provided software applications support.
• Used lean manufacturing methods.
• Involved in supply chain management

CORRECT

Aug 2016 to Present

Systems Engineer

Betterteam consultants

• Inspected the client's systems and carried out bottleneck analysis.
• Managed a client portfolio worth $12M annually – provided them after-sales service and onsite technical support.
• Analyzed the existing systems and created system improvement plans together with the budget.
• Managed a team of 8 junior systems engineers to serve over 15 industrial clients.
• Introduced a systems engineering internship and recruited suitable candidates on 6 to 8 months contracts.
• Provided technical support to the client’s teams whenever necessary – developed a 24/7 systems support crew making new market standards.

A senior systems engineer should focus on providing an overview of their technical skills as well as crucial soft skills such as communication, negotiation, leadership, and team building. In most senior positions, you will be managing a technical team.

Moreover, understand your area of expertise. A systems engineer could be an expert in mechanical, electrical, or computer systems – or they could have experience in all these areas. Identify those specializations and tailor them to the job description.

Experience section for entry-level Systems Engineers

We have highlighted the importance of a perfect experience section on your resume. However, if you’re an entry-level candidate, writing your experience section would be challenging.

Remember no hiring manager would like to do experiments with a systems engineer.

So, how do you secure your first job?

You should write about your internship, the projects you carried out during your academics, and any other practical (related) experience instead of keeping this section empty.

There’s a very low chance for a resume with an empty experience section to get through to the interview stage.

Brace Your Systems Engineer Resume with Education

Recruiters usually highlight the specific education qualifications they’re looking for. They often ask for a Bachelor’s degree and prefer candidates having a Master’s degree.

Most systems engineers get their Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Computer Engineering while other relevant higher diploma level certifications are also considered valid.

A post-graduate diploma or Master's degree in a related field would be an advantage.

Write your education section just after your experience section. Use a clear and consistent format to list your degrees. Consider writing the key learning outcomes of each course – GPA (if required) – the year of graduation – and the university or institution name. If you have any special academic achievements, do not forget to mention them as well.

Education

The Most Sought-After Skills in Systems Engineering

Systems engineers come out with a strong set of technical skills – they have a thorough knowledge of systems and a general knowledge of all the fields in engineering – which is essential to do their jobs.

When you’re listing your skills on the resume, list the relevant skills that the job advertisement has highlighted. However, make sure you possess every skill that you put on your resume.

Technical skills or hard skills are easily measurable: you’ll be asked questions on these skills at the interview. When you’re listing a technical skill, you should refresh your knowledge on them before you head on to the interview.

On contrary, soft skills are hard to measure: however, when you list soft skills such as leadership, teamwork, or attention to details under your skills, demonstrate some real-world use cases in your experience section.

You should write a mix of soft skills and hard skills in your resume skills section.

Soft Skills for Systems Engineers

• Leadership
• Clear communication
• Analytical skills
• Attention to details
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Organizational skills
• Problem-solving
• Interpersonal skills

Hard Skills for Systems Engineers

• Project management
• Lean six sigma
• Supply chain management
• Cost accounting/ cost analysis
• JIT/ 5S
• Data analysis: Tableau, Microsoft office suite
• CAD/CAM
• Inventory control
• Feasibility testing
• Math

Additional sections for your Systems Engineer Resume

Now, your systems engineering resume has ALMOST everything it needs – except a little surprise to the hiring manager.

A couple of additional sections would provide just that.

The right additional sections would make your resume stand out at a time that the hiring manager had to make a choice between a couple of applicants.

Remember, every systems engineer applying for these positions would have the same qualifications as yours. Use any information that differentiates your application from the rest.

What you put on your resume depends on your profile.

Here’re some of the additional sections you may consider:

• Computer skills & certifications
• Publications and patents
• Languages
• Interests

While you could have put this information in your education or experience sections, a small additional section would always get the hiring manager’s attention.

Computing Skills & Certifications

Some skill certifications have the potential to place your application at the top of the folder and might just be the reason to get you the job – that’s how powerful they’re. Identify what certifications are most in-demand for your career.

You can find the relevant skill certifications online or check out our guide to resume certifications. We have compiled a complete set of certifications for different industries.

Here’re some of the related certifications for systems engineers:

• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Six Sigma Black Belt Certification
• Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
• Business Process Reengineering (BPR) Certification
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)

Other relevant IT skills

• CAD/CAM design
• Organizational ERP systems
• SEO
• Manufacturing Material Requirement Planning (MRP) systems
• Mathlab
• Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Access, Office)
• SQL/ Python/ C++/ Java

Publications and Patents

Having industrial or academic publications on your name or a patent would be a great way to distinguish yourself from other systems engineering candidates.

This demonstrates your technical skills and research skills which are predominantly important in your work.

Tips to Improve Your Resume for Systems Engineering

You have created a perfect systems engineering resume – let’s make it the best.

• Don’t forget to proofread your resume with a tool like Grammarly. We don’t want to look ignorant when we have listed “attention to details” under our skills.
• Invest in the relevant skill certifications – the time and money you invest in acquiring these certifications will instantly pay you back.
• Put more time into optimizing your resume summary and experience sections.
• Consider using a modern resume template that matches your profile.

Key Takeaways: Writing a Resume for Systems Engineering Jobs

• Start your resume with the header – include your name and contact information.
• Write a tempting professional summary to hook the reader.
• Make your experience section do the talking – include more numbers, achievements, and results.
• Describe your academic qualifications briefly but clearly.
• Write a mix of soft skills and hard skills – relevancy is the key here.
• Use a couple of additional sections to make a pleasant surprise to the hiring manager.

Complement Your Resume with Your Cover Letter

A perfect resume should always be accompanied by a well-written cover letter. It's not because every hiring manager reads it, but if your hiring manager is expecting it, you won't make the cut.

In fact, a cover letter is a great way to showcase your interest in a particular position or an organization.

If you found a job opening in a company that you were always looking for, you should certainly write a cover letter.

An applicant who is in a career transition or has little industry experience should include a cover letter with their application.

A great cover letter demonstrates your enthusiasm for the job while also highlighting your key skills, expertise, and experience.

FAQ