Systems engineering: a practical approach for junior engineers

This paper discusses a recent engineering graduate´s viewpoint(s) about his career with United States Air Force. He discusses the importance of undergraduate engineering disciplines being taught with respect to systems engineering guidelines. He discusses how systems engineering should also be taught from a practical viewpoint. If the systems engineering process is added to the traditional engineering curriculum, it should highlight war-fighter´s or customer´s needs, their specifications, standards, and requirements. The paper stresses the idea that requirements engineering methodologies, a subset of systems engineering, should be taught. This paper discusses the use of requirements engineering to derive software and hardware requirements for avionics subsystems. It discusses definitions and applications of systems engineering methodologies to develop a technological product that succeeds from one milestone decision to another and from one life cycle phase to the next. Recommendations are made on how to better prepare pre-graduate engineers for such a workplace.