Professional Development within the System Engineerings job family

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Professional Development within the System
Engineerings job family

• Thales Université June 2007

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System Engineering Job Family

• System engineering covers the various activities
  associated with the development of a product,
  piece of equipment or system. This
  multidisciplinary approach includes all the
  technical efforts required to design, develop and
  validate a range of system solutions, i.e. the
  processes, products and skills needed to meet the
  customer's requirements. All these efforts need
  to be closely coordinated and supported
  throughout the system life cycle.
• The System engineer has technical oversight
  responsibility and plays a central role in the
  process of designing complex systems such as
  detection, surveillance and command equipment,
  communications... He/She is responsible for
  maintaining consistency between the various
  functions of the system. In addition to
  multidisciplinary skills in hardware and software
  and expertise in the different specialist
  engineering fields and technologies, he/she also
  has a broad understanding of all the fields of
  application concerned.
• THALES competitive edge and technological
  leadership are largely dependent on the quality
  of its System engineers.
• To join Thales gives the opportunity to have a
  professional development within the System
  Engineering job family but also towards other job
  families as program management, bid management,

To see an overview of the career paths towards
other job families
To see examples of career paths within the job
family
To see targeted competencies
System Engineering
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System Engineering
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Career paths within System Engineering Job Family
Click on the jobs to have more details.
Lead System Integrator
System of systems
Click on the arrows to have information on
training courses.
Multi-domestic Architect System Architect
System Engineering expert
System Engineering Process Support
System
System engineering specifications
System Engineering Management
Program manager
Advanced Concepts and Studies
Sub-system
System Engineering IVVQ
Capture team
Equipment
Product System Engineering
Work package manager
Software Technology, Materials, Hardware and
Components Research
Product
Design
Development
IVVQ
Engineering
Management
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RD engineers
THE RESEARCHER, DESIGNER, DEVELOPER, INTEGRATOR,
engineer trained in HARDWARE (electronic,
mechanical, specific techniques) or SOFTWARE
technologies, is responsible for specifying,
designing, researching, developing, integrating,
verifying and validating products, equipment and
systems through the successive phases, according
to his/her main area of specialization. Specific
duties include

• materials and hardware component research,
  software technology research,
• theoretical systems research, algorithm and
  systems software research,
• general advanced studies and feasibility studies,
• models and prototypes,
• production of technical bids,
• implementation and coordination of program phase
  tasks, from simulation to system and subsystem
  testing, product and system research and
  development for analogue and digital electronics,
  mechanical and thermal engineering, specific
  techniques, real-time software and large-scale
  software systems,
• production of progress reports and research
  reports.

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Advanced Concepts and Studies

• In this position, he / she resolves complex
  technical problems, providing expertise and
  representing the state of the art in his or her
  specialist area. Actively participates in
  developing his or her Units technical policy.
  Assumes not only a consulting, support and
  auditing role, but also provides support for bids
  and programs. Provides competitive intelligence,
  enrichment and innovation anticipates future
  changes. Transfers his or her knowledge and
  expertise, participates in or leads skills
  networks. Is well known and respected in his or
  her Unit and beyond. In some cases, exercises a
  major influence over key technical orientations
  for the Units future, particularly in terms of
  risk management.

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System Engineering IVVQ
Delegates responsibilities to various individual
contributors, plans, coordinates and monitors the
performance of work, identifies and manages
risks ensures compliance with commitments
relating to his or her work package (costs,
deadlines, quality) in accordance with program
plans and objectives

• Coordinates activities relating to integration,
  verification, validation (including acceptance)
  and qualification. In this regard, implements
  technical policy, defines procedures (IVVQ plan)
  and resources, plans tests, establishes policies
  and practices in relation to testability and
  maintainability, defines the scenario and logic
  for system integration
• Conducts tests in the factory and on site at the
  customers premises, as well as commissioning. In
  this regard, the manager controls activities
  relating to installation, on-site acceptance and
  system rollout (hardware and software) in
  accordance with set deadlines and cost
  restrictions, provides an interface with the
  customer and with stakeholders on the site
  (co-contractors and partners), analyses results,
  conveys them to the development teams, develops
  the components needed for acceptance of the
  product / system by the customer
• In addition, participates in system definition.
  In this regard, takes account of customer
  requirements, defines the environmental
  specification for hardware and sub-assemblies,
  establishes the requirements arising from the
  IVVQ activities in relation to the specification
  and design of the product / system, participates
  in reviews of product / system specification and
  design.

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Technologies research

• Influential in his or her discipline (system
  projects and product / system engineering,
  hardware and software studies), responsible for
  all or part of a research, design, development or
  integration project. Plays a threefold role
  consulting, support and auditing. Consulting
  involves selecting innovative technologies, tools
  and methods and defining standards and guidelines
  for use. Support involves assisting in
  implementing the appropriate technology for a
  given program. Auditing involves providing
  support for design reviews. Contributes to
  defining his or her Units technical policy in
  his or her specialty area, which is major and
  complex

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System Engineering expert

• Has extensive expertise in system engineering
  area, in which he or she is a recognised leader.
  Possesses outstanding communication, leadership
  and skills transfer abilities both within and
  outside the Group, for example as a member of
  scientific associations. Promotes cooperative
  initiatives with industry and university research
  departments. The conceptual framework is Group
  technical policy. Makes innovative breakthroughs
  that serve as models in the profession. Reorients
  strategy in his or her activity perimeter,
  exercising a key influence over technical policy
  in terms of risk management. Exercises strong
  conceptual management.

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System Engineering process support

• Leads the methodology activities and system
  engineering and support processes, with
  responsibilities that cover one or more of the
  following technical activities

• technologies and methods promotes the use of
  standards applicable to the field and development
  baselines, specifies, assesses and establishes
  computer-aided workbenches dedicated to system
  engineering and IVVQ, implements improvement
  initiatives (CMMI Capability Maturity Model
  Integration, etc.)
• configuration management arranges for the
  establishment and validation of configuration
  management plans, manages the activities
  associated throughout the development cycle
  (identification and maintenance of development
  baselines, management of developments and
  technical events, configuration auditing,
  solution integrity and consistency between the
  various components, creation and maintenance of
  associated databases)
• obsolescence management, at each stage throughout
  the life cycle of the system solution
• knowledge management finds, validates and shares
  information, experience and best practices in
  technical fields in order to capitalize on the
  companys advantages and improve its
  competitiveness, fosters innovation and
  productivity, reduces technological risks. This
  field includes activities relating to technical
  documentation such as research, monitoring and
  integration
• protection of intellectual property.

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System engineering specifications
Individual contributor, identifies and analyses
customer requirements and indicates the design
parameters

• formalizes the requirements allocated to the
  components and to their interfaces, and
  verification criteria for the solution
• arranges for their approval by stakeholders
• contributes to the development of the technical
  solution
• ensures traceability of all requirements
  throughout the entire system development cycle
  and for all components.

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System Engineering management

• Manager of a system engineering work package

• delegates responsibilities to various individual
  contributors, plans, coordinates and monitors the
  performance of work, identifies and manages risks
  and opportunities relating to his or her work
  package. On behalf of the System Architect,
  ensures compliance with the commitments relating
  to his or her work package
• during the proposal / bid phase, coordinates the
  technical side of the bid and assesses costs and
  deadlines for technical activities involves
  specialist engineering fields that are required
  to build and validate the technical proposal
• during the program phase, coordinates the
  technical activities identification and analysis
  of requirements, definition of architecture,
  allocation of requirements to system components,
  interfaces between components, activities
  relating to system integration, verification,
  validation and qualification. Proposes the
  technical solution and ensures compliance with
  the requirements allocated to components. Ensures
  they are understood. Ensures compliance in
  relation to performance, budget and deadlines.
  Ensures coordination and communication between
  the various technical participants, as well as
  the transition with the Services and Support
  department during on-site installation.

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Product System Engineering

• Generalist in his or her field, he / she has
  technical responsibility with respect to one or
  more products / systems grouped together to form
  a product line

• conducts and manages the overall definition in
  response to market / customer requirements
• establishes the engineering and development plan
• ensures the feasibility of solutions and design,
  oversees technical choices
• ensures industrialization and production of
  solutions at competitive cost
• identifies and validates requests for development
  (product integrity)
• may also act as technical manager for a program.

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Lead System Integrator

• Manager or expert, in charge of integration,
  validation, verification and qualification (IVVQ)
  at his or her Unit for critical programs. In this
  capacity

Responsible for IVVQ for several test and
integration platforms, carried out in the factory
or on site, with supervision of approximately 80
engineers and technicians representing several
technical disciplines, in a complex contractual
or industrial framework.
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System Architecture

• Individual contributor or functional manager,
  acts as technical and design authority in his or
  her field of application. In this capacity

• defines and proposes innovation solutions to meet
  customer requirements while complying with the
  technical strategy for the products / systems
  offered by his or her Unit
• takes account of all requirements (both
  functional and non-functional) and delegates them
  to different disciplines (hardware and software).
  In this regard, suggests technical choices
  (architecture, design, modeling, simulation) for
  development and IVVQ
• assesses technical and technological choices
  proposed by experts in order to ensure the best
  trade-off between customer requirements
  (including dependability), technical solutions
  and controlling costs and risks
• delivers knowledge concerning the state of the
  art, taking account of future developments, and
  monitors technological developments provides
  consulting and tutoring to the teams. Contributes
  to the development of the product policies of his
  or her Unit.

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Career paths within other Job Families
From a job family to another
Career paths offer you the
opportunity to move from your job family
to
another. Thales Université gives you a
strong support through a wide
training
offer.
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Program manager
AS THE PROGRAMME'S ORCHESTRA LEADER, THE
PROGRAMME MANAGER

• takes over from the bid manager once the contract
  is signed,
• acts on behalf of the unit as the interface and
  point of contact with the customer, working in
  particular with the sales representative and the
  contract manager,
• guarantees customer satisfaction in terms of
  fulfillment of contractual commitments
  performance, price, deadlines and compliance),
  and guarantees maximum profitability for the
  unit,
• plans and manages both the technical and
  manufacturing aspects of the program(s), promotes
  integrated teamwork, acts as a facilitator and
  performs an arbitration
• role for allocating and tracking progress on work
  packages entrusted to the various functions and
  entities of the unit and the Group, and to
  partners, subcontractors and outside suppliers,
• organizes, facilitates and coordinates the
  various reviews of costs and deadlines, and
  ensures that the requisite technical reviews are
  performed,
• manages technical and financial risks associated
  with the contract,
• reports on key elements.

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TOPCLASS SE Training courses (examples)

• Passport to System Engineering
• System Engineer Leader
• Passport to Program Management
• Passport to people management
• Thales Systems and Techniques
• Masterclass Subcontract Management
• Military market overview
• Radar systems
• Royal Navy Operational course
• Systems for ships
• Combat System and Sub-system
• Tactical applications
• Technology Roadmap

Prime Contract Requirement Analysis System
Specification Testing Architecture Configuration
Data Management Architecture modeling Safety,
security reliability engineering Design to
cost IVV practitioner Creative Problem Solving
Negotiation Intercultural Management
Each year, in line with your career direction, a
Personal Training Plan is carried out with the
support of your manager and Thales Université
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Architects Of the Future

• Architect of the future program is an
  international training program for system
  engineers with potential to become System
  Architect. Participants are selected by their
  line management and the HR management.
• According to a gap analysis (gap between the
  actual level of competencies and the targeted
  profile), an agreement about a progress action
  plan is set up by the participant and his/her
  mentor.
• The participant is in a real position of System
  Architect on a identified project of the unit.
• The duration of the program is about 18 to 24
  months.

Participants to this program are coming from
several countries as France, United Kingdom,
Netherlands,
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Targeted competencies (1/2)
DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE

• Knowledge of entire Naval / Radar / Land systems
  domains (through diversity of career path)/
  International offer / Knowledge of customers /
  Specific military regulations
• Technology maturity awareness

KNOW-HOW

• Bid Program Management
• Value engineering / cost orientation
• Design Development
• Supply chain management
• Integration Verification Validation Qualification
• LSI Engineering
• Logistics
• People Management

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Targeted competencies (2/2)
PERSONAL SKILLS

• Exploration behavior (Openness)
• Creativity
• Leadership
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Multicultural international cooperation
• Self organisation
• Market / Customer-end user orientation