Engineer for a day

Meet Jonathan Rydholm, Senior System Engineer at AFRY

Systems engineering can be a truly rewarding field. Read on to discover what it means to be in systems engineering, including the common everyday tasks, specializations, and what a typical assignment might look like.

Systems thinking helps organisations examine complexity and simplify it. Due to the wide definition of a system and all the different aspects involved in it, the daily responsibilities of a system engineer will depend on the industry, as well as the stage of a specific project. However, many system engineers will likely take on similar responsibilities throughout the course of their careers.

Jonathan Rydholm works as a Senior System Engineer at AFRY.
“Being a Senior system engineer, for me at least, means that you have a really good understanding of what you are doing and that you can utilize that knowledge in different circumstances. Also, being an expert in finding answers on stack-overflow helps a lot”, describes Jonathan.

As a System Engineer, your knowledge is broad, which is the case of most full-stack developers.

“I do not feel like I am specialized in one field, but I am good at seeing the overall picture of things. I work with all different kinds of technologies on a daily basis, so it is quite natural that you obtain broad knowledge if that is the case”, Jonathan explains.

In addition to see the big picture, the engineering aspects must consider details like cost, schedules and social issues that may be associated with a project.

“A driving force I have is solving things myself, because it is a personal reward for me if I succeed”

Problem solver linked to DNA

Traits like being a problem solver, he inherited from his father. "He is very good at solving problems by looking for solutions outside the box. He also has a very positive view on things in general, that nothing is impossible. I think that has shaped my career”, says Jonathan.

“I also get rewarded personally if I manage to crack a problem that seems to be impossible or really hard”, he fills in.

By trying to use the latest frameworks and technology where possible and not being afraid to write custom solutions shaped him professionally. Since his first day at AFRY, he feels that he is given space to be independent in his daily work.

“A driving force I have is to solve things myself, because it is a personal reward for me if I succeed, but at the same time I really enjoy sharing knowledge with others as well”, he says.

In order to ensure that systems work efficiently and effectively, systems engineers must balance system design, implementation, reliability, and optimization with project logistics and team management.

“Understanding and approaching problems from a systems perspective in technical environments is an essential skill for a System Engineer”, he says.