System and Network Engineer

I — What is a System and Network Engineer?

What is the role of a System and Network Engineer?

The System and Network Engineer designs, sets up, operates and evolves the IT infrastructures that support information systems on a daily basis: servers, LAN/WAN/SD-WAN networks, Wi-Fi, public/private cloud, storage, backup, operation and development of the IT infrastructures that support information systems on a daily basis: servers, LAN/WAN/SD-WAN networks, Wi-Fi, public/private cloud, storage, backup, operations, directories, remote accesses, computer security solutions. Its primary mission: to ensure the availability, performance and security of information, while guaranteeing smooth operation for users and businesses.

Concretely, this engineering function is at the intersection of technique and organization. It consists in analyzing needs, designing the most appropriate system and network architecture, managing the integration of computer equipment and administration software, then ensuring maintenance and MCO/MCS (operation and supervision). The engineer acts as a security professional, in the prevention and response to incidents.

What are the missions of a system and network engineer?

The first major mission consists in designing and then implementing reliable architectures, adapted to the needs of the company and its environment. Concretely, we are talking about virtualization on hypervisors, orchestrated containers, well-thought-out network interconnections (routing, switching, VLAN, QoS, VPN, DNS/DHCP, proxy), and a cloud base (IaaS/PaaS) that holds the load. This design phase goes hand in hand with security by design: firewall, WAF, IAM/MFA, flow and data encryption, segmentation, and preparation for high availability and PRA/PCA. The objective is simple: to deliver a clear, documented infrastructure that meets the uses of users and that can evolve without problems.

Then there is the daily operation and maintenance. The engineer tracks the status of the system (availability, load, alerts), adjusts resources to avoid saturation, regularly applies updates, and checks backups, including those protected against changes. He/she reinforces the configuration of the servers, prepares, tests and announces each change before it is deployed to avoid side effects on the information system. The priority remains stability and performance. Each action is recorded (what, who, when, why) so that the team can take over the file at any time.

Project management is also an integral part of the job. It is necessary to define the scope, establish a realistic schedule, calculate the options, choose the tools and administrative software, and then take care of the follow-up until production is launched. Service quality measurement (SLA/SLO), documentation, skills transfers and regular reporting to the department manager or manager ensure legible governance. This management work makes it possible to align the technical organization with the priorities of the businesses, while maintaining control of costs and risks.

When an incident occurs, the engineer takes control of the advanced support. He or she analyzes the “symptoms”, searches for the root cause, proposes a solution and implements an action plan that is both corrective and preventive. The objective is not only to restore the service: it is to avoid recidivism by putting in place safeguards, all of this, by improving operating procedures. This ability to intervene quickly, calmly, and to capitalize on experience makes the difference in the long term.

Information security runs through all of these activities. Beyond the technical building blocks, it is a question of defining clear access policies, segmenting environments, ensuring industry compliance, delaying events and regularly verifying restoration tests. Vulnerability management and component maintenance are part of routine, with accurate monitoring of the measures taken. Here again, the value is in consistency: simple rules, applied everywhere, and controls that prove the effectiveness of the system.

Finally, technology monitoring is also a mission for this IT professional. Technologies are very changeable, so it is essential to follow technological developments, test new tools that can bring real benefits, and then propose improvements when they are useful and controlled. The challenge is not to add complexity, but to make the architecture evolve pragmatically, at the pace of the organization and the market, to maintain the quality of service, security and performance.

Who are its main interlocutors?

Users and businesses (finance, production, operations, etc.) to meet needs and guarantee the quality of service.
Development teams (Dev, Data, Product) to link application constraints to the infrastructure.
The IS architect, the system administrator/network administrator, the operations manager, the security manager.
Telecommunication partners (operators, integrators), publishers and hardware/software manufacturers.

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II — What are the skills and qualities required to do this job?

Because it combines system, network and user services, this job requires as much technique as it does soft skills.

Technical skills

System administration (Linux & Windows Server) : the engineer masters infrastructure services, directories (AD/LDAP), GPO policies and PKI in order to ensure a stable and secure environment.
Virtualization and containers : he/she uses VMware/Hyper-V/KVM and uses Docker/Kubernetes to standardize deployments and simplify upgrades.
Storage, Backups, and PRA/PCA : The backup strategy is defined, tested, and documented, with snapshots, replications, and protected backups to ensure business recovery.
Automation and IAc : scripts (Bash, PowerShell, Python), Ansible, and Python), Ansible, and Terraform are used to describe the infrastructure, reduce manual tasks, and make changes more reliable.
Corporate network : the engineer masters TCP/IP, VLAN, routing (OSPF/BGP), NAT, QoS and VPN to ensure reliable connectivity between sites, datacenters and the cloud.
Network services : DNS, DHCP, NTP, proxy, and load balancing are carefully configured and integrated with supervision to avoid weak points.
Network security : next-generation firewalls, IDS/IPS, NAC and micro-segmentation are in place to limit risks and contain lateral movements.
Wi-Fi, WAN, and SD-WAN : enterprise Wi-Fi, multi-site interconnections, and SD-WAN are controlled to ensure application availability and performance.
Public cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP) : the architecture is based on segmented VPCs/VNets, rigorous IAM, secure hybrid links, and cost and compliance monitoring.
Observability and supervision : logs, metrics and traces are collected and correlated (SIEM/XDR) with relevant alerts and service objectives (SLA/SLO) monitored over time.
IS security : access governance (RBAC, MFA), host hardening, data encryption and vulnerability management are integrated by design.

Soft skills

Communication : the engineer must be able to explain technical choices, prepare users for changes, and keep stakeholders informed (by adopting a language that is understandable to an uninformed public).
Organization and rigor : planning, managing priorities and maintaining useful documentation is essential.
Analytical spirit : reading the indicators helps to quickly diagnose an incident and to choose the most appropriate solution.
Sense of service : listening to needs and seeking simple and reliable operation guide technical decisions.
Team work : cooperation with the architect, administrators, Dev/Sec/Ops/Data teams and telecom partners makes projects more fluid.
Curiosity and vigilance : technology evolves quickly; testing what makes sense and proposing measured improvements avoids over-complexity and reinforces the quality of service.

III — How to become a system and network engineer?

Recommended academic paths

To become a system and network engineer, a Bac+5 diploma is generally required. The most popular path is obtaining an engineering degree, whether via a school specialized in computer science and telecommunications or a general school with a dedicated option. These schools are accessible after a scientific preparatory class (CPGE), after the bac (integrated preparation) or with parallel admission.

The other most common path is the university course, via a Master's degree in computer science offering specializations such as “Networks and Telecommunications”, “Information System Security (SSI)” or “Cloud Computing”.

Although Bac+5 is the target, it is common to start with a Bac+2 diploma (such as the BTS SIO option SISR or the BTS SN) or Bac+3 (BUT Networks and Telecommunications or BUT Informatics) or Bac+3 (BUT Networks and Telecommunications or BUT Informatics). These technical courses allow integration as a senior technician or administrator, and serve as a springboard to continue to the engineering level, often through work-study programs.

IV — What are the prospects for change? What remuneration?

Development perspectives

The position of system and network engineer is rarely a goal; it is an excellent springboard to positions of greater responsibility. After several years of experience, evolution can take place in two main directions. On the one hand, towards technical expertise, by becoming an Infrastructure Architect, a Cybersecurity Expert or a specialized consultant (especially in Cloud/DevOps) in order to design and audit complex systems. On the other hand, towards management, by accessing positions as Infrastructure Project Manager to manage major deployments, then as Infrastructure Manager to manage a team. Ultimately, these careers can lead to strategic management functions such as Information Systems Security Manager (CISO) or Information Systems Director (CIO).

Remuneration

Many factors come into play (missions, sector, scope, scope, size of the company, location, atypical skills, etc.). To give an idea of remuneration, here are forks from Apec according to the following parameters: Network systems engineer F/H, Bac+5 (engineering school), consulting firm with 599 to 999 employees, Île-de-France.

Junior (< 4 years of experience) : 38.5 to 49.3 million euros gross/year
Confirmed (6—8 years old) : 41.3 to 52.9 k€ gross/year
Senior (9—16 years) : 46.6 to 60.2 million euros gross/year

For a more accurate estimate, adapted to your profile and our projects, we invite you to consult our job offers.

Conclusion

If you are curious, rigorous, and you like to understand how “everything works” (from the server to the network, including the cloud), being a systems and network engineer is an excellent choice. By choosing this path, you are opting for a concrete and stimulating job, which guarantees you will never stop learning, with real prospects for development.

Are you looking for a new challenge?

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To deepen your knowledge of this exciting profession, dive into the articles in our Blog (feedback, best practices, use cases). Together, let's take your career to new heights!

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