A Day in the Life of a Smart Sensing Systems Architect

Your day-to-day may have a bit of a routine, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. The same should go for your work. When each day holds new challenges and opportunities it’s that much easier to get out of bed each morning.

For Smart Sensing Systems Engineer John Frame, his work at Infineon presents new (and fun) project challenges on a regular basis, and he wouldn’t want it any other way.  To give you an idea of what he does as a systems architect, we’ve asked John to describe his overall responsibilities, how he stays up-to-date with his industry, and the technical challenges he’s faced in  his role.

Get to know John Frame, a longtime Infineon engineer in the Automotive Microcontroller Group, and we invite you to  explore opportunities on our Careers page.

According to John, a “typical day” at Infineon doesn’t exist.  As a smart sensing systems architect, John plays an important role on a wide range of projects: understanding client’s needs, matching them with Infineon’s offerings, and figuring out how to close any technical gaps. 

We asked John to describe the types of projects he works on and his broader role at Infineon, and here’s what he had to say: 

John Frame, Smart Sensing Systems Engineer: “One day I’m discussing touchscreens with a big EV manufacturer, the next I’m chatting about sensors with another client. There’s no such thing as a ‘typical day’ in my role. But on a broader scale, I’m expected to understand how Infineon’s technology can fit into our clients’ systems, all while convincing the client that it’s a design win-win.” 

Stay up-to-date on industry trends with Infineon’s wide range of resources and daily knowledge-sharing. Whether you’re looking for online training or a quick industry update, Infineon’s intranet and internal newsletter will keep you posted. Many of our engineers learn about industry trends through client communications, such as an email from a customer about a new product or customer needs, or a new standard they should be aware of.

However, while John is excited to learn from his customers and colleagues, he’s also aware that not all trends are permanent:

John Frame: “A lot of my new learning comes from customers, especially leading-edge updates, along with internal newsletters and Infineon’s intranet. My co-workers and our clients are also continually sharing their findings, which keeps us current with our respective industries. Importantly, though, just because there’s a new trend that may appear to be bleeding edge or ‘sexy,’ it doesn’t mean we should all hop on the bandwagon; we need to make sure the trend has some staying power.”

Balancing client needs with technical capabilities is a common challenge for systems architects. The team often needs to work within certain constraints, including project budgets, or technical compatibility between internal manufacturing and our partners. Liability issues can also arise if John doesn’t confirm whether third-party software can be used, or if it needs to be an Infineon product, for example. 

To navigate this balancing act, John employs the following process: he begins with a meticulous review of the technical requirements and then compares them with the client’s needs, before identifying the gaps that need to be filled. On a commercial scale, he says, it is often difficult to ensure that one system can meet multiple standards and requirements, so it’s important to identify this issue early on in the development process. 

Play a major role in exciting projects that will keep you on your toes, day in and day out.