What You'll Do

  • Compute load and grade requirements, water flow rates, or material stress factors to determine design specifications.
  • Inspect project sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to design specifications and safety or sanitation standards.
  • Direct or participate in surveying to lay out installations or establish reference points, grades, or elevations to guide construction.
  • Estimate quantities and cost of materials, equipment, or labor to determine project feasibility.
  • Prepare or present public reports on topics such as bid proposals, deeds, environmental impact statements, or property and right-of-way descriptions.
  • Test soils or materials to determine the adequacy and strength of foundations, concrete, asphalt, or steel.
  • Conduct studies of traffic patterns or environmental conditions to identify engineering problems and assess potential project impact.
  • Design energy-efficient or environmentally sound civil structures.
  • Design or engineer systems to efficiently dispose of chemical, biological, or other toxic wastes.
  • Develop or implement engineering solutions to clean up industrial accidents or other contaminated sites.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 4.0/5
Reading Comprehension 3.88/5
Speaking 3.88/5
Mathematics 3.88/5
Critical Thinking 3.88/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.88/5
Science 3.75/5
Systems Analysis 3.75/5
Time Management 3.75/5
Operations Analysis 3.62/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.38/5
Writing 3.25/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Integrity, Dependability, Analytical Thinking, Attention to Detail, Initiative

Want a personal read on fit. Take the free assessment and see your exact compatibility with this career and many related roles.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Written Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Written Expression 4.0/5
Problem Sensitivity 4.0/5
Deductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Inductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Information Ordering 3.88/5

Technologies & Tools

Adobe Acrobat Apache Subversion SVN Autodesk AutoCAD Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D Autodesk Land Desktop Autodesk Revit Bentley GeoPak Bridge Bentley Haestad Methods CivilStorm Bentley InRoads Suite Bentley MicroStation Bentley STAAD Bridge design software C Cartography software Computer aided design and drafting software CADD Corel WordPerfect Office Suite Cost estimating software Dassault Systemes Abaqus Dassault Systemes CATIA Dassault Systemes SolidWorks

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Integrity (High importance: 4.57/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.48/5)
  • Analytical Thinking (High importance: 4.38/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.38/5)
  • Initiative (High importance: 4.05/5)

Want to see how YOUR work style matches this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Most employers require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some positions may also require experience through internships, co-ops, or entry-level work to strengthen your candidacy.

Similar Careers to Explore

Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Airport Engineer Architectural Engineer Asphalt Engineer Base Engineer Bridge Design Engineer Bridge Engineer Building Construction Engineer Building Engineer Cadastral Engineer Cartographic Engineer City Engineer Civil Engineer Civil Engineering Intern Civil Project Engineer Concrete Engineer Condemnation Engineer Construction Engineer Construction Project Engineer Contracting Engineer County Engineer Demolition Engineer Design Engineer District Engineer Drainage Design Coordinator Drainage Engineer Energy Infrastructure Engineer Engineer Environmental Construction Engineer Erecting Engineer Facilities Engineer Forest Engineer Forestry Engineer Foundation Engineer Geodetic Engineer Geotechnical Engineer Heavy Civil Project Manager Highway Design Engineer Highway Engineer Highway Research Engineer Highway Safety Engineer Hydraulic Engineer Hydroelectric Plant Structural Engineer Hydrographic Engineer Irrigation Engineer Land Development Civil Engineer Licensed Engineer Maintenance Engineer Mapping Engineer Municipal Engineer Process Engineer Project Engineer Railroad Design Consultant Railroad Engineer Reclamation Engineer Research Hydraulic Engineer Resident Engineer Resource Recovery Engineer Road Design Engineer Road Engineer Roadway Engineer Sanitary Engineer Street Engineer Stress Engineer Structural Design Engineer Structural Designer Structural Engineer Structural Steel Engineer Topographical Engineer Track Production Engineer Traveling Engineer Utility Engineer Wastewater Plant Civil Engineer Zoning Engineer