How to hire a civil engineer

How to hire a civil engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step civil engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a civil engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new civil engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a civil engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your civil engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a civil engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect civil engineer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of civil engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Civil Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Civil Engineer	Civil engineers design, build, supervise, operate, and maintain construction projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment.	$24-46
   Structural Designer	A Structural Designer designs, develops, and supervises the construction of new buildings and bridges, or extensions to existing properties or other structures. They review and update construction drawings as well as communicate project problems and flaws to managers.	$22-40
   Structural Engineering Internship	A structural engineering intern is responsible for supporting the engineering team on construction and structural projects, identifying cost-reduction techniques, and drafting layouts that adhere to clients' specifications, business requirements, and budget limitations. Structural engineering interns join the engineers on area visits, inspecting site foundation, and calculating dimensions and material costing... Show more	$15-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Civil 3D
   • Engineering Design
   • Cost Estimates
   • Project Management
   • Construction Projects
   • Engineering Projects
   • Site Development
   • Storm Water
   • Civil Design
   • Hec Ras
   • GIS
   • Geotechnical
   • Design Drawings
   • Technical Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage production of full sets of contract documents (grading, drainage, water, sewer, paving and SWPPP).
   • Manage project programming requirements and manage HVAC design activities.
   • Project manage the overall reorganizing and restructuring of the telecommunication department.
   • Design engineer and project manager for HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems.
   • Support and troubleshoot Hewlett Packard printers, servers, switches, thin clients, and Cisco phone systems.
   • Handle and continuously update project documentation as as-built records and construction record reports.

   More civil engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your civil engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A civil engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a civil engineer in Michigan may be lower than in California, and an entry-level civil engineer usually earns less than a senior-level civil engineer. Additionally, a civil engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average civil engineer salary

   $70,950yearly

   $34.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level civil engineer salary

   $51,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average civil engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$98,133	$47
   2	Massachusetts	$76,037	$37
   3	Oregon	$75,674	$36
   4	Virginia	$75,636	$36
   5	New York	$75,594	$36
   6	Nevada	$75,588	$36
   7	Washington	$75,337	$36
   8	Maine	$75,045	$36
   9	District of Columbia	$74,429	$36
   10	Pennsylvania	$71,324	$34
   11	Oklahoma	$70,912	$34
   12	Hawaii	$69,583	$33
   13	North Carolina	$69,160	$33
   14	Kentucky	$68,745	$33
   15	Colorado	$67,878	$33
   16	Illinois	$67,706	$33
   17	Florida	$67,633	$33
   18	Missouri	$67,398	$32
   19	Maryland	$66,695	$32
   20	Texas	$66,293	$32

   Average civil engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Citadel	$141,938	$68.24
   2	NYISO	$110,172	$52.97
   3	Amazon	$109,245	$52.52	35
   4	Santa Clara Valley Water District	$108,808	$52.31
   5	Ernst & Young	$108,734	$52.28	11
   6	Ross Stores	$107,555	$51.71
   7	Forest City Realty Trust	$107,496	$51.68
   8	Parsons	$101,969	$49.02	298
   9	Battelle	$101,020	$48.57
   10	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$100,180	$48.16	7
   11	Oak Ridge National Laboratory	$100,061	$48.11
   12	Repsol Energy North America Corporation	$96,911	$46.59
   13	California Institute of Technology	$96,491	$46.39
   14	Booz Allen Hamilton	$95,988	$46.15	10
   15	LG&E and KU	$95,563	$45.94
   16	CIBC World Markets	$95,019	$45.68
   17	Palantir	$94,417	$45.39
   18	DSW	$93,758	$45.08
   19	TÜV SÜD America	$92,797	$44.61
   20	Crown Castle International	$92,510	$44.48

4. Writing a civil engineer job description

   A good civil engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a civil engineer job description:

   Civil engineer job description example

   Civil Engineer Co-Op (Spring 2023)-CEH03183 CenterPoint Energy is looking for a Civil Engineer Spring Co-op to join our Electric Engineer Team, located in Houston, TX.
   
   The Civil Engineering Group consists of 3 sub-groups: Structural, Foundations, and Substation Site Improvement. The responsibilities include the scoping, tracking, managing, and completing all structural analysis/design, foundation design, and site improvement requests in support of the Transmission, Substation, Distribution, and Telecom Departments. The Substation site (grading and paving) improvement work in support of Substation Capital work can include expansion of existing subs, feasibility studies for purchasing property for new greenfield subs, and for the installation/replacement of major substation components such as transformers and breakers. The Structural group also reviews and approves fabricator structure drawings for fabrication, coordinates fabricated structure inspections, and reviews all requests for PCS (cell phone antenna) installations on our existing structures by performing structural analysis. The Foundations group in addition to designing foundations (for Transmission and Substation structures) evaluates existing foundations for increased load capacity and recommends augmentation or replacement.
   We want you to know
   CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. Our vision to lead the nation in delivering energy, service and value drives our strategy and performance. We have an unwavering commitment to safely and reliably deliver electricity and natural gas to millions of people.
   
   Diversity and Inclusion
   CenterPoint Energy is committed to creating an inclusive work environment where business results are achieved through the skills, abilities and talents of our diverse workforce.
   
   At CenterPoint Energy, individuals are respected for their contributions toward our company objectives. We strive for an inclusive work environment across all levels that is reflective of the available workforce in the communities we serve.
   
   To be successful in this role you will:
   
   Assist engineers with a variety of projects
   Update Access databases and Excel spreadsheets concerning project status
   Provide project completion data to appropriate stakeholders
   
   Basic Qualifications:
   Education:
   
   Sophomore or Junior currently enrolled and pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited college or university, AUTO CADD skill a plus.
   
   Experience:
   
   Requires no prior related work experience
   
   This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a), and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. Job Intern - Co-op EngineerPrimary LocationUS-TX-Houston-CenterPoint Energy TowerOrganization CEHE HIGH VOLTAGE CIVIL DESIGN (50134913) Job Posting Oct 3, 2022Posting End Date Oct 21, 2022Work Schedule Normal Business Hours

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find civil engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your civil engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit civil engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit civil engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new civil engineer

   Once you've selected the best civil engineer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new civil engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a civil engineer?