What does a civil engineer do?
A civil engineer designs and supervises the construction of large-scale public works projects such as buildings, roads, tunnels, highways, airports, bridges, dams, and other substantial infrastructure. Most civil engineers work in the private industry, but some work for a government organization. Their output is almost everywhere. Many of them specialize in a specific project or practice a target profession such as in transportation, structural engineering, or geotechnical engineering. They oftentimes work at project sites, as they monitor the ongoing construction.
Civil engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real civil engineer resumes:
- 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.
- Work with network engineers, hardware engineers and system administrators to troubleshoot technical issues during deployments.
- Use Ericsson CNA tools, OSS, and UNIX to implement rehome.
- Work for Ericsson CEP project.
- Update Ku broadband up-link facility.
- Train CADD staff on Autodesk software.
- Hire to oversee ASSE testing of various plumbing devices.
- Supervise personnel in installation of PVC-u windows and doors.
- Perform site layout, grading and stormwater design for commercial projects.
- Design the site stormwater pollution prevention plan and ensure permit compliance.
Civil engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 11% of Civil Engineers are proficient in Civil 3D, Engineering Design, and Cost Estimates. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Math skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Civil Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Civil 3D, 11%
Water main alignment design in Civil 3D Sidewalk improvement/prioritization study Exhibit preparation and concept cost estimates in Civil 3D.
- Engineering Design, 7%
Prepare preliminary construction cost estimates as part of engineering design feasibility reports, project budgets, and applications for project funding.
- Cost Estimates, 7%
Prepared construction and environmental compliance documents; developed grading plans, cost estimates and bid specifications; and provided construction oversight.
- Project Management, 6%
Worked with lead project engineer to review commercial and residential development plans on several major projects while assisting in project management.
- Construction Projects, 4%
Collaborate in developing take-offs/estimates/budgets; co-managed and supervised trades on-site for 9-floor high rise condominium and 190-store shopping mall construction projects.
- Engineering Projects, 4%
Designed various engineering projects which included plan development, cost and quantity estimates, contract and specification preparation and drafting.
Most civil engineers use their skills in "civil 3d," "engineering design," and "cost estimates" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential civil engineer responsibilities here:
Math skills. Another essential skill to perform civil engineer duties is math skills. Civil engineers responsibilities require that "civil engineers use calculus, trigonometry, and other mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting." Civil engineers also use math skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "performed retaining wall and footing designs in mathcad based on aci 318. "
Organizational skills. This is an important skill for civil engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how civil engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "civil engineers often oversee several projects at the same time and must be able to allocate resources effectively." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a civil engineer: "enabled organizational growth and increased project approval by training engineers in project management. ".
Problem-solving skills. For certain civil engineer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "problem-solving skills." The day-to-day duties of a civil engineer rely on this skill, as "civil engineers may encounter problems during each stage of their work." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what civil engineers do: "draft design solutions using auto cad civil 3d. "
The three companies that hire the most civil engineers are:
- CDM Smith545 civil engineers jobs
- Black & Veatch239 civil engineers jobs
- AECOM139 civil engineers jobs
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Compare different civil engineers
Civil engineer vs. Representative projects
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.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a civil engineer are more likely to require skills like "civil 3d," "engineering design," "cost estimates," and "project management." On the other hand, a job as a representative projects requires skills like "infrastructure," "autocad," "construction observation," and "inspection reports." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Representative projects really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $64,096. Comparatively, civil engineers tend to make the most money in the construction industry with an average salary of $76,163.On average, representative projects reach similar levels of education than civil engineers. Representative projects are 1.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Civil engineer vs. Structural designer
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. They also shadow the team's best practices and recommend ways to maximize productivity and efficiency to deliver high-quality outputs within the required deadlines. A structural engineering intern must be highly technical and analytical, especially on designing deliverables that meet quality standards.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real civil engineer resumes. While civil engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "cost estimates," "construction projects," "engineering projects," and "site development," structural designers use skills like "revit," "bim," "navisworks," and "ladders."
Structural designers earn a lower average salary than civil engineers. But structural designers earn the highest pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $69,802. Additionally, civil engineers earn the highest salaries in the construction with average pay of $76,163 annually.In general, structural designers achieve lower levels of education than civil engineers. They're 5.7% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for civil engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Karen Panetta Ph.D.
Dean of Graduate Education, School of Engineering, Tufts University
The pandemic has also renewed our sense of need for internet security, privacy, and access to service. When all our social and educational interactions had to move to virtual platforms, we became aware of just how small and ill-prepared the world was and how inequitable the availability of these services was to parts of the world.
Civil engineer vs. Structural engineering internship
A Structural Design Engineer designs drawings, specifications, and computer models of structures for building contractors. They help design hospitals, office blocks, houses, bridges, ships, and other structures.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a civil engineer is likely to be skilled in "civil 3d," "engineering design," "project management," and "engineering projects," while a typical structural engineering internship is skilled in "revit," "engineering software," "steel design," and "fea."
Structural engineering interns earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $56,459. Comparatively, civil engineers have the highest earning potential in the construction industry, with an average salary of $76,163.Most structural engineering interns achieve a higher degree level compared to civil engineers. For example, they're 6.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Civil engineer vs. Structural design engineer
Types of civil engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
