What does a drainage engineer do?
A drainage engineer is primarily responsible for the construction of drainage systems and sewage. They are involved in the planning and designing of drainage systems, allocating the budget for its creation, and, together with the construction team, build the design on the location specified. They oversee the construction, making sure all instructions are followed. They are also responsible for maintaining the system, repairing if there is damage. They also check for any improvements in the market and apply them to the constructed drainage system.
Drainage engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real drainage engineer resumes:
- Manage a geotechnical investigation that include determining boring locations and soliciting bids.
- Perform slope stability drilling investigations, site inspection and supervision of slope stabilization construction of berms and concrete caisson piles.
- Finalize designs and calculations for a stormwater conveyance system and stormwater detention basins for a new power plant in Pennsylvania.
- Assist site supervisors in the evaluation of submittals, RFI's if require.
Drainage engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 26% of Drainage Engineers are proficient in Hec Ras, HEC-RAS, and Autocad. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Math skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Drainage Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Hec Ras, 26%
Assisted with a HEC RAS model analysis for existing and proposed culverts crossing on Pennsylvania Turnpike.
- HEC-RAS, 12%
Used Flow/Culvert Master, StormCAD, HEC-RAS, and Pondpack softwares for Hydrology and Hydraulics analysis.
- Autocad, 11%
Designed horizontal and vertical alignments of highways using AutoCAD.
- Engineering Design, 7%
Prepare preliminary construction cost estimates as part of engineering design feasibility reports, project budgets, and applications for project funding.
- Cost Estimates, 5%
Prepared construction and environmental compliance documents; developed grading plans, cost estimates and bid specifications; and provided construction oversight.
- HEC-HMS, 5%
Designed the storm sewer system using InRoads and the ponds using HEC-HMS.
Common skills that a drainage engineer uses to do their job include "hec ras," "hec-ras," and "autocad." You can find details on the most important drainage engineer responsibilities below.
Math skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling drainage engineer duties is math skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "civil engineers use calculus, trigonometry, and other mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting." According to a drainage engineer resume, here's how drainage engineers can utilize math skills in their job responsibilities: "perform roadway design and generate geometry files for bridge hydraulic study using inroads. "
Organizational skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of drainage engineers is organizational skills. This skill is critical to many everyday drainage engineer duties, as "civil engineers often oversee several projects at the same time and must be able to allocate resources effectively." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "enabled organizational growth and increased project approval by training engineers in project management. "
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what drainage engineers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to drainage engineer responsibilities because "civil engineers may encounter problems during each stage of their work." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical drainage engineer tasks: "recommended and developed innovative solutions in solving complex geotechnical issues. "
The three companies that hire the most drainage engineers are:
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Compare different drainage engineers
Drainage engineer vs. Representative projects
A Civil Designer plans, scales, and drafts drawings and maps for roads, bridges, and other construction projects. They work with engineers and project managers in determining material, labor, and other costs of the assigned projects.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between drainage engineers and representative projects. For instance, drainage engineer responsibilities require skills such as "hec ras," "hec-ras," "engineering design," and "cost estimates." Whereas a representative projects is skilled in "construction projects," "construction management," "infrastructure," and "osha." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that representative projects earn slightly differ from drainage engineers. In particular, representative projects are 9.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a drainage engineer. Additionally, they're 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Drainage engineer vs. Civil 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.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, drainage engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "hec-ras," "cost estimates," "hec-hms," and "fdot." Meanwhile, a civil designer has duties that require skills in areas such as "civil 3d," "civil engineering," "civil design," and "site design." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Civil designers earn lower levels of education than drainage engineers in general. They're 17.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for drainage 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.
Drainage 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.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, drainage engineers are more likely to have skills like "hec ras," "hec-ras," "autocad," and "cost estimates." But a structural designer is more likely to have skills like "revit," "structural design," "bim," and "navisworks."
When it comes to education, structural designers tend to earn lower degree levels compared to drainage engineers. In fact, they're 13.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Drainage engineer vs. Structural engineering internship
Types of drainage engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
