What does a foundation engineer do?
Foundation engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real foundation engineer resumes:
- Calculate sub-contractors weekly accomplish work for payroll.
- Prepare proposals, budgets, and geotechnical engineering reports.
- Compile results and recommend design in a geotechnical design report.
- Operate and troubleshoot vacuum deposition machinery used in the development of anodes vital to the design of novel lithium-sulfur battery technology.
- Maintain safety records that meet OSHA standards and monitor emergency requirements.
Foundation engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 66% of Foundation Engineers are proficient in Geotechnical, CSS, and Deep Foundations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Speaking skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Foundation Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Geotechnical, 66%
Compiled results and recommended design in a geotechnical design report.
- CSS, 13%
Created cross browser compatibility templates using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to format the data.
- Deep Foundations, 10%
Analyzed and design deep foundations for housing and industrial projects settled on difficult sub-soil conditions.
- Foundation Drawings, 10%
Created and updated foundation drawings per engineer design and mark ups.
Common skills that a foundation engineer uses to do their job include "geotechnical," "css," and "deep foundations." You can find details on the most important foundation engineer responsibilities below.
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what foundation engineers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to foundation 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 foundation engineer tasks: "provide assistance researching and resolving construction issues, using pro-active problem investigation including identification and resolution of root causes. "
Math skills. Another common skill required for foundation engineer responsibilities is "math skills." This skill comes up in the duties of foundation engineers all the time, as "civil engineers use calculus, trigonometry, and other mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting." An excerpt from a real foundation engineer resume shows how this skill is central to what a foundation engineer does: "bridge design system), pcacol, mathcad and lotus spreadsheet design tools. "
The three companies that hire the most foundation engineers are:
- Installed Building Products15 foundation engineers jobs
- Clark Construction Group2 foundation engineers jobs
- Compass SLS and ILS2 foundation engineers jobs
Compare different foundation engineers
Foundation engineer vs. Civil designer
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.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a foundation engineer are more likely to require skills like "design software," "engineering services," "css," and "gpa." On the other hand, a job as a civil designer requires skills like "civil 3d," "autocad," "civil engineering," and "civil design." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that civil designers earn slightly differ from foundation engineers. In particular, civil designers are 10.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a foundation engineer. Additionally, they're 4.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Foundation engineer vs. 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.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real foundation engineer resumes. While foundation engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "design software," "engineering services," "css," and "gpa," structural designers use skills like "revit," "structural design," "bim," and "navisworks."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Structural designers tend to reach lower levels of education than foundation engineers. In fact, they're 6.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 4.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for foundation 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.
Foundation engineer vs. 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. 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, foundation engineers are more likely to have skills like "engineering services," "css," "gpa," and "deep foundations." But a structural engineering internship is more likely to have skills like "structural analysis," "revit," "powerpoint," and "structural design."
When it comes to education, structural engineering interns tend to earn higher degree levels compared to foundation engineers. In fact, they're 5.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 3.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Foundation engineer vs. Civil engineering internship
Civil engineer interns work to improve their knowledge about construction and its relevant works. An internship provides them insight into various aspects of construction and how things run at the site. Through an internship, they learn how to differentiate between reality and engineering. Civil engineering interns will typically perform various tasks, including preparing and monitoring documents, working closely with the civil engineer to resolve issues and review complaints, and preparing plans and maps. They are also expected to visit construction sites to do their planning, quality control, documentation, and site execution.
Types of foundation engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
