What does a structural steel engineer do?
Structural steel engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real structural steel engineer resumes:
- Lead a team on a year-long retrofit design effort for the F/A-18 E/F wing.
- Perform detailed geotechnical and structural engineering for TLP tendon foundation and tender- assist drilling semi mooring pile foundation systems.
- Prepare calculation documents and technical specifications to be used for material procurement, fabrication and installation of the structures and components.
- Select to coach and train entry level engineers on SAP2000.
- Perform 3-D modeling of building using SAP2000, Etabs & Staad.Pro.
- Develop skills with RISA-3D analyzing pipe racks and platforms attach to vessels.
- Provide senior structural guidance and oversight to junior engineers for development of engineering calculations and drawings.
- Provide expertise in engineering and surveying for petroleum refinery upgrades.
- Create 3D models of interior/avionics modifications & installations for client approval utilizing SolidWorks & AutoCAD.
Structural steel engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 38% of Structural Steel Engineers are proficient in Calculation, Subcontractors, and Steel Structures. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Math skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Structural Steel Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Calculation, 38%
Assisted in the production and development of conceptual structural documents and details in accordance with calculations and project requirements.
- Subcontractors, 24%
Solve technical issues with STEEL SUBCONTRACTORS.
- Steel Structures, 19%
Control and review general arrangement drawings for steel structures and architectural drawings together with applicable contractual standards.
- Shop Drawings, 12%
Produced blueprints, indicated design changes, and created shop drawings for mechanical systems.
- Auto CAD, 8%
Selected to program computerized machinery for material production utilizing Auto Cad 14.
Common skills that a structural steel engineer uses to do their job include "calculation," "subcontractors," and "steel structures." You can find details on the most important structural steel engineer responsibilities below.
Math skills. Another essential skill to perform structural steel engineer duties is math skills. Structural steel engineers responsibilities require that "civil engineers use calculus, trigonometry, and other mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting." Structural steel engineers also use math skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "designed and implemented key interface geometry for 747 commercial aircraft wing structures using catia v5 and enovia software. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of structural steel engineers is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday structural steel engineer duties, as "civil engineers may encounter problems during each stage of their work." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "resolved engineering and production problems associated with the manufacturing and assembly of aircraft primary structural components. "
The three companies that hire the most structural steel engineers are:
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Compare different structural steel engineers
Structural steel 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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, structural steel engineer responsibilities require skills like "calculation," "subcontractors," "steel structures," and "auto cad." Meanwhile a typical representative projects has skills in areas such as "construction projects," "construction management," "infrastructure," and "osha." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, representative projects reach similar levels of education than structural steel engineers. Representative projects are 4.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Structural steel engineer vs. Civil designer
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.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that structural steel engineer responsibilities requires skills like "subcontractors," "shop drawings," "auto cad," and "structural drawings." But a civil designer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "civil 3d," "autocad," "civil engineering," and "civil design."
Civil designers earn lower levels of education than structural steel engineers in general. They're 12.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Structural steel engineer vs. Civil engineering internship
A Resident Engineer is responsible for all planning aspects of a project. They maintain project engineering records, monitor and expedite weekly reports for accuracy, and develop and perform quality control procedures.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a structural steel engineer is likely to be skilled in "calculation," "subcontractors," "steel structures," and "aisc," while a typical civil engineering internship is skilled in "civil 3d," "gis," "roadway design," and "powerpoint."
When it comes to education, civil engineering interns tend to earn lower degree levels compared to structural steel engineers. In fact, they're 5.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Structural steel engineer vs. Resident engineer
Types of structural steel engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
