Civil Engineers

Nature of work

Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for the construction, maintenance, and decommissioning of a wide variety of public and private structures and facilities. Structures and facilities include buildings, roads, airports, railways, bridges, tunnels, canals, dams, ports, water distribution and sanitation systems. Civil engineers work for engineering consulting companies, in all levels of government, construction firms and in many other industries, or they may be self-employed.

Job duties

Civil engineers:

• Consult with clients and other members of the engineering team and carry out research to determine project requirements.
• Plan and design major civil projects like buildings, roads, bridges, dams, water and waste management systems and structural steel fabrications.
• Develop construction specifications and procedures.
• Evaluate and recommend appropriate building and construction materials.
• Interpret, review, and approve survey and civil design work.
• Conduct field services for civil works.
• Make sure construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations.
• Create and monitor construction work schedules.
• Perform feasibility studies, economic analyses, municipal and regional traffic studies, environmental impact studies or other investigations.
• Monitor air, water and soil quality and develop procedures to clean up contaminated sites.
• Carry out technical analyses of survey and field data for development of topographic, soil, hydrological or other information and prepare reports.
• Act as project or site supervisor for land survey or construction work.
• Prepare contract documents and review and evaluate tenders for construction projects.
• Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers and review and approve designs, calculations, and cost estimates.

Sample job titles

• architectural engineer
• civil engineer
• construction engineer
• environmental engineer
• geomatics engineer
• municipal engineer
• public works engineer
• structural engineer
• traffic operations engineer
• water and sewer engineer

Skills

• You should be interested in planning and designing buildings, bridges, dams, roadways, and other infrastructure. Problem-solving and decision-making skills are essential. You should be persistent, curious, and able to think in an analytical and logical manner. The ability to communicate and cooperate with others is important, as engineers often work in teams. Computer skills are also needed. The job typically requires good near and far vision.

Job requirements

• A bachelor's degree in civil engineering or in a related engineering discipline.
• A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
• Licensing by a provincial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practice as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
• Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is offered by the Canada Green Building Council and may be required by some employers.

Other considerations

• Engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and gain knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practice in related areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management. There is movement between civil engineering specializations at the less senior levels. Supervisory and senior positions in this group require experience.

Regulations

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