Civil engineering may sound like a confusingly broad discipline at first, because there are so many ways that it contributes to the world as we know it.

According to ICE, the Institute of Chartered Engineers, civil engineering is ‘everything you see that’s been built around us’ – from roads and railways to water and power supplies, schools and hospitals to many other kinds of major structures.

Civil engineers quite literally shape our world, coming up with solutions to complex issues and implementing them in various ways to provide the infrastructure that keeps society running.

Without civil engineers to design, plan, construct, and maintain both the natural and manufactured environments of our towns and cities, our everyday lives would be very difficult.

Meeting the challenges of growing populations, natural disasters, and changing climates takes a lot of different approaches from many overlapping disciplines under the civil engineering umbrella – but all of them are important.

If you’re wondering what exactly it is that civil engineers do – whether you’re interested in becoming one, or hiring one to work on a project with you – this blog explains what you need to know about civil engineering jobs.

What is a civil engineer?

Civil engineers are the brains behind the structural facilities and networks we need to transport people, water, electricity, and goods from one place to another. Probably the most well-known product of civil engineering is tall buildings, like skyscrapers.

However, there’s far more to civil engineering than just that. There are many specialisms within the diverse world of civil engineering, so there are just as many types of civil engineer, who each focus on different areas of the discipline. These include:

• Architectural engineering – combining functionality of building construction with an emphasis on aesthetic design.
• Construction engineering – providing feasibility and cost reports for construction projects and supervising on-site work.
• Environmental engineering – maintaining air, water, and land quality by preventing and managing pollution, waste, and noise.
• Fire protection engineering – developing fire safety measures to prevent fires and limit fire damage in buildings and built areas.
• Geotechnical engineering – investigating land quality and the possibilities of constructing on or under it (practical geological applications).
• Structural engineering – designing structures such as buildings, homes, and monuments to withstand loads and weather.
• Transportation engineering – managing existing transport systems and designing new ones to manage traffic, from roads and highways to railways and airways.
• Water resource engineering – researching and planning for water sourcing, processing, storage, and distribution (including drinking water and sewerage).

These fields can be specialised even further, such as hydraulic engineering and ecological engineering under environmental engineering, or mining engineering and earthquake engineering under geotechnical engineering.

With such a wide scope, no civil engineering position is exactly the same – the day-to-day job of a civil engineer depends on their sub-discipline and location, among other factors.

That said, most civil engineers will have some tasks and responsibilities in common, and their roles will require some of the same skills and qualifications.

What does a civil engineer do?

Whichever specialist area of engineering you look into, you’ll find that civil engineers can either be consultants or contractors (or sometimes both!). Consulting engineers predominantly work in offices taking care of design aspects, while contracting engineers typically work out in the field putting the designs into practice.

All types of civil engineers can work in a variety of industries, from mining and drilling to renewable energy, residential and commercial construction to urban planning, and more. Common employers include government agencies, utility companies, transportation companies, and construction firms.

What civil engineers do on a daily basis depends on their specialist field and the industry and sector they work in, but common jobs for civil engineers include:

• Consulting with clients and liaising with local authorities on project plans
• Undertaking site investigations, technical studies, and feasibility research
• Assessing the risks and sustainability of a project for environmental impact
• Analysing data from maps, surveys, and tests with computer modelling software
• Using computer-aided design (CAD) to develop blueprints and 3D models
• Evaluating and manging costs, time, and labour and compiling job specs
• Preparing bids for tenders, scheduling purchases of materials and equipment
• Ensuring that work legally complies with health and safety requirements
• Monitoring progress at each stage to make sure projects run smoothly

Civil engineers can work on one stage of a project or multiple, or even be involved from the very start to the very end. Throughout, they have to work with teams of other professionals like architects, surveyors, urban planners, and building contractors.

Most civil engineering roles require complex calculations invoking their expertise in physics and mathematics, working out the best construction methods and materials for a structure to withstand the conditions of the design and environment.

Which skills do civil engineers have?

Being a civil engineer comes with high levels of responsibility, and as such, it requires qualifications proving excellent skills in mathematics, physics, and IT. Depending on their specific field, a civil engineer’s skillset and qualifications may vary.

However, it’s expected for professional civil engineers to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, before following this with a master’s degree in a more specialised discipline. Some may go even further and earn a PhD in their chosen field of engineering.

For example, if you’re looking for structural engineers in Manchester, you’ll want to find and hire someone for your project who has not just a BEng (Bachelor of Science in Engineering) degree, but at the minimum an MSc (Master of Science) degree in structural engineering.

Certifications like these prove that the civil engineer you’re working with has the necessary expertise and practical skills to complete your project successfully. It’s even better if they’re registered with accreditation bodies like ICE as a chartered engineer.

The skills that civil engineers must have to succeed in their line of work include:

• Specialty knowledge – from sound mathematical and IT skills to knowledge of building design, construction materials, and relevant legislation.
• Software training – certified ability to use dedicated civil engineering software, analysing large amounts of data and creating computer-generated models.
• Project management – confidence in directing projects from beginning to end, paying attention to detail and thinking methodically while sticking to deadlines.
• Creative and critical thinking – not just reasoning skills but also creativity in approaching complex problems to find new solutions for successful infrastructure.
• Communication and teamwork – both supervisory and negotiation skills are required to relay difficult concepts to clients, vendors, and other project crew members.

It also helps if civil engineers are prepared to travel for work and can adapt to new environments.

What is working as a civil engineer like?

Since they have many duties, civil engineers tend to have intensive working hours, splitting time between desk-based computer work and site-based supervision in all kinds of places and environmental conditions.

Civil engineers interact with a lot of different people in varying roles while juggling a range of responsibilities of their own, making sure that every contributor’s part of the project comes together properly in the end.

When you hire a civil engineer, you’re paying for years of hard-earned specialist knowledge and experience in the field – so bear that in mind when you’re requesting quotes from structural engineers in Liverpoolor any kind of civil engineer across the country.

If you’re interested in becoming a civil engineer yourself, the best place to start is by looking into relevant university degrees or equivalent training courses. Work experience is also important, and some entry-level roles allow you to gain experience and certifications on the job.

At the end of the day, civil engineers are some of the most significant contributors to our built world and the continued functioning of society – so their importance can’t be overstated.