Civil Engineer - Tasks and specialisations
Mataaro Metarahi
Tasks & duties
Civil engineers may do some or all of the following:
- consult clients, other professionals and government officials
- study, investigate and evaluate construction and land-development sites
- plan and design structures such as roads, drainage and buildings that are required for the sites
- work within the guidelines of the local government authority
- get plans approved by relevant authorities
- prepare cost estimates and contract documents for work
- tender contracts and find contractors to do the work
- supervise and monitor construction to ensure structures are built in accordance with construction drawings and contracts and that standards are met
- attend construction-site meetings with contractors and clients
- ensure assets, such as regional water plants and roading, and their allocated budgets are efficiently managed.
Civil engineers, particularly those working as asset managers for local councils, may also be involved in risk-assessment work, conduct public surveys, hold public forums and write long-term council plans.
Civil engineers check work completed on-site
Photo courtesy of Geoff King
Graeme Tonks calculating costs for a proposal
Specialisations
- Geotechnical engineer
- Geotechnical engineers focus on the foundations for large structures, such as dams, tunnels, retaining walls or jetties, and how the soil and rock they are built on may affect them.
- Transport engineer
- Transport engineers plan, design and construct transport networks such as railways, airports and harbours.
- Earthquake engineer
- Earthquake engineers specialise in designing structures to safely resist the forces of earthquakes. They also assess existing structures for earthquake risk and design appropriate strengthening.
Updated
September 2009
