Civil Engineering Technical Assistant Job Description

Engineering technicians help inspect job sites.

The next best thing to becoming a professional civil engineer is working as a civil engineering technical assistant (or technician). Civil engineering is concerned with building structures such as roads, bridges, waterways and dams. You might pursue a technical career supporting civil engineers if you enjoy applying the principles of engineering and design.

Function

A technician's job function is to assist engineers and other building professionals he or she works with, including planners, architects, scientists and researchers. The technician performs physical and computer-based tasks to help the engineer design or complete projects on schedule. For example, a technician might go to a city intersection and collect traffic data.

Considerations

Technicians assist engineers who plan and supervise civil construction projects. Civil engineers also work with wastewater treatment systems and other structures. A major duty performed by the technician is to help the engineer estimate the cost of the construction project and to pick appropriate materials for all parts of the structure. An engineer cannot perform all research tasks alone, and she relies on the technician to locate information.

Drawings

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some civil engineering technicians may "even prepare drawings." Working with manual drawings and computer-aided design (CAD) software, civil engineers and technicians create plans to review with clients. The engineering team revises drawings and plans throughout the project to meet the client's needs.

Surveying

The civil engineering technician may perform surveying at proposed work sites. Using surveying equipment, the tech obtains field measurements. This is a practical application requiring patience and attention to detail. Accurate survey results increase the quality of the engineer's drawings and plans.

Inspection and Supervision

An engineering technician may perform duties related to infrastructure projects. For example, a tech employed by a city might go to construction sites to perform inspections. The tech may also supervise other workers, such as a survey crew. Techs also help engineers track progress on projects with multiple stages, for example, assigning completion of benchmarks during each phase.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Engineering Technicians
• City of Clinton: Engineering Technician II Job Description