Senior Civil Engineer Job Description

Civil engineers are responsible for designing safe and sturdy bridges.

Senior civil engineers have experience designing various structures. In the past, engineers were divided into two categories: military and civil. Military engineers built trenches, roads and bridges strictly for military purposes. Civil engineers focused on building permanent structures for peacetime. Today, civil engineers plan, design and construct a wide variety of structures.

Job Description

A senior civil engineer is primarily responsible for planning, designing and constructing different types of structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, highways, railways and sewers. They take complicated mathematical and scientific concepts and apply them in a practical way to determine the best way to construct something.

Duties

Senior civil engineers must ensure that everything they build is safe and efficient. They do this by using various mathematical equations, as well as high-tech testing equipment. They also study existing structures to learn how they were built, and how to improve upon their design.

Working Conditions

Senior civil engineers spend most of their time working in an office, solving complex mathematical problems, writing reports, working with computers and making phone calls. However, they also spend time outside when performing construction site inspections and supervising the construction process on a structure they've designed. Senior civil engineers are expected to work eight to 10 hours a day, totaling 40 to 50 hours a week. They also occasionally have to work evenings and weekends if a deadline is approaching, or if there are problems on a construction site. Senior civil engineers can expect to have three to four weeks of vacation time every year.

Earnings

A senior civil engineer can expect to earn between $120,000 and $200,000 per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures from May 2008. Earnings are greatly affected by the engineer's level of education. Those earning the most money usually have a Ph.D in civil engineering, as well as an MBA.

Education

Senior civil engineers must have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or a similar field, such as structural engineering. However, most senior civil engineers also have a master's degree or a Ph.D in civil engineering, as well as an MBA.

In college, engineering students must take courses in math, science, mechanics, design and engineering drawing. Many senior civil engineers have also taken specialized courses in specific types of engineering, such as structural engineering or transportation engineering.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Engineers

Resources

• American Socity of Civil Engineers