Civil engineers (NOC 2131)

Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for constructing or repairing:

• buildings
• earth structures
• powerhouses
• roads, bridges and tunnels
• airports
• railways and rapid transit facilities
• canals and dams
• ports and coastal installations
• systems related to highway transportation services, water distribution and sanitation

Want to learn more? Watch this WorkBC Career Trek video and see what it’s like to work in this type of career.

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Civil engineer

Source: WorkBC's Career Trek

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Civil engineers:

• consult with clients and other members of the engineering team and carry out research to determine project requirements
• plan and design major public projects such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, water and waste management systems, and structural steel fabrications
• create construction specifications and procedures
• assess and recommend appropriate building and construction materials
• interpret, review and approve survey and public design work
• carry out field services for public works
• ensure construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations
• organize and oversee construction work schedules
• carry out feasibility studies, economic analyses, municipal and regional traffic studies, environmental impact studies, or other investigations
• oversee 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

Special duties

Civil engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and obtain knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practice in areas of science, engineering, urban planning, sales, marketing or management.

Work is typically performed in an office, or an outdoor environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions.