WHAT DOES A CIVIL ENGINEER DO?
Published: Nov 27, 2024 – The Civil Engineer evaluates potential projects through bid analysis, identifies site challenges, and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements. This position facilitates the design, procurement, and construction of solar facilities while managing resources and developing high-quality design documentation. Collaboration with technical teams ensures cohesive design packages, timely permit submissions, and successful project execution.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Civil Engineer
1. Civil Engineer Details and Accountabilities
- Safety Management: Manage known and potential safety issues and representation at safety boards.
- Project Leadership: Lead multi-disciplinary Integrated project teams in the investigation of operational issues to introduce containment actions, establish root causes, and recommend corrective actions.
- Technical Communication: Prepare and deliver technical communications (e.g. presentations and/or reports) to Airframers, regulators, operators, and internal stakeholders.
- Technical Documentation: Ensure that the technical content of all manuals is substantiated, valid, and maintained to a high standard recognizing that these are legal documents.
- Technical Support: Provide technical support to resolve technical queries and operational issues.
- Design Influence: Support and influence the design organization to ensure in-service product attributes (reliability, service cost, time on wing, etc.) meet business requirements.
- Technical Planning: Support planning, technical issues, RFls, submittals, and material approvals.
- Engineering Problem Solving: Resolve moderate to complex Engineering problems and perform quantity take-offs.
- Field Engineering Coordination: Coordinate Field Engineering activities with the site Construction Management team.
- Report and Proposal Assembly: Assist in the assembly of reports, proposals, bids, estimates, and schedules.
- As-Built Documentation: Ensure as-built documents are updated as required by the contract.
2. Civil Engineer Essential Functions
- Civil Design: Perform Civil Design work using AutoCAD Civil 3D.
- Land Development Planning: Develop plans and drawings, primarily for residential and commercial land development projects.
- Survey Assistance: Assist with survey department functions such as field survey, plat preparation, topographic mapping, and other survey functions.
- Design Feasibility: Research the feasibility of alternative design approaches, site conditions, and regulatory agency specifications.
- Project Specifications: Develop project specifications and complete permit applications.
- Proposal and Budgeting: Prepare proposals and establish budgets and efficient project timelines.
- Project Coordination: Coordinate with other engineers and technicians to complete projects within established budgets and timelines.
- Billing and Account Management: Assist with the preparation of billing statements and account collection.
3. Civil Engineer General Responsibilities
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create community designs and layouts with a keen focus on balancing marketability with cost control.
- Design Standards Development: Create and implement innovative design standards to be incorporated into future communities.
- Feasibility and Planning: Facilitate the feasibility process for new land acquisition opportunities by creating conceptual layouts, preparing cost estimates, and timelines, and identifying project risks and constraints.
- Project Coordination: Coordinate with third-party engineers to ensure priorities are established and monitor project progress.
- Construction Plan Support: Ensure Land Development is supported with timely receipt of approved construction plan sets.
- Plan Set Review: Review construction plan sets from third-party engineers to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
- Municipal Collaboration: Collaborate with municipal staff to garner their support for new community designs and zoning cases.
- Regulatory Compliance: Collaborate with municipal staff to ensure compliance and correct interpretation of ordinances and zoning requirements.
- Design Conformance Monitoring: Monitor conformance to design specifications and municipal standards.
- Technical Guidance: Provide technical guidance regarding community design, construction, or program modifications and needs.
4. Civil Engineer Responsibilities and Key Tasks
- Survey Analysis: Analyze survey reports, maps, plans, and other relevant information for project planning.
- Permit Submittal: Submit permit applications for projects with multiple regulations to appropriate local, state, and federal agencies.
- Budgeting and Risk Analysis: Budget construction costs and perform risk analysis for projects.
- Regulatory and Risk Studies: Study government regulations, environmental hazards, and other time constraints, risks, and expenditures when planning a project.
- Cost Estimation: Calculate budget cost estimates for equipment, labor, materials, and other expenditures.
- Design and Simulation: Design and implement plans and simulations using 2-D or 3-D computer software to plan transportation systems, hydraulics, structural sound framework, and other facilities to the highest standards.
- Coastal and Flood Design: Conduct the design process for various coastal restoration, flood mitigation, and stormwater projects from conceptual design to detailed designs including plans, specifications, and construction documents.
- Project Management: Perform project management activities in a lead role being responsible for scope, budget, and schedule working in close coordination with project team, sub-consultants, and clients.
- Numerical Modeling: Define numerical modeling needs for engineering projects, and guide the numerical modeling team and QA/QC numerical modeling results.
- Strategic Planning and Development: Participate in strategic planning and business development activities to grow Engineering Practice.
- Proposal and Presentation Support: Assist with project proposals and selection presentations.
5. Civil Engineer Duties and Roles
- Bid Evaluation: Review all potential projects by running through a bid evaluation to analyze site conditions, highlighting potential issues that will need to be addressed.
- Solar Facility Development: Facilitate the engineering, procurement, and construction of solar facilities.
- Due Diligence: Perform due diligence on properties including site visits, review of available mapping, review of agency regulations, verbal discussions with municipalities and various agencies, and coordination with utility companies.
- Cost and Resource Estimation: Work with the estimating team to ensure that allocated costs and resources adequately reflect project needs to facilitate the design and construction of the solar facilities.
- Design Documentation: Develop high-quality design documentation to communicate the project design to the client, regulatory agencies, and sub-contractors, and ensure compliance with applicable regulations.
- Land Development Design: Assist the project managers/project engineers with the design of land development projects which could include zoning reviews, grading, earthwork analysis, stormwater management designs, and roadway and utility profiles.
- Scope and Compliance Management: Review, understand, and work within the contracted scope of work, construction requirements, permitting conditions, budget, and schedule to execute projects.
- Technical Coordination: Work with technical resources such as drafters, engineering consultants, and equipment suppliers to deliver cohesive design packages for the project team.
- Documentation and Submission Support: Support the project team in submitting drawings and other documentation to obtain permits, seek bids, specify equipment/means/methods, and hit contract milestones.