Civil engineers design and oversee the construction of public projects such as roads, buildings, and bridges. They insure that building sites are safe for people, and the energy and water consumed is acceptable. Within the career, however, there are multiple sects and areas to work in.
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineers use their knowledge of energy, nature, and science to find environmentally friendly ways for people to live. They create and maintain facilities that recycle water, control air pollution, and attempt to convert waste to clean and useable energy. Many participate in the research of damaging pollutants rather than the physical creation of these facilities. These researchers observe the affects of environmental issues such as acid rain and global warming. They then collaborate with environmental scientists in the hopes of finding solutions to these problems. Environmental engineers make an average salary of $80,000 per year and the career path is expected to grow by 22% over the next few years.
Geotechnical Engineers
Geotechnical engineers are in charge of creating safe structures that prevent flooding and limit damage from other natural disasters. They also create the containers for hazardous materials that stop leakage and the spread of illness among people and the environment. Many geotechnical engineers observe landslides and soil erosion in an attempt to find ways to predict or limit them. By doing so, they can reduce the amount of environmental and economical damage done annually. Geotechnical engineers have an average salary of $77,000 and the career is expected to grow by 19% through 2020.
Transportation Engineers
Transportation engineers build all forms of transportation that society needs for the distribution of goods and services. They design highways, railroads, airfields, ports, and harbors. The roads must be able to maintain their structure under mass amounts of weight, while being the right size to connect smoothly from area to area. The harbors must be designed in easily accessible places where the currents won’t cause any damage nor be too hard to navigate. Transportation engineers consider all these factors when working on a job to create successful and useful forms of transportation. Their average salary is $50,000 and the career is expected to grow by 19% over the next few years.
Structural Engineers
Structural engineers work alongside all other sects of engineering to give them the best structures available for their projects. They help design bridges, dams, tunnels, and buildings. These engineers will design the beams, columns, floors and ceilings used to hold up structures. Their creations will insure mass amounts of weight can be successfully upheld. Structural engineers tend to work alongside architects to give an appealing look to the necessary structures that they are working on. Because their structures are often seen in skylines, they must think creatively to give their work an appealing look, while being structurally sound. Structural engineers make an average salary of $84,000 and the career is expected to grow by 20% over the next seven years.
Quantity Surveyor
For those interested in entering the finance division of the workforce, being a quantity surveyor will be a perfect career. They are in charge of all finances relating to the construction of civil engineering projects. They evaluate the cost of a project, determine the worth of land or facilities included, and work with contractors to minimize cost while maximizing efficiency. Surveyors are knowledgeable of both the financial and engineering side of the projects. They are able to understand the purpose and necessity of different parts of a machine while being able to determine the worth of the project as a whole. Quantity surveyors have an average salary of $50,000 annually and the career has a projected path of 19% through 2020.
Each career noted make up the field of civil engineering and are great opportunities for those with a degree. With a variety of career paths to choose from, saving the environment and helping create new, lasting forms of energy couldn’t be more interesting.