Civil engineering technicians help civil engineers to plan, design, and build the highways, bridges, utilities, and other infrastructure projects. They also help to plan, design, and build commercial, industrial, residential, and land development projects.
Duties
Civil engineering technicians typically do the following:
Read and review project drawings and plans to determine the sizes of structures
Confer with engineers about preparing plans
Use computer aided design software under the charge of engineers
Evaluate pre-construction field conditions
Observe project sites and evaluate contractors' work to detect problems with a design
Test construction materials and soil samples in laboratories
Help to ensure that project construction conforms to design specifications and applicable codes
Develop plans and estimate costs for constructing systems and operating facilities
Prepare reports and document project activities and data
Collect data and prepare analyses
Set up and help maintain project files and records
Civil engineering technicians typically work under the charge of licensed civil engineers. These technicians generally help civil engineers, performing some of the same tasks as the engineers. However, because they are not licensed, civil engineering technicians cannot approve designs or supervise the overall project.
Civil engineering technicians assume varied duties on the job. They sometimes estimate construction costs and develop specifications. Other times, they prepare drawings or survey land. They also may set up and monitor various instruments for traffic studies. These technicians' duties often require familiarity with and use of various computer programs to design projects, collect and analyze data, prepare correspondence and reports, and manage file systems.