Civil engineering technicians held about 74,000 jobs in 2014. The industries that employed the most civil engineering technicians were as follows:
Engineering services
40%
State government, excluding education and hospitals
28
Local government, excluding education and hospitals
18
Construction
4
Civil engineering technicians work in offices, where they help civil engineers plan and design projects. Civil engineering technicians sometimes visit the jobsite where a construction project is taking place, to collect or test materials or observe the project.
When civil engineering technicians visit the jobsite where a construction project is taking place, they may test materials, assist in surveying, or perform field observations in order to help ensure that the designs approved by licensed civil engineers are being built correctly and in a timely manner. Civil engineering technicians also may work at several sites, using cars or trucks as a mobile office.
Work Schedules
When civil engineering technicians work at construction sites, their schedules may be subject to factors that affect construction, such as bad weather. In addition, their schedules vary with the length and completion of construction projects. Those who work mostly in laboratories to test construction materials have more stable work schedules, but are still subject to schedule variations related to construction.
