Duties and Responsibilities of a Civil Engineer

A Civil Engineer, is an engineer trained to design and construct, and maintain public works (roads, bridges, structures, buildings, harbours, etc.) and is responsible for using their civil engineering background to plan and oversee various construction efforts in many different areas of this field. They will apply civil engineering principles to ensure that structures are constructed in the safest, sturdiest, and economical manner. The work of a civil engineer is all around us yet many do not even realize what a civil engineer is responsible for doing. The task of a civil engineer is extremely important as it equates for the overall safety of society in many different facets.


A civil engineer engages in many general responsibilities on a daily basis. These responsibilities are a crucial part of their chores and enable the civil engineer to engage in their profession to the best of their ability. One general responsibility of the civil engineer is to analyze various factors concerning a construction job. The civil engineer will analyze the proposed site location as well as the entire construction job which is to be completed at such a site. They will analyze the process for completing the construction job every step of the way.

The civil engineer must also plan the construction project that will be taking place in conjugation with the results they found due to their analysis of the proposed project. During the process and at the end, the civil engineer must inspect the product to ensure that all rules, regulations and guidelines, in accordance with drawings, contracts and specifications have been explicitly followed. 


When they have adequately analyzed the situation, they will write detailed reports stating what is acceptable and what needs to be changed prior to beginning the project. Once these proposed changes have been made, the civil engineer will review the plans and project site once again to ensure that all changes have been made as required.

The job of a civil engineer does not end at this point. The civil engineer will follow the project from start to finish and make any necessary changes along the way (change orders, variations, claims, etc). They will ensure that procedure is being followed and check on safety features of the project during the start and the time it is being completed.

A civil engineer must use many different equations, applications and figures to ensure the proper procedure diligence. Items that civil engineers must take part in and use include chemical testing applications, drafting and design software, project and construction management software, quantity surveying  and estimating software, contract administration strategy, electrical test devices and equipment, land surveying techniques, civil engineering standard method of measurement, fidic condtions, and engineering international codes and standards to name some of the important pertinent items.

The civil engineer must also be certain to follow land use laws and regulations every step of the way. This is extremely important as one who does not abide by such rules and regulations may find that the project is conked, either temporarily or permanently. Therefore, a specific duty of a civil engineer is to know the pertinent land use laws and regulations and to follow them consistently.

One who is a civil engineer is also the key contact person regarding the construction project in many cases. They will answer questions directed towards them by individuals involved with the construction project and the general public as well. While answering questions, they will also be responsible for backing up their statements with reports, graphs, charts and surveys.
There are some definitive positive traits which civil engineers should possess. By having these traits, one who is a civil engineer can excel in their job profession. Although having all of these traits is not a perquisite to doing a good job as a civil engineer, one who does have such traits will find that their job may go much more smoothly than if these positive attributes were lacking. 

Good analytical skills are a must for any civil engineer. Civil engineers have to read and interpret many complex charts, diagrams, maps and reports. By having superior analytical skills, one who fills this job role will find that they can complete their daily job duties in an effective and efficient manner. One who does not have good analytical skills may have a hard time in the role of a civil engineer.

Above average communication skills are also a good thing for civil engineers to possess. Civil engineers need to correspond with a wide array of individuals throughout their profession. They will have to deal with everyone from construction workers to CEOs of large corporations. Therefore, it is imperative that a civil engineer possesses above average communication skills as this will allow them to communicate effectively with individuals involved in the job.

One who is a civil engineer should also possess excellent problem solving capabilities. The role of a civil engineer is not an easy one. There will be problems that arise from time to time which the civil engineer will be responsible for fixing. With that said, one who works as a civil engineer should have impeccable problem solving skills. They need to be able to survey potential or full-blown problems and come up with a solution for such problems as quickly as possible. Since most construction jobs are on a stringent time schedule, it is important to not only be able to solve the problems that arise but to do so in a quick and speedy fashion.

Civil Engineers have a very important role in today’s society. They are the people behind the scenes of construction jobs which result in important buildings and structures throughout one’s city or hometown. They ensure not only that the buildings, roads, bridges, structures, harbours are constructed in a proper fashion but an expedient one as well.