Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Civil engineering technologists and technicians help civil engineers plan, design, and build 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 technologists and technicians typically do the following:

• Read and review project drawings and plans to determine the sizes of structures
• Confer with engineers to prepare plans
• Develop plans and estimate costs for constructing systems and operating facilities
• Use computer aided design (CAD) software to draft project drawings
• Conduct field surveys to collect data on site conditions and inspect structures
• Test appropriateness of construction materials and soil samples
• Observe project sites to ensure that construction conforms to design specifications and applicable codes
• Prepare reports and document project activities and data
• Set up and help maintain project files and records

Civil engineering technicians typically install, troubleshoot, and maintain designs created by engineers. They may work under the direction of engineers or engineering technologists.

Civil engineering technologists typically help licensed engineers improve designs or incorporate new technology. They may be team leaders, instructing civil engineering technicians on installing equipment, systems, or structures.

These technologists and technicians observe progress on a jobsite, collect data, and complete reports to document project activities. Because they are not licensed, civil engineering technologists and technicians cannot approve designs or supervise the overall project.

In addition, civil engineering technologists and technicians sometimes estimate construction costs, develop specifications, and prepare drawings. They also may set up and monitor various instruments for traffic studies. Their duties often require use of software to design projects, collect and analyze data, prepare reports, and manage files.

Civil engineering technologists and technicians held about 64,900 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of civil engineering technologists and technicians were as follows:

Civil engineering technologists and technicians work in offices, helping civil engineers plan and design projects. They also visit construction jobsites to collect or test materials or to observe activities as a project inspector. They may work at several sites, using cars or trucks as a mobile office.

Civil engineering technologists and technicians frequently work on teams with civil engineers, surveyors and surveying technicians, construction workers, and others involved with projects.

Work Schedules

Civil engineering technologists and technicians usually work full time. When working at construction sites, their schedules may be subject to factors that affect construction, such as weather. Their schedules also may be tied to those of the construction projects they are involved with.

An associate’s degree, preferably in civil engineering technology, is typically required to enter the occupation.

The median annual wage for civil engineering technologists and technicians was $64,200 in May 2024.

Employment of civil engineering technologists and technicians is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.

Despite limited employment growth, about 5,500 openings for civil engineering technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.