Jacob
On average, how many hours a week are Civil engineers working outside of their office?
I'm not one for being stuck inside all day, and would like to know how often Civil Engineers get to work on a job site.
4 answers
DAVID WEBER
DAVID’s Answer
to be honest it varies with the projects you are working on, some weeks not at all, other times you go out to meet clients, visit a new project site, or collect field data, or visit a project construction site, some who want full time outdoors get into construction management where you can be on a job site 2-5 years, hope this helps
Jerin George
Jerin’s Answer
if you are a site engineer.90% of your work will be in site.there is no limit in timing ,Whenever you have urgent work ,you should stay in late night or till morning .this is in private companies.
Simon Robson
Simon’s Answer
The nice thing about engineering is that you cover several areas from design to installation and each phase take a different percentage of "field time." During the design phase, it can be low ...10-20% of the time, but during the installation it can be 80-100% of the time. Usually younger engineers will spend more time in the field so they can appreciate how things are done, the effort and coordination it takes. Larger companies/projects tend to specialize more ( less variety) and have dedicated field personnel...this might be a good option for you. I hope this helps.
Simon Robson
Simon’s Answer
The "best" engineers that I have worked with, and mentored, during my career all had, and enjoyed extensive "field" experience. This way the engineer can see how things are done and what it takes to bring ideas to life. Engineers need to understand and appreciate all aspects of design and installation. The fact that you like field work will make you a good candidate to be a great engineer. This is particularly true with civil engineers where so much of their work is creating, or modify outdoor "space." Enjoy the work outside and show respect for the individuals working with, and for you. Good luck.
Hi Simon. Great to have a few REAL engineers here answering Jacob's question. Do you have a perspective on what % of hours (out of a normal workweek) are spent outside the office? That's the question that Jacob was especially curious about and my guess based on your answer here is that you would be able to venture a guess at a specific number range that Jacob could use to understand what "extensive field experience" really means. Thanks in advance!
Jared Chung, Admin