What skills does a civil engineer need?

A civil engineer needs 28 essential skills including engineering principles, bridge engineering, technical drawings, project management, cost management. Core competencies include Problem Solving, Transdisciplinary Thinking, Communication.

Will AI replace civil engineer jobs?

The AI disruption score for civil engineer is 28/100 (low risk). Some tasks may be automated but the role will evolve rather than disappear entirely.

Science & ResearchScience and engineering professionalsISCO 2142

civil engineer

Civil engineers design, plan, and develop technical and engineering specifications for infrastructure and construction projects. They apply engineering knowledge in a vast array of projects, from the construction of infrastructure for transportation, housing projects, and luxury buildings, to the construction of natural sites. They design plans that seek to optimise materials and integrate specifications and resource allocation within the time constraints.

Do You Have the Skills for This Role?

Core competency requirements inferred from the occupation's skill profile. Take the free assessment to see how you match.

Must-Have Skills (Advanced)

Problem SolvingAdvanced

Supporting Skills

Transdisciplinary ThinkingIntermediate

CommunicationIntermediate

CollaborationIntermediate

Digital FluencyIntermediate

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (28)

engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.bridge engineeringbridge engineeringThoroughly understand principles and characteristics of bridge management, bridge deck loading, bridge durability, steel and composite bridge design, long span bridges, etc.technical drawingstechnical drawingsDrawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.project managementproject managementThe discipline of project management, the activities which comprise this area and the variables implied in it, such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.cost managementcost managementThe process of planning, monitoring and adjusting the expenses and revenues of a business in order to achieve cost efficiency and capability.civil engineeringcivil engineeringThe engineering discipline that studies the design, construction and maintenance of naturally built works such as roads, buildings, and canals.quantity surveyingquantity surveyingThe process of estimating, planning and monitoring the costs of construction for buildings within large construction projects. It means the efficient and effective utilisation of resources and include...construction methodsconstruction methodsThe various techniques and methods for erecting buildings and other constructions.mining, construction and civil engineering machinery productsmining, construction and civil engineering machinery productsThe offered mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.integrated designintegrated designApproach to design which includes several related disciplines, with the aim to design and build according to the Near Zero Energy Building principles. The interplay between all aspects of building des...manage research datamanage research dataProduce and analyse scientific data originating from qualitative and quantitative research methods. Store and maintain the data in research databases. Support the re-use of scientific data and be fami...oversee construction projectoversee construction projectMake sure that the construction project is carried out in compliance with the building permit, the execution plans, the performance and design specifications, and the relevant regulations.interact professionally in research and professional environmentsinteract professionally in research and professional environmentsShow consideration to others as well as collegiality. Listen, give and receive feedback and respond perceptively to others, also involving staff supervision and leadership in a professional setting.ensure compliance with safety legislationensure compliance with safety legislationImplement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.plan engineering activitiesplan engineering activitiesOrganise engineering activities before starting them.operate open source softwareoperate open source softwareOperate Open Source software, knowing the main Open Source models, licensing schemes, and the coding practices commonly adopted in the production of Open Source software.demonstrate disciplinary expertisedemonstrate disciplinary expertiseDemonstrate deep knowledge and complex understanding of a specific research area, including responsible research, research ethics and scientific integrity principles, privacy and GDPR requirements, re...adjust engineering designsadjust engineering designsAdjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.use technical drawing softwareuse technical drawing softwareCreate technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.liaise with architectsliaise with architectsFacilitate communication and understanding between architects and other parties such as constructors, clients, and contractors with respect to the design of construction projects.manage engineering projectmanage engineering projectManage engineering project resources, budget, deadlines, and human resources, and plan schedules as well as any technical activities pertinent to the project.manage contractsmanage contractsNegotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, ...think abstractlythink abstractlyDemonstrate the ability to use concepts in order to make and understand generalisations, and relate or connect them to other items, events, or experiences.manage personal professional developmentmanage personal professional developmentTake responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional developmen...perform project managementperform project managementManage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific g...execute feasibility studyexecute feasibility studyPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of a project, plan, proposition or new idea. Realise a standardised study which is based on extensive investigation and research to support the p...approve engineering designapprove engineering designGive consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.synthesise informationsynthesise informationCritically read, interpret, and summarise new and complex information from diverse sources.

Optional (64)

geomaticsgeomaticsThe scientific discipline that studies gathering, storing, and processing geographic information.photogrammetryphotogrammetryThe science of taking photographs from at least two different locations in order to measure land surfaces to be represented in a map, 3D model or physical model.environmental policyenvironmental policyLocal, national and international policies dealing with the promotion of environmental sustainability and the development of projects which reduce negative environmental impact and improve the state o...business management principlesbusiness management principlesPrinciples governing business management methods such as strategy planning, methods of efficient production, people and resources coordination.surveyingsurveyingThe technique of determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them.urban planning lawurban planning lawInvestments and urban development agreements. Legislative developments regarding construction in terms of environmental, sustainability, social and financial matters.electricity consumptionelectricity consumptionThe different factors which are involved in the calculation and estimation of electricity consumption in a residence or facility, and methods in which electricity consumption can be lowered or made mo...cartographycartographyThe study of interpreting the elements depicted in maps, the measures and technical specifications.electrical engineeringelectrical engineeringThe field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.mathematicsmathematicsMathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to pr...safety engineeringsafety engineeringThe study of the risks associated with engineered designs and systems, accident prevention as well as the safety benefits of reducing deaths and injuries. The discipline focuses on analysing and mitig...design principlesdesign principlesThe elements used in design such as unity, scale, proportion, balance, symmetry, space, form, texture, colour, light, shade and congruence and their application into practice.energy performance of buildingsenergy performance of buildingsFactors that contribute to lower energy consumption of buildings. Building and renovation techniques used to achieve this. Legislation and procedures regarding energy performance of buildings.surveying methodssurveying methodsThe fundamental principles and procedures of surveying applied to civil engineering, including remote sensing methods, and related equipment.geochemistrygeochemistryThe scientific discipline that studies the presence and distribution of chemical elements in the geological systems of Earth.topographytopographyGraphic representation of the surface features of a place or region on a map indicating their relative positions and elevations.geodesygeodesyThe scientific discipline that combines applied mathematics and earth sciences in order to measure and represent the Earth. It studies phenomena such as gravitational fields, polar motion, and tides.urban planningurban planningPolitical and technical process that seeks to design the urban environment and optimize land use by considering various aspects such as infrastructure, water, and green and social spaces.geophysicsgeophysicsThe scientific field that deals with the physical processes and properties of, and spatial environment surrounding Earth. Geophysics also deals with the quantitative analysis of phenomena such as magn...energy efficiencyenergy efficiencyField of information concerning the reduction of the use of energy. It encompasses calculating the consumption of energy, providing certificates and support measures, saving energy by reducing the dem...geologygeologySolid earth, rock types, structures and the processes by which they are altered.mechanical engineeringmechanical engineeringDiscipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.metrologymetrologyThe methods and theory of measurement in a scientific context, including internationally accepted units of measurement, practical realisation of these units, and interpretation of measurements.environmental engineeringenvironmental engineeringThe application of scientific and engineering theories and principles aimed at improving the environment and sustainability, such as the provision of clean habitation necessities (such as air, water, ...electric generatorselectric generatorsThe principles and operations of devices that can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, such as dynamos and alternators, rotors, stators, armatures, and fields.chemistrychemistryThe composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk fa...sustainable building materialssustainable building materialsThe types of building material which minimize the negative impact of the building on the external environment, throughout their whole life cycle.power engineeringpower engineeringSubdiscipline of energy and electrical engineering which specialises in the generation, transmission, distribution, and usage of electrical power through the connection of electrical devices to motors...traffic engineeringtraffic engineeringThe subdiscipline of civil engineering that applies engineering methods to create safe and efficient traffic flows of people and goods on roadways, including sidewalks, traffic lights, and cycle facil...logisticslogisticsThe management of resources such as materials, time, and information to control the flow of products between the point of origin and the point of use. This includes the production, packaging, storing ...transportation engineeringtransportation engineeringThe subdiscipline of civil engineering that plans, designs and studies the operation and management of the transportation of people and goods in a safe, efficient, comfortable, economical and environm...automation technologyautomation technologySet of technologies that make a process, system, or apparatus operate automatically through the use of control systems.renewable energyrenewable energyThe different types of energy sources which cannot be depleted, such as wind, solar, water, biomass, and biofuel energy. The different technologies used to implement these types of energy to an increa...ensure compliance with environmental legislationensure compliance with environmental legislationMonitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation....collect geological datacollect geological dataParticipate in the collection of geological data such as core logging, geological mapping, geochemical and geophysical surveying, digital data capture, etc.manage budgetsmanage budgetsPlan, monitor, report on the budget and prepare set production budgets.speak different languagesspeak different languagesMaster foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.execute analytical mathematical calculationsexecute analytical mathematical calculationsApply mathematical methods and make use of calculation technologies in order to perform analyses and devise solutions to specific problems.advise on building mattersadvise on building mattersProvide advice on building matters to the various parties involved in construction projects. Bring to their awareness important building considerations and consult on construction budgets.conduct quality control analysisconduct quality control analysisConduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.use geographic information systemsuse geographic information systemsWork with computer data systems such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS).inspect construction suppliesinspect construction suppliesCheck construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.use software tools for site modellinguse software tools for site modellingUse software and other modelling tools to create simulations of and develop scenarios for possible outcomes of site operations. Use the information gathered from simulations and models for analysis an...meet contract specificationsmeet contract specificationsMeet contract specifications, schedules and manufacturers' information. Check that the work can be carried out in the estimated and allocated time.oversee quality controloversee quality controlMonitor and assure the quality of the provided goods or services by overseeing that all the factors of the production meet quality requirements. Supervise product inspection and testing.manage bridge construction projectsmanage bridge construction projectsInspect, assess and approve technical procedures; apply maintenance strategies, systems and procedures; assess the load testing of bridges; devise new methods of strengthening; and ensure the suitable...perform surveying calculationsperform surveying calculationsPerform calculations and gather technical data in order to determine earth curvature corrections, traverse adjustments and closures, level runs, azimuths, marker placements, etc.examine engineering principlesexamine engineering principlesAnalyse the principles that need to be considered for engineering designs and projects such as functionality, replicability, costs and other principles.inspect industrial equipmentinspect industrial equipmentInspect equipment used during industrial activities such as manufacturing or construction equipment in order to ensure that the equipment complies with health, safety, and environmental legislation.identify energy needsidentify energy needsIdentify the type and amount of energy supply necessary in a building or facility, in order to provide the most beneficial, sustainable, and cost-effective energy services for a consumer.draft design specificationsdraft design specificationsList the design specifications such as materials and parts to be used and a cost estimate.check quality of raw materialscheck quality of raw materialsCheck the quality of basic materials used for the production of semi-finished and finished goods by assessing some of its characteristics and, if needed, select samples to be analysed.assess project resource needsassess project resource needsTest ideas and purposes of the program against available financial and human resources to work out if the idea is realistic. Take an active role in creating work situations and ensure that the availab...use CAD softwareuse CAD softwareUse computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.conduct field workconduct field workConducts field work or research which is the collection of information outside of a laboratory or workplace setting. Visit places in order to collect specific information about the field.draw blueprintsdraw blueprintsDraw layout specifications for machinery, equipment and building structures. Specify which materials should be used and the size of the components. Show different angles and views of the product.manage a teammanage a teamEnsure clear and effective channels of communication across all departments within the organisation and support functions, both internally and externally ensuring that the team is aware of the standar...design building envelope systemsdesign building envelope systemsDesign an envelope system as a part of complete building energy system, taking into account energy saving concepts.present reportspresent reportsDisplay results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.advise architectsadvise architectsGive advise on design, safety issues, and cost reduction to architects during the pre-application phase.monitor contractor performancemonitor contractor performanceManage contractor performance and assess whether they are meeting the agreed standard and correct underperformance if needed.assess environmental impactassess environmental impactMonitor environmental impacts and carry out assessments in order to identify and to reduce the organisation's environmental risks while taking costs into account.create cadastral mapscreate cadastral mapsCreate maps using data gathered during surveying and measurement activities and specialised software which outline a region's constructions' and buildings' boundaries.design wind turbinesdesign wind turbinesDesign the electrical components and blades used in equipment which generates energy from the wind into electrical power, ensuring that the design is optimised to ensure safe and efficient production ...