Before applying for civil engineering jobs, it’s important to consider what the job role entails, the different fields of civil engineering, potential salary, and job role suitability.
Are you considering pursuing a career in civil engineering? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this article you’ll learn all about the work involved in the role, the different fields you’ll come across, salary predictions, and more!
Before we take a deep dive into the civil engineering profession, let’s cover the basics: civil engineering is one of the most prestigious jobs in the construction industry. It’s the professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of physical and natural environments. Civil engineers typically work on infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, airports, and railways.
Essentially, civil engineers design, create, and connect the world around us. They make cities, towns, and villages run smoothly. Civil engineers typically work in a variety of locations and conditions, depending on natural disasters or unexpected occurrences. No day is ever the same for a civil engineer.
So, what are the different types of civil engineering?
There’s a wide range of fields within the civil engineering industry, each with its own specialism. As you can probably tell, civil engineering is a broad vocation with many fields and specialisms. Chances are you’ll be drawn to—and best qualified—to work in a specific area and chances are you’ll be more interested in one specialization over another. If you focus on one specific field of civil engineering, you can spend your career becoming a highly specialized expert in your field.
The main types of civil engineering jobs are:
Environmental engineers are at the forefront of a sustainable society. Their role is to create infrastructure, technologies, and policies. You may need knowledge of broader scientific topics like biology, chemistry, ecology, geology, microbiology, or mathematics if you’re interested in pursuing a career in environmental engineering.
Structure engineers focus on creating the form and shape of man-made structures, from bridges to roller coasters. Within this role you’re expected to work alongside architects, builders, and other engineers.
Geotechnical engineers mainly focus on the behavior of soils and rocks under the influence of loading forces and soil-water interactions. If you’re keen to follow a career in geotechnical engineering, your main focus will be geo-environmental engineering, rock mechanics, slope stability, and underground infrastructure.
If solving challenges to our water usage is the engineering path you want to follow, you’ll be focusing on solving water resource related problems such as supply crisis, power shortage, water pollution, insufficient food supply due to poor irrigation, and other challenges. In this role you’re expected to work with drainage, irrigation, flood control, water development and planning, sanitary and wastewater engineering, as well as coast and river engineering.
The main focus of urban engineering is municipal infrastructure such as roads, streets, pathways, and more. Urban engineers work to make cities easier to navigate and more aesthetically pleasing. They also act as an important link between citizens and politicians.
Construction engineering is the most visible civil engineering job. It includes planning, designing, construction, and management of infrastructure projects.
Like any career, your salary depends on your level of education and experience within the industry. Civil engineering is generally considered to be a well-paid and specialized role. The average base salary for civil engineering jobs in the United Arab Emirates is AED 67,527.
How much do civil engineers earn? (Each of the averages includes potential tips, bonuses, and overtime pay.)
The short answer is yes! Civil engineering jobs are varied, with the opportunity to explore lots of specialisms.
As you’ve read above, there are so many different things you could find yourself doing. If you’re the type of person who likes to be hands-on with projects, then this is the career for you. Additionally, civil engineering makes a huge difference to people’s lives. Many of the projects you’ll work on will benefit the general public and local communities. You’ll be exposed to a variety of projects, given opportunities to travel, be a vital member of a strong team, and be paid generously!
SSA Recruitment Group are a highly dedicated firm of recruitment and search consultants in the United Arab Emirates. We connect our clients to the best talent, making sure you’re matched perfectly with your dream civil engineering role.
Take a look at our available career opportunities in the UAE here.
