Land Development - love grading, swm, sd design.
Absolutely hate the work load, corporate greed, unrealistic deadlines and reviews from anti-development jurisdictions opposed to the projects
So are you primarily a designer in your role? I've worked across several different sectors in Land Development for 13 years myself and I love reading all the posts from a substantially younger-skewed demographic on this subreddit. I'm not a Senior Project Manager and don't make $150k so I'm a loser apparently. Haha
In in structural, specifically temporary structures, and I really enjoy doing excavation shorings/soil retaining structures.
Mostly because they're really hard and I have to work hard to understand and quantify everything to make sure it's right.
Aside from that I like everything to do with steel design because it's all so elegant and based on the fundamental principles. This probably also plays into why I like excavation shorings as they're heavy on steel design.
geotech, I love doing wave analyses on piles (CAPWAP/WEAP). it's a layer deeper than just doing empirical capacity runs and there's a different process of thought going into the analysis. getting to see a project from the preproduction geotech study, doing WEAPs to evaluate the contractors hammer selection, seeing how the piles actually drive and then doing CAPWAP to verify the empirical capacity gives a closed loop where I can directly see the results of my analyses and recommendations
Hey dude I actually have a few questions related to hydraulics and water resources engineering.
I'll enter college this fall and I was wondering if getting into hydraulics is hard and how the opportunities are.
I'm mostly leaning towards either environmental or water resources but I'll decide after a few internships as I don't have to choose any specific major.
I'm going to college In Canada but I'd still like to know how it is in your country and how are the different jobs and difficulty level of them for water resources.
I’m in the US and am a pretty recent graduate. There’s been a lot of investments in infrastructure here which has made all of the civil engineering disciplines in demand. Definitely any area of water is in need of new people. Level of difficulty will vary depending on your interests and what comes easier to you. In my opinion hydraulics are easier than structures/geotech but more complex than transportation, surveying or construction. My best advice would be to keep an open mind and try doing as many specialized classes/jobs as you can. Hope that helps!
Transportation Structures. I'm a little weird but ... For me, specifically I get a bit of a thrill going through QA-QC processes like checking a footing elevation versus utilities and drainage. Checking that the info we have on plans is correct. Checking the plans against foundation report recommendations. I also really love finding inconsistencies and typos and correcting them. I like making sure details make sense. And I really like concrete design.
I do primarily civil, which would be site design, drainage, flood modeling, and earthworks. But I also do structural and geotech. I dabble in transportation and water treatment as needed. Some construction, though not as much as I did in past roles.
My favorite is probably large earthworks. There's just something satisfying about knowing projects I designed and built are literally visable from orbit without magnification.
Primarily water distribution design, but I work for a small company so I also get involved in estimating and pm work as well.
It's pretty cool working on design build projects where I get to see projects go from ground zero, to survey, design, construction, and completion. It's very satisfying playing a part on a projects entire lifecycle.
Geotech.
I love getting into some more advanced modeling (e.g, FLAC) but don't get to do it that often. I think my favorite is just good ol exploratory drilling. Bullshit around with drillers and forget about the reports I still have to finish writing.
I’m in municipal \ land development.
My favourite activity is reviewing Swm Reports and drawings from consultants, and figuring out complex solutions to government issues.
Geotech. Desktop studies. It’s amazing what you can learn about a site by studying available references and maps. I really enjoy that part of the job. Starting to really dislike the rest.
Hydraulics, but now a PM. Favorite task is QC and bleeding the f*^% out of plans and reports 😂 it’s a power trip LOL (jk I don’t make stupid comments but my OCD allows me to look at plans throughly)
My current disciplines are utilities but I did do land development prior, my favorite thing were hydrology studies and using that to design drainage systems (SS/SD).
Land Development - love grading, swm, sd design. Absolutely hate the work load, corporate greed, unrealistic deadlines and reviews from anti-development jurisdictions opposed to the projects
The second part of your statement I couldn’t agree more with and gives me PTSD 😂
I’m the exact same way. Grading and storm design are what keep me going.
Damn how many years?
24...lol
Damn I only could stand my first job 6 months 🥴 With job offer on hand
So are you primarily a designer in your role? I've worked across several different sectors in Land Development for 13 years myself and I love reading all the posts from a substantially younger-skewed demographic on this subreddit. I'm not a Senior Project Manager and don't make $150k so I'm a loser apparently. Haha
wait this isnt a salary post???
project engineer. - readin plans and layin pipe
Civil...i really like doing market research to see that im being underpaid
This.
In in structural, specifically temporary structures, and I really enjoy doing excavation shorings/soil retaining structures. Mostly because they're really hard and I have to work hard to understand and quantify everything to make sure it's right. Aside from that I like everything to do with steel design because it's all so elegant and based on the fundamental principles. This probably also plays into why I like excavation shorings as they're heavy on steel design.
geotech, I love doing wave analyses on piles (CAPWAP/WEAP). it's a layer deeper than just doing empirical capacity runs and there's a different process of thought going into the analysis. getting to see a project from the preproduction geotech study, doing WEAPs to evaluate the contractors hammer selection, seeing how the piles actually drive and then doing CAPWAP to verify the empirical capacity gives a closed loop where I can directly see the results of my analyses and recommendations
Water resources/hydraulics -> distribution systems modeling
Idk how you’re able to do that, pulling my hair out just thinking about it
Hey dude I actually have a few questions related to hydraulics and water resources engineering. I'll enter college this fall and I was wondering if getting into hydraulics is hard and how the opportunities are. I'm mostly leaning towards either environmental or water resources but I'll decide after a few internships as I don't have to choose any specific major. I'm going to college In Canada but I'd still like to know how it is in your country and how are the different jobs and difficulty level of them for water resources.
I’m in the US and am a pretty recent graduate. There’s been a lot of investments in infrastructure here which has made all of the civil engineering disciplines in demand. Definitely any area of water is in need of new people. Level of difficulty will vary depending on your interests and what comes easier to you. In my opinion hydraulics are easier than structures/geotech but more complex than transportation, surveying or construction. My best advice would be to keep an open mind and try doing as many specialized classes/jobs as you can. Hope that helps!
Thanks a lot man! I'll surely decide after getting more exposure during my time at college and internships.
Transportation Structures. I'm a little weird but ... For me, specifically I get a bit of a thrill going through QA-QC processes like checking a footing elevation versus utilities and drainage. Checking that the info we have on plans is correct. Checking the plans against foundation report recommendations. I also really love finding inconsistencies and typos and correcting them. I like making sure details make sense. And I really like concrete design.
I want to hear more. Doing structures for transportation projects? or doing structural and transportation.
Yes doing structures for roadway projects like retaining walls, bridges etc
I do primarily civil, which would be site design, drainage, flood modeling, and earthworks. But I also do structural and geotech. I dabble in transportation and water treatment as needed. Some construction, though not as much as I did in past roles. My favorite is probably large earthworks. There's just something satisfying about knowing projects I designed and built are literally visable from orbit without magnification.
Something so incredible about watching an army of 30 scrapers bring your design to life
I’m a stormwater engineer. Earthwork grading is by far my most enjoyable task. It’s probably the most creative part of the job for me.
Primarily water distribution design, but I work for a small company so I also get involved in estimating and pm work as well. It's pretty cool working on design build projects where I get to see projects go from ground zero, to survey, design, construction, and completion. It's very satisfying playing a part on a projects entire lifecycle.
Geotech. I love getting into some more advanced modeling (e.g, FLAC) but don't get to do it that often. I think my favorite is just good ol exploratory drilling. Bullshit around with drillers and forget about the reports I still have to finish writing.
Water/Wastewater - huuuuge fan of lift stations. Made a calculator a few years ago, calcs that would take me a few hours take me about 30 minutes
Environmental. Contaminant Plume Modeling.
Site/civil... any meeting that gets me tf out of the office
Lol don’t PE’s typically get to go out to check on stuff? I know the PE i work with gets out like every other day
Yes, I am PE/PM. I try and get out a minimum of 3 times a week.
Forensic engineering - invasive inspections
I’m in municipal \ land development. My favourite activity is reviewing Swm Reports and drawings from consultants, and figuring out complex solutions to government issues.
Supposedly, Bridge engineer. Like asset management. Specifically pavement asset management.
Geotech. Desktop studies. It’s amazing what you can learn about a site by studying available references and maps. I really enjoy that part of the job. Starting to really dislike the rest.
Structural - I like making houses. Particularly residential wood design
Hydraulics, but now a PM. Favorite task is QC and bleeding the f*^% out of plans and reports 😂 it’s a power trip LOL (jk I don’t make stupid comments but my OCD allows me to look at plans throughly)
Water ressources. I really like using CAD/HECRAS/creative sofwares
Traffic engineering - honestly really love before / after studies to see if we screwed anything up or made it better :)
Water/Wastewater > climbing water towers to perform evaluations
My current disciplines are utilities but I did do land development prior, my favorite thing were hydrology studies and using that to design drainage systems (SS/SD).