Structural Engineer
What the work is
Analyses, calculates and predicts the stability, strength and rigidity of built structures, tests the behaviour and durability of materials used in their construction, and designs and supervises the construction of all types of structures.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Calculates pressures, loads and stresses on structural foundations to ensure the safety of the construction
- Studies and analyses the strength of building materials to select and advise on the suitable ones for the construction
- Conducts structural inspections to evaluate the conditions and foundations, and assess the structural integrity
- Uses computer models to simulate and predict the structure's behaviour under varying conditions, such as high winds, flooding or earthquakes
- Researches and improves construction techniques and structural designs
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a civil engineering consultancy designing roads, bridges, drains and flood works for towns. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A road or drain you designed opens and people just use it without noticing the thinking behind it
- A heavy rain arrives and the stormwater system you designed does its job
- You solve a tricky site problem with a design that saves months and a lot of digging
Hard days
- Soil on site turns out to be nothing like the report and the design has to change
- A community meeting about a project that will disrupt people's streets
- A client wants the cheapest option and you know it will cost more in the end
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 243234, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.