Civil Engineer Resume Example

Also called Site Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer.

Civil engineering employers look for the types and values of projects you worked on, your role on them and your progress toward licensure. Show the design, permitting or construction work you did and the results.

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Opens in the builder with this text in place, ready for you to replace with your own.

What this example does well

  • Project types and values are clear, so a firm can compare her experience with its own work.
  • First-review permit approvals show quality that clients and managers both value.
  • The PE license and its board are listed plainly.

Updated

Sarah Thompson

Civil Engineer, PE

Summary

Licensed civil engineer with seven years of experience in site development and stormwater design. Has designed grading, drainage and utilities for 30 commercial and residential projects worth up to $45 million, and manages permitting with state and local agencies.

Experience

Project Engineer, Piedmont Civil Consultants

Mar 2021 – Present · Raleigh, North Carolina

  • Design grading, stormwater and utility plans for commercial and residential sites worth up to $45 million.
  • Prepared stormwater permit packages that were approved on first review for 9 of the last 11 projects.
  • Manage schedules and budgets for up to six projects at once and lead a team of two designers.
  • Visit sites during construction to answer contractor questions and check work against plans.

Civil Engineer in Training, Triangle Engineering Group

Jun 2019 – Feb 2021 · Durham, North Carolina

  • Drafted site plans and details in Civil 3D.
  • Ran hydrology and hydraulic calculations for stormwater systems.
  • Prepared quantity estimates and bid documents.

Education

BS Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University

2015 – 2019 · Raleigh, North Carolina

Skills

Site design, Stormwater management, Grading and drainage, Civil 3D, HydroCAD, Permitting, Construction administration, Project management

Certifications

  • Professional Engineer (PE), Civil — North Carolina Board of Examiners, 2023
An example: Sarah Thompson is not a real person, and the details show the kind of thing to write rather than a real career. Shown in the Thesis template. Words that postings for this job often use are marked in yellow.

How do you write a summary for a civil engineer resume?

Two to four lines at the top that say what you do, for how long, and what you are best at. Here is one for each stage of a career.

  • Entry level

    Civil engineering graduate who passed the FE exam and interned with a state transportation department, inspecting paving and drainage work on a $20 million highway project. Skilled in Civil 3D and AutoCAD and eager to grow toward a PE license.

  • Experienced

    Civil engineer with five years of experience in site and infrastructure design. Designs grading, drainage and utilities, prepares permit packages and supports construction.

  • Senior

    Principal civil engineer with sixteen years of experience. Leads a group of 12, manages a portfolio of public and private projects worth $200 million a year and serves as engineer of record on major infrastructure work.

How to write a resume summary, with more examples

What are good bullet points for a civil engineer resume?

Each starts with a verb and says what was done. Change the details and numbers to your own; a number you cannot explain in an interview is worse than none.

  1. Designed grading, drainage and utility plans for commercial developments.

  2. Ran stormwater calculations and designed detention and treatment systems.

  3. Prepared permit packages for local and state agencies.

  4. Produced construction drawings in Civil 3D.

  5. Estimated quantities and costs for bids.

  6. Reviewed contractor submittals and answered requests for information.

  7. Inspected construction for compliance with plans and specifications.

  8. Managed project schedules and budgets and reported to clients.

  9. Coordinated with architects, surveyors and other engineers.

  10. Mentored junior engineers and drafters.

Which skills should a civil engineer put on a resume?

Pick the ones the job posting asks for and that you can back up with an example from your work.

Hard skills

  • Civil design software (Civil 3D, AutoCAD, MicroStation)
  • Hydrology and hydraulics
  • Site grading and drainage
  • Structural or transportation design
  • Permitting
  • Construction inspection
  • Cost estimating
  • Project management

Soft skills

  • Clear communication with clients and agencies
  • Problem solving
  • Organization
  • Attention to detail
  • Teamwork

Licenses and certifications

  • Professional Engineer (PE)
  • Engineer in Training (EIT) or Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)
  • Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM)
  • OSHA 10-Hour Construction

Which keywords belong on a civil engineer resume?

The words recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for.

  • stormwater
  • grading
  • utility
  • permit
  • Civil 3D
  • construction
  • projects
  • schedules
  • sites

Use the ones that are true for you, written the way the posting writes them, and put each where it shows something you did. A list of keywords with nothing behind it helps nobody. To keep them readable by software, choose an ATS-friendly template, and read how applicant tracking systems read a resume.

How do you describe civil engineering projects?

Give the project type, its value or size and your role: "Designed stormwater systems for a 40-acre mixed-use site worth $45 million". This lets a firm compare your experience with their work.

For many projects, group them by type with totals and highlight two or three of the largest or most complex.

How should you show your path to a PE license?

List the FE exam or EIT status with the year, and when you expect to sit the PE exam. Firms plan around this.

Once licensed, add the state and year, and any other states where you hold licenses.

What do employers in the trades look for in a resume?

  • Put licenses, tickets and safety cards near the top with their numbers or levels. Without them you cannot be sent to site.
  • Name the kind of work: residential, commercial, industrial, or the materials and processes you are qualified in.
  • Safety record and rework are the numbers that matter. Days without a lost-time incident and inspections passed first time say you can be trusted.

All trades and engineering resume examples

Questions about a civil engineer resume

Should I include a project list?

For senior roles, a separate project list can help. Keep the main resume focused on your best work.

Which software should I list?

Design and analysis tools you use, such as Civil 3D, HEC-RAS or HydroCAD.

Is fieldwork worth mentioning?

Yes. Construction and inspection experience makes designers more practical and valuable.

How long should a civil engineer resume be?

One to two pages.

Make this civil engineer resume yours.

Start from the example, swap in your own jobs and numbers, and switch to any template without retyping a word.

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