Nature of work
A bridge/ tunnel engineer analyzes survey reports, maps, drawings, blueprints, aerial photography, and other topographical or geologic data to plan projects. Also, he/she estimates quantities and costs of materials, equipment to determine project feasibility. Moreover, he/she manages and directs staff members and the construction, operations, or maintenance processes at project site. He/she provides technical advice regarding design, construction, or program modifications and structural repairs to industrial and managerial personnel, computes load and grades requirements, water flow rates, or material strength factors to determine design specifications. He/she examines project sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to design specifications and safety or sanitation standards. Furthermore, he/she prepares reports on topics such as bid proposals, deeds, environmental impact statements, or property and right-of-way descriptions, conducts studies of traffic patterns or environmental conditions to identify engineering problems and assess potential project impact, directs or participates in surveys to lay out installations or establish reference points, grades, or elevations to guide construction. Environment of work
Contracted working hours are from 9am to 5pm, but it is not common for him/her to work long hours, including evenings and weekends. A bridge/tunnel engineer is office based, but his/her work does include out-of-office visits to both clients and sites. Appropriate safety equipment, such as protective boots and headgear, must be worn on site. Part-time work or career breaks may be possible in some organizations, although are generally fairly uncommon. The dress code can be conservative, and they are expected to dress smartly, even when visiting sites. There may be considerable travel within a working day, although absence from home overnight is uncommon. A car is not usually offered, but mileage for site visits may be payable. Professional life
A bridge/tunnel engineer can work on a variety of projects while gaining experience and working towards chartered status. Once he/she has achieved chartered status, he/she can handle further responsibilities and manage larger projects. These responsibilities may include marketing or business development, especially in small consultancies. Scope for gaining experience in different areas is usually depends on his/her employer rather than the actual size of the company. This means it is essential to fully research the industry and the approach of individual companies. Careers can be developed in many ways and some employers may offer the flexibility to choose a specialist area of work. With experience, it is possible to work abroad if he/she is employed by a large, multinational company. Generally graduates begin at fresh graduate engineer level. Promoting to senior engineer level is possible, followed by principal engineer level with further experience. Progress may be possible beyond these roles.Range of typical starting salaries: 55000 SYP.
Getting the job
This area of work is open to civil/structural engineering graduates. Relevant summer work experience can be very useful to job and networking opportunities.Structural engineering graduate(holding M.Sc. Degree in structures) with experiences in supervision of bridges/Tunnels Construction and related works.
Skills
There are many skills he/she needs to have, and tries to improve them, such as:Good knowledge in Civil engineering.
Good oral and written communication skills.
- Negotiation skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
- Able to identify, analyzes and solve problems.
- Aptitude for computing and designing.
- Practical and creative.
- Able to work without supervision.
- Able to work as part of a team.
- Able to handle responsibilities.
Sources and references
If you need any further information on what is included in this file, you can visit the following websites:- The Order of Syrian engineers, Damascus, Tel: 6627256
- www.arab-eng.org, Arab Engineers Forum.
- Arab Standard Classification of Occupations, 2008, Ed. Arab Labor Organization.