Jobs Description

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A structural engineer is responsible for designing any kind of structure so that it can fulfil a specific purpose, and remain safe, economic and functioning throughout its intended lifetime. Structural engineering is about investigating both the immediate loads and demands on the structure, as well as any likely future changes, and ensuring a structure is designed to withstand those loads.

As well as designing new builds, structural engineers also ensure older structures remain safe, and often design refurbishment schemes to ensure long life for existing structures.

As a structural engineer, you could be working on many areas of construction, including building design, construction, repairs, conversions and extensions. Projects could range from a simple, single building like a house, school or shop, to major schemes including hospitals, sports arenas, offshore oil rigs and bridges.

Often working closely with architects, structural engineers are involved at every stage of a project as they use their creativity and innovation to come up with sustainable solutions to some of the greatest challenges we face, including climate change.

As a career, this branch of engineering offers you the chance to play a part in shaping the world in which you live, and the profession also offers huge scope for challenge, variety and creative satisfaction. So, professionally, structural engineering can be hugely rewarding.

You could find yourself based with a contractor, consultant, local authority, or decide to go into teaching and research. There are also plenty of opportunities for working overseas, since you’ll be qualified to work anywhere in the world.

Stephen McGuigan is a structural engineer with Amey. He says: “The ideal situation for a young structural engineer is to be the resident engineer for one of their own designs. This will allow an opportunity to see if they could have produced a more efficient design.”

“The structural engineer has to ensure that the structure being designed remains ‘fit for purpose’ throughout its design life, so must consider what might happen as well as what will happen to it during this time.”