Service Branches
Work Environment
Civil engineers work in offices when designing projects or reviewing reports. They work in the field when conducting needs assessments, or overseeing surveys and construction activities.
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Military Status
Officer
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Average Military Salary
$80,877
Overview
Civil engineers oversee the repair, maintenance, and operation of heavy equipment. They execute construction, operation, and repair of structures and facilities. Responsibilities of a civil engineer also include clearing and emplacing obstacles such as minefields. There are a variety of civil engineering disciplines, all of which play a rewarding role in military operations.
Military Training
Officers typically enter the Military after they have completed a four-year college degree; enlisted service members can transition to officer positions through a variety of pathways and earn a degree while serving. Civil engineers typically have a college degree in engineering. Like other officers, they complete a comprehensive training program covering responsibilities, military structure and etiquette, traditions, and leadership development. In addition, civil engineers receive specialized training, both on-the-job and in the classroom, to oversee military engineering projects. Job-specific training content may include:
- Contract management
- Public works (e.g., utilities)
- Administration
- Military-specific construction topics (e.g., breaching structures)
Helpful Attributes
- Interest in engineering principles and concepts
- Interest in working with mathematical formulas
Related Civilian Careers
- Materials Engineers
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
- Environmental Engineers
- Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Construction and Building Inspectors
- Construction Managers
- Nuclear Engineers
- Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Civil Engineers
- Industrial Engineers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Electricians
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
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