What are the duties of a civil engineer?

I'm interested in possibly pursuing a career in engineering, but I'm not sure what a civil engineer's day-to-day job looks like. Can someone break down their main tasks for me? Do they primarily work indoors or outdoors?

Civil engineering is a broad field with various specializations, so the tasks can vary considerably depending on the focus area. However, I can certainly provide a general overview of the responsibilities one might expect.

At a high level, civil engineers design, construct, and maintain physical structures such as buildings, roads, bridges, and dams. This requires a keen understanding of scientific principles and engineering concepts, and often involves using computer-aided design (CAD) programs to create detailed plans.

The job also includes analytical duties like assessing structural integrity, estimating costs, determining environmental impacts, and ensuring adherence to safety regulations. Another important part of civil engineering is project management, which includes planning, budgeting, coordinating with other professionals and stakeholders, and overseeing construction.

As to your question about indoor versus outdoor work, it's really a mix of both. When working on a project's design and planning phase, civil engineers typically work in an office setting. However, once the construction phase begins, they often spend time on-site overseeing the progress, ensuring the designs are properly implemented, and handling any issues that might arise.

In summary, civil engineering offers a nice blend of desk work and fieldwork, which allows for a variety of tasks and locations, and can provide a dynamic work environment.