What a civil engineer does
A civil engineer plans, designs and oversees infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, stormwater management, site grading and land development. Work can range from preparing servicing and grading plans for a new subdivision to designing municipal road reconstructions, reviewing development applications or administering construction contracts. Civil engineers prepare reports and drawings, coordinate with municipalities and agencies and inspect work in the field.
Civil projects depend on approvals, and delays often come from incomplete submissions or unfamiliarity with local requirements. A civil engineer who knows how GTA municipalities and conservation authorities review projects can save your team considerable time. Finch screens candidates for relevant project types, design software such as Civil 3D, understanding of applicable standards and their PEO licensing status, so the candidates you meet are ready for your workload.
Typical responsibilities
- Design roads, grading, servicing and stormwater management systems
- Prepare engineering drawings, reports and cost estimates
- Prepare submissions and respond to comments from municipalities and conservation authorities
- Coordinate with surveyors, planners, architects and other engineers
- Review contractor submittals and inspect construction
- Manage project budgets, schedules and client communication
Qualifications and credentials
- A bachelor's degree in civil engineering from an accredited program, or academic qualifications assessed as equivalent by PEO
- A P.Eng. licence for roles that seal drawings or take responsibility for designs; EIT candidates often support senior engineers
- Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D and, often, stormwater or hydraulic modelling software
- Knowledge of municipal design standards and, for road work, Ontario Provincial Standards
- A valid Ontario driver's licence is often required for site visits
Who hires a civil engineer
- Consulting engineering firms
- Land developers and home builders
- Municipalities and regional governments
- Construction and infrastructure contractors
- Transportation and transit organizations
Where we recruit civil engineer candidates
We fill civil engineer roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- PEO licence or EIT status, confirmed where applicable
- Project types they have designed or managed, such as subdivisions or road reconstruction
- Experience with GTA municipal and conservation authority approvals
- Civil 3D and modelling software skills
- Field experience and communication with contractors
Interview questions to ask
- Tell me about a submission that a municipality sent back. What did they ask for, and how did you respond?
- How do you approach stormwater management on a tight urban site?
- How do you keep a construction project on track when the contractor finds something unexpected?