Civil engineers work on the design, construction, and maintenance of structures in the physical and natural environment. Civil engineering jobs can vary but generally include public works projects such as roads, bridges, airports, sewage systems, buildings, railways, and more.
A well-written civil engineer resume lists your education, skills, and relevant experience to help you land a job in your field of expertise. Since civil engineering is an education-based and skill-driven job, it’s essential for your resume to fully and clearly reflect your knowledge and expertise in the field. Our sample helps you do just that.
At the top of your resume, mention your name, contact details, and the resume title. Typically, your resume title should match the job you’re applying for (civil engineer).
In the next section, talk about your professional goals, strengths, and key accomplishments. This section is called a resume summary (or summary statement), and it should be 3-4 lines in length. You can also use this section to incorporate some of the keywords from the job description and explain why you’re the right fit for the role by leveraging your past experience and accomplishments.
After briefly explaining your value proposition, talk about areas of expertise. This includes key skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying to. As a civil engineer, your employer probably expects you to be good at project management, site supervision, and quality assurance. Other skills worth mentioning would be your soft skills, such as leadership, team management, communication, and client services.
Next, list down your work history in a reverse chronological sequence. This means that your latest, most-recent job should be listed first. Divide each job role into daily tasks (in paragraph form) and accomplishments (bulleted list). In the accomplishments section, you can also talk about any special projects you’ve worked on during that employment and the results yielded.
Towards the end of the resume, you’ll need to add your education section. To apply for a civil engineering job, you must have an undergraduate degree in this field from a recognized university. You might also require a license or affiliation with an accreditation body to practice this profession.
You can use the last section of your resume to list down your technical proficiency as well. This includes the different software solutions and project methodologies you’re familiar with. If you’ve published any research papers in your field, you can mention them here.
Engineering is a highly regulated profession, and it requires both education and a license. As a civil engineer, you’re expected to be extremely knowledgeable when it comes to construction, resource assessment and analysis, and procurement. Some of the key skills for civil engineers include:
Quality control and assurance
Regulatory compliance
Mathematical skills
Project planning and management
Resource allocation and budgeting
Decision-making skills
Communication skills
Leadership skills
Physical endurance (ability to drive long distances and stay on your feet for a long time)
Familiarity with building regulations and zoning laws
Material and labor procurement best practices
Negotiation skills
Summary example
Quality-focused, cost-conscious Engineer skilled in managing development and completion of multimillion-dollar municipal and land development engineering projects from initial planning / concept phase to final design submissions and client approvals.
Talented at developing and fostering strong client relations, working with project stakeholders to review project designs and specifications, identify potential issues, and propose solutions to reduce costs. Skilled problem-solver and communicator utilizing analytical, troubleshooting, and engineering expertise to guide clients through the entire engineering and construction process. Talent in forging solid relationships with strategic partners, building consensus to improve productivity, increasing efficiencies and driving project success. Fluent in Russian.
Employment history example
Civil Engineer at Cardno, Canberra. ACT, Australia
2018 - Present
Recruited to oversee contract preparation and administration for key land development projects in ACT and NSW. Interface directly with project stakeholders to define project scope, conduct risk assessments, and forecast costs. Establish and build strong client relationships, utilising in-depth understanding of ISO31000 regulations to prepare Risk Management Plans / Matrix’s and conduct risk management workshop. Monitor project metrics and prepare and present project reports and status updates to client and managers.
NSW Station Street Upgrade – Bowral Road Expansion Project: Participated in the design of two 2.6km lanes / roadways in a very constrained corridor. Project met RMS road reclassification requirements, utility relocation, stormwater management and leasing contracts between utility owners and stakeholders.
NSW Residential Development Project: Supervised preparation of proposal and creation of efficient design strategy to win 160 lots, land development project to support DA application. New proposal reduced development time by 20% by utilizing Civil 3D to streamline the modeling processes.
ACT Private Hospital Parking Assessment Project: Interacted directly with client to establish rapport with key decision makers. Gathered project requirements and prepared efficient parking assessment reports that won the new project and increased project profitability.
Civil Engineer at Sweco, Melbourne. VIC, Australia
2013 - 2018
Delivered critical leadership in managing preparation and execution of Australian and international land development projects. Consulted with clients to define projects, prepare cost proposals, establish budgets and administer project contracts. Coordinated execution of change management requests to streamline designs and reduce construction costs. Utilized Civil 3D and 12D modeling processes to create highly efficient design improvement strategies. Managed and supervised all phases of small- and large-scale projects and prioritized workflow. Managed project QA/QC processes. Assisted in hiring and training new Engineers.
Frankston South Drainage Strategy: Designed and modeled underground stormwater management infrastructure along Esplanade Street and Baileyana Street. Worked closely with Maroondah City Council and Whittlesea Council to ensure all designs met strict requirements.
Husky Energy Expansion Project - Fort McMurray, Canada: Performed cost-benefit analysis and developed budgets for the design / construction of new industrial site.
Windalco Aluminum Plant Expansion Project - United Company RUSAL Plc: Presented designs and 3D modeling /simulation outputs; advised client on project implementation based on amended master plan.
Leading team of engineering technologists in creating the detailed design, preparing all calculations, and acquiring all necessary approvals for industrial, commercial and residential site developments.
Directing infrastructure design projects (roads, sanitary, storm and water supply systems) for residential, commercial, and industrial sites and beside sensitive environmental conservation areas.
Education example
Environmental and Municipal Engineering at University of Alberta
Business Communications Language Program at Brock University
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at Polytechnic University
Skills example
Project Management Methodologies
Quality Assurance / Root-cause Analysis
ISO31000 Project Risk Management Process
Project Design & Development Licensing
Conducting NER & MSA Assessments