- What should your structural engineer resume include?
- How can you create a professional summary?
- How should you describe your work experience as a structural engineer?
- Include a fitting structural engineer resume education and certifications section
- Which key skills are relevant for a structural engineer resume?
- How to select the most impactful structural engineer resume template
- Copyable structural engineer resume example
- Key takeaways for writing a structural engineer resume
You can design skyscrapers and bridges, but what about a resume? If you’re looking for your next engineering job, we’ll show you how to write a structural engineer resume that gets you noticed with our resume example and writing guide.
When applying for structural engineering jobs, your resume should be as structurally solid as the infrastructure projects you oversee. Hiring managers are looking for structural engineers with the experience, skills, and knowledge to secure the safety and integrity of major structures. Your resume should make you stand out as a qualified, competent engineer who can solve problems and deliver quality results.
This resume guide, along with our corresponding structural engineer resume example, will show you:
What to include on a structural engineering resume
How to highlight your work experience and education
What engineering skills to add to your resume
The best resume template and layout to use
What should your structural engineer resume include?
Your structural engineer resume provides a blueprint of your career. It should describe the major projects you’ve worked on and the impacts you’ve made, such as saving costs or improving safety. It should also describe your technical skills for the role, like finite element modeling and seismic analysis.
Your structural engineering resume should have these sections:
A resume header with your contact information
How can you create a professional summary?
At the top of your resume, a professional summary should connect your skills and experience to the new role. It should outline your qualifications and major achievements in two to three sentences.
Think about the details you can include to get an employer’s attention quickly. For example, you might describe the value of projects you’ve managed, your record of reducing material costs, or a specialized certification you’ve earned.
Your professional summary should also provide an overview of your experience, your areas of specialization, and your safety record on the job.
Check out our adaptable structural engineer resume summary below:
Accomplished professional with expertise in structural analysis, design, and integrity assessment of steel, concrete, and composite structures for aerospace, civil, and industrial applications.
A customized resume summary can quickly move your application to the top of the stack. Incorporate keywords from the job description to immediately show employers that you’re a good fit for the specific role.
How should you describe your work experience as a structural engineer?
Prospective employers want to know about the projects you’ve handled and the outcomes of your work. List all of your relevant experience on your resume in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent position at the top.
For each engineering job you’ve held, include your title, the company’s name, and your dates of employment. Describe your duties and accomplishments in concise bullet points. Start each bullet point with a strong verb, such as “led,” “improved,” “designed,” or “conducted.”
Your bullet points should focus on the results you’ve achieved as a structural engineer, providing specific details to support your expertise. Include measurable data, such as compliance records and project budgets. You can also mention times when you reduced costs, improved efficiency, or delivered projects ahead of schedule.
Here’s an example of a resume bullet point with quantifiable data:
Led the structural design for 12 commercial projects ranging from $5M to $20M in value, delivering an average 10% cost savings through efficient resource management.
See our adaptable structural engineer resume employment history section below:
Structural Engineer at Helion Energy, Everett, WA 2021 - Present
Led the structural design and analysis of research facilities, testing infrastructure, and novel hardware applications for fusion energy projects.
Conducted advanced load-bearing assessments, material evaluations, and failure mode analysis to ensure structural integrity and safety.
Developed engineering calculations, technical drawings, and specifications while ensuring compliance with seismic, wind, and industry code standards.
Managed contractor coordination and construction oversight, resolving real-time structural issues during project execution.
Collaborated cross-functionally with civil, mechanical, and facilities engineers to integrate structural systems into large-scale development efforts.
Spearheaded the structural design of a high-tech fusion energy facility, ensuring compliance with seismic and wind regulations.
Optimized structural material usage, reducing overall project costs by 15% while maintaining safety and integrity.
Implemented innovative structural reinforcement techniques, improving system resilience under extreme conditions.
Conducted real-time site assessments, proactively resolving structural concerns and preventing costly delays.
Structural Engineer at Tutor Perini Civil, East, New York, NY 2013 - 2021
Performed structural analysis and design for heavy/highway civil construction projects, including bridges, foundations, and earth-retaining structures.
Developed and reviewed calculations for reinforced and pre-stressed concrete, steel, and timber structures, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Assisted in preparing engineering reports, design submittals, and working construction drawings.
Coordinated with contractors, site engineers, and project teams to oversee structural execution and quality assurance.
Conducted on-site structural inspections, identifying and mitigating potential risks.
Designed and analyzed structural systems for major bridge projects, ensuring long-term stability and compliance with AASHTO standards.
Developed and optimized rigging plans for crane pick operations, improving efficiency and safety.
Collaborated with drafting teams to refine construction drawings, reducing design errors by 20%.
Publishing team: Adaptable resume employment history example
Include a fitting structural engineer resume education and certifications section
In your education section, show prospective employers that you have the formal training required for the role. This section should list your engineering degree and other relevant credentials.
Follow these tips to discuss your education:
List your education in reverse order, similar to your work experience section. If you have both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree, for example, put your master’s degree on top.
Provide your license, if applicable. If you’ve earned a Professional Engineer (PE) license, include it in your education section.
Include other relevant certifications. These may include LEED accreditation, OSHA certifications, and other industry credentials. Certifications show an employer that you have specialized expertise and a commitment to your professional development.
Master of Science, Structural Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley 2013
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA 2011
Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)
Structural Engineer (SE) Certification
Advanced Finite Element Analysis Training – ASCE
Seismic Design & Analysis Certification – AISC
Which key skills are relevant for a structural engineer resume?
Structural engineers need to be highly knowledgeable about building codes and materials, load and stress testing, and structural analysis and design. Your resume should highlight your top technical skills, as well as your relevant soft skills like communication and decision making.
When writing your skills section, pull up the job description to make sure that you’re including skills an employer wants to see. This alignment shows hiring managers why you’re right for the role. It also optimizes your resume for applicant tracking system (ATS) software, which sorts resumes automatically based on specific keywords. (For more information, read our article on resume ATS optimization.)
Some skills you can mention on your structural engineer resume include:
Finite element modeling (FEM)
Load-bearing assessments
Concrete and steel design
Seismic and wind load evaluations
Project management
Technical documentation
Communication and collaboration
How to select the most impactful structural engineer resume template
Your resume design should reflect your methodical approach and your attention to detail. Choose a clean, streamlined layout to describe your qualifications in an organized way.
Use bullet points, consistent spacing, and clearly defined section headers to guide a hiring manager through your resume. You can add a splash of color to differentiate your resume, but be conscious of adding too many design elements, which can overwhelm or distract recruiters.
Your structural engineer resume should be one page long, unless you have many years of relevant experience. In that case, you can have a two-page resume.
You don’t need to design a resume from scratch when you select an optimized, well-formatted resume layout in our resume builder. You can also explore the over 100 resume examples we have available for more inspiration.
Copyable structural engineer resume example
Summary example
Accomplished professional with expertise in structural analysis, design, and integrity assessment of steel, concrete, and composite structures for aerospace, civil, and industrial applications.
Employment history example
Structural Engineer at Helion Energy, Everett, WA 2021 - Present
Led the structural design and analysis of research facilities, testing infrastructure, and novel hardware applications for fusion energy projects.
Conducted advanced load-bearing assessments, material evaluations, and failure mode analysis to ensure structural integrity and safety.
Developed engineering calculations, technical drawings, and specifications while ensuring compliance with seismic, wind, and industry code standards.
Managed contractor coordination and construction oversight, resolving real-time structural issues during project execution.
Collaborated cross-functionally with civil, mechanical, and facilities engineers to integrate structural systems into large-scale development efforts.
Spearheaded the structural design of a high-tech fusion energy facility, ensuring compliance with seismic and wind regulations.
Optimized structural material usage, reducing overall project costs by 15% while maintaining safety and integrity.
Implemented innovative structural reinforcement techniques, improving system resilience under extreme conditions.
Conducted real-time site assessments, proactively resolving structural concerns and preventing costly delays.
Structural Engineer at Tutor Perini Civil, East, New York, NY 2013 - 2021
Performed structural analysis and design for heavy/highway civil construction projects, including bridges, foundations, and earth-retaining structures.
Developed and reviewed calculations for reinforced and pre-stressed concrete, steel, and timber structures, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Assisted in preparing engineering reports, design submittals, and working construction drawings.
Coordinated with contractors, site engineers, and project teams to oversee structural execution and quality assurance.
Conducted on-site structural inspections, identifying and mitigating potential risks.
Designed and analyzed structural systems for major bridge projects, ensuring long-term stability and compliance with AASHTO standards.
Developed and optimized rigging plans for crane pick operations, improving efficiency and safety.
Collaborated with drafting teams to refine construction drawings, reducing design errors by 20%.
Education example
Master of Science, Structural Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley 2013
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA 2011
Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)
Structural Engineer (SE) Certification
Advanced Finite Element Analysis Training – ASCE
Seismic Design & Analysis Certification – AISC
Skills example
Structural Analysis & Design
Finite Element Modeling (FEM)
Seismic & Wind Load Evaluations
Technical Documentation
AutoCAD, MIDAS, RISA, Mathcad
Structural Failure Analysis
Load-Bearing Assessments
Key takeaways for writing a structural engineer resume
A structural engineer resume should highlight your projects, safety record, and measurable achievements in the field.
Include relevant skills from the job description to make your resume optimized for ATS software.
Use a clean, organized resume layout to showcase your professionalism and attention to detail.
Our online resume builder can help you build a structural engineer resume quickly with ATS-friendly templates and easy-to-use writing tools!
