12 Oct 2021

Job and Career Opportunities for Civil Engineers

Ekeeda Moderator
Works at Ekeeda

Job & Career Opportunities for Civil Engineering Students

Civil Engineering is considered one of the oldest and prominent branches of engineers. Civil engineers are an integral part of building the infrastructure of the country and they give wings to your infrastructure dreams. Each project that comes in their way is full of challenges and difficulties, wherein it requires meticulous planning, innovation, adaptability, and solution-providing skills to develop world-class infrastructure.
India being a progressing nation, Civil engineering jobs will always be in high demand due to the development of buildings, skyscrapers, roads, bridges, metro & monorail projects, highways, dams, water & sewage treatment plants, etc. The nation today rely on the expertise and talent of brilliant Civil Engineers. 

What Is The Scope Of Civil Engineering?
Civil engineers create plans, design, construct, operate and maintain infrastructure projects & systems for public-private sectors. There is no dearth of opportunities if you want to work from the comfort of your office or from the actual site. Civil Engineering is termed as a broad field that encompasses a diverse collection of specializations and projects.  Your dream of creating the perfect living space to building a megastructure, smart cities & their connectivity, using smart materials, tall buildings full of amenities, all this is possible only due to the sheer talent and smart work of Civil Engineering. 
The ‘Mumbai to Delhi’ 1380 km highway construction by 2023 is an excellent example of the expertise and innovative techniques that civil engineers will be contributing to overcome the obstacles and turn them into a reality. It will be termed as the ‘world’s longest highway and it will reduce the distance between Delhi and Mumbai by about 220 kilometres. The project will cost around INR 1 lakh crore.
Civil engineers are also the builders of the nation. Every time a natural calamity occurs the infrastructure is hit. Thus, it’s the hard work and brilliance of skilled civil engineers that reconstruct the building, roads, highways, or dam with more sustainable and robust structures.

Career Opportunities for Civil Engineers: Government Sector
Getting a job in the government sector assures stability, a good salary, and most importantly job security. Indian Engineering Services is one of the sought-after fields as it provides nearly equal benefits as offered to IAS officers and Civil Servants. The pay scale of Civil engineers in government jobs ranges anywhere between INR 45000 to INR 50000 per annum. Isn’t it great? Apply now!
Besides, PSUs are one of the best options to secure your life and career. Top PSUs like HPCL, GAIL, Powergrid, OIL India, SAIL, etc. hire civil engineers to meet their requirements in various locations across the nation. While most PSUs select candidate’s basis on the GATE scores, there are certain PSUs that have a direct selection process. GATE 2022 exam will be conducted by IIT, Kharagpur. For complete details, you can – click here
Some fields that offer jobs to civil engineers include: Municipal Corporations, Jal Boards, Delhi Development Authority, Metro Rail, National Highway Authority of India, Indian Oil Corporation, Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation, Public Works Department, Central Public Works Department, Border Roads Organization, Military Engineering Services, Airport Authority of India, Indian Air Force, Railways, Irrigation & Flood control department, Public Health Engineering Department, National Hydro-electric Power Corporation, National Thermal Power Corporation, Defence Research and Development Organisation, RITES, DRDO, Pollution Control Boards, Building and Construction department of organizations and the list is endless.
The civil engineering job opportunities in the government sector include: Assistant Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer, Executive Engineer, Chief Engineer etc, and starts from Trainee Engineer and elevates up to Chairman & Managing Director in the government sector.

Career Opportunities for Civil Engineers: Private Sector
In the private sector too, civil engineers are in high demand. A skilled civil engineer with a sound knowledge of CAD software, Finite Element Analysis, and along with other skill-set can grab some great job deals in top MNC or private companies. The average salary for civil engineers in the private sector ranges from INR 3,00,000 to INR 4,00,000. Some top companies willing to recruit civil engineers include: Tata Motors, Reliance Infrastructure, Shapoorji Pallonji, Gammon India, and more. For a complete list stay tuned to our blog ahead.
The civil engineering job opportunities in the private sector include: Assistant Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer, Executive Engineer, Chief Engineer, etc, and starts from Trainee Engineer and elevates up to Chief Executive Officer in the private sector.
Thus, Civil engineers play a pivotal role in building and shaping the nation as well as its economy. A civil engineer will always have an upper edge over the forms of engineers due to the progressive nature of the country. Besides, they can also start their own ventures of consultation or construction after gaining few years of professional experience.  Opt for these excellent Civil engineering career paths and build a promising future for you and your nation now!

Eligibility to Become a Civil Engineer

  • Candidates should have passed 10+2 from a recognized institution with PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) as major subjects

  • A minimum of 55% in 10+2 or equivalent is compulsory (relaxation for different categories like SC/ST/PwD from college to college) to take admission in undergraduate and diploma courses of civil engineering

  • For admission in M. Tech in Civil Engineering courses, candidates should have a passing certificate of graduation level with a minimum aggregate of 50% in the required field

  • A valid passing scorecard of any of the required entrance exams is needed for admissions in undergraduates, diploma, postgraduates, and Ph.D. programs.

Some In-Demand Jobs for Civil Engineers

  • Architects – As an architect, you will plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures.

  • Civil Technicians - Civil engineering technicians will help civil engineers to plan, design, and build highways, bridges, utilities, and other infrastructure projects. Other than this, they contribute to planning, designing, and build commercial, industrial, residential, and land development projects.

  • Construction Managers - Construction managers plan, a coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from ideation to creation. 

  • Environmental Engineers – As an environmental engineer, you will use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems. You make efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control.

  • Landscape Architects - He or she will design parks, and the outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, businesses, private homes, and other open areas.

  • Civil Surveyors – As a surveyor, you will measure land features, such as depth and shape, based on reference points. They also examine the previous land records to verify data from on-site surveys.

  • Structural Engineer – It uses physics and mathematics to figure out the safest and most functional way for project design. You will focus on creating a unique and aesthetically pleasing design for bridges, flyovers, metro projects, and more. 

  • Mining Engineers – It is responsible to evaluate the potential risk associated with extracting natural resources like oil, metals, valued stones, and gas from the ground. Engineers check whether or not it is safe to complete extraction at the site or not. Mining engineers also assess a particular site and estimate its commercial value.

  • Geotechnical Engineers – You make sure that foundations for built objects ranging from streets and buildings to runways and dams are solid. You focus on how structures built by civil engineers, such as buildings and tunnels, are intact with earth. In addition, they design and plan for slopes, retaining walls, and tunnels.

  • Structural Engineers – They will design and assess major projects, such as buildings, bridges, or dams, to ensure their strength and durability.

  • Transportation Engineers – Transportation engineers plan, design, operate and maintain everyday systems, such as streets and highways, but they also plan larger projects, such as airports, ship ports, mass transit systems, and harbours.

Hope you now got an idea of some of the most promising jobs for civil engineers and wish to be one through rigorous academic studies.
Civil Engineering Jobs Salary
A Civil Engineer's salary depends upon his or her educational and professional qualifications as well as skillsets. The salary scale will vary as per the exposure and opportunity, experience candidates will get and have. Mention below are salary figures for different types of jobs for civil engineers.

Post Name

Entry Level

Mid-Level

Experienced Level

Project Engineer

₹310,000

₹525,000

₹925,000

Senior Civil Engineer

₹435000

₹525800

₹775,000

Project Manager Construction

₹486000

₹794000

₹1,344,000

Senior Project Engineer

₹555000

₹687000

₹814000

Project Manager (Unspecified Type/General)

₹615000

₹850000

₹1400000

Senior Software Engineer

₹450000

₹715000

₹900000

What Are The Skills Required For Civil Engineering Jobs?

To be a brilliant Civil engineer, few skills you need to have in your arsenal would be: Technical skills, Project Management, Critical Thinking, Communication Skills, and a Creative approach. In order to achieve life goals few desirable qualities you must possess: 

  • Leadership Skills

  • Negotiating Skills

  • Eye For Detail

  • Time Management Skills 

  • Team Player

  • Innovative Thinker

  • Solution Provider

  • Passion To Learn & Share Knowledge 

As a civil engineer, you need to deal with the building an environment and also as first thing as doing a land survey to placing the pillar of your dream home or lay a tree trunk across the river to make it easier to move over it.
Books & Study material To Become Civil Engineer
If you're planning to get admissions in good and reputed institutions to study civil engineering, you will definitely have to strive hard to score excellent marks in the entrance exam. Some of the popular entrance exams are JEE Main, JEE Advanced, GATE, BITSAT, MHT CET, and KCET.
Once you crack the exam and secure admission in a top-tier college/university, it will open doors to the number of career options after B Tech Civil engineering. It will provide you an excellent civil engineering scope; however, to crack the semesters and topping the chart is only possible if you have the best study resources available in your arsenal. Study material such as books or online lectures, model papers, previous year question papers, mock test series will prove extremely beneficial during your academic preparation.
Ekeeda - India's leading tech educational platform provides video lectures designed by industry experts with the latest syllabus and trends. Other than this, you will get access to a host of facilities such as PDF notes, mock tests, model papers, and live sessions to clear your doubts then and there. We believe in providing access to the best study resources at pocket-friendly prices. Thus, with round the year deals and discounts you can crack a great deal and ace up your academic preparation.
Check out the list of Civil engineering courses online at Ekeeda and subscribe today!
Pros Of Civil Engineer Jobs

  • Excellent Pay - Skilled & Qualified civil engineers will enjoy decent salary packages. The college or university ranking will play an integral role in determining the salary your draw. 

  • Job Opportunities - Civil engineering is a core engineering branch and thus, there won’t be any dearth of job opportunities for individuals. You can find civil engineering job opportunities in abundance. 

  • Opportunity To Fly Abroad - Based on your project requirements such as site handling, training, supervision, etc. you get a chance to visit other countries. The pay package is also much better than in India.

  • Government Jobs - Civil engineers have access to a wide range of government job postings. Defence & Research, Indian Railway, PWD, NHAI, Housing boards, etc. are few avenues to grab career opportunities for civil engineers.

  • Multiple Job Roles - Some of the Civil engineering jobs include – project engineers, supervisors, field officers, design specialists, research candidates, etc.

  • Technical Expertise & Creativity - You can showcase your technical creativity, solution provider, and expertise in the field. You will love challenges and overcome them to see things forming outright from scratch under your supervision.

  • No Small Cubicle Jobs - If you’re a creative person, you won’t love working in cubicles and civil engineering provides site work. It takes you to different locations like hilly areas, dams, rivers, villages, forests, etc. 

Cons Of Civil Engineer Jobs

  • Length Working Hours - Due to project testing, site handling, and meeting deadlines, often civil engineers have to work for long and tough working hours. They have long shifts to see through the projects. 

  • Site Hazards - Often projects involve heavy machinery, transportation, sharp tools, pollution, fire & work accidents which act as a hazard to engineer’s health and life. 

  • Remote locations - Although, working outdoor is fun; however, not every time. A civil engineer may work in some remote or hostile areas. It may cause depression, health issues, and much more. 

  • Work pressure - Since civil engineer design and build structures, they have to put in a lot of hard work in planning, calculation, and efforts. Need eye for detail and meet demands if the structure is for high profile client, political or business tycoon. Thus, increased liability often leads to pressure for engineers

  • Other problems - Political interference, protests from locals (near or at the site), corruption, legal disputes, vandalism, terror attacks (In hilly areas), labour disputes are some common problems associated with your jobs for civil engineers.

Top Recruitment Companies for Civil Engineers
A large number of players are available to hire civil engineers in private sector and public sector organizations. Few on the watch list wherein you can secure jobs are: 

  • L & T 

  • Afcons Infrastructure Limited

  • Punj Lloyd

  • Newton Engineering & Chemical Ltd 

  • Consolidated Construction Consortium Ltd (CCCL)

  • BGR Energy Ltd

  • Coastal Projects Pvt Ltd (CPPL) 

  • Gammon India

  • Gammon Infrastructure Projects Limited (GIPL)

  • TATA Consulting Engineers Ltd

  • Land Transport Authority etc

  • Schlumberger

  • Jacobs Engineering

  • Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd

  • Shapoorji Pallonji

  • DSC Limited

  • Omaxe

  • Supertech

  • GMR Group

  • Hindustan Construction Company

  • Afcons Infrastructure Limited

  • Reliance Infrastructure

  • Ashoka Buildcon

  • B L Kashyap & Sons 

  • IRCON International 

  • Jaypee Group

  • Nagarjuna Construction Company 

  • National Building Construction Corporation 

Ekeeda wishes you all the very best for your academic studies. Hope you propel as a brilliant Civil engineer of the nation.
Good Luck!

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