Civil Engineer Resume Examples, Skills, and Keywords
Do you want to become the next unsung hero of your generation in the planning and construction world? Our stellar civil engineer resume samples, keywords, and suggestions will give you a better chance at landing the position you've always wanted.
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Civil engineer resume sample
Civil engineering is a jack-of-all-trades discipline. One day you could be working on the tallest skyscraper in your country, and the next day you could be improving the railway systems in a developing country. The only constant at work will be helping society’s infrastructure and meeting the challenges of an ever-growing world.
If you’re ready to take on the challenge of making the world a more beautiful, more functional place, let’s get down to work. The first step is to write a jaw-dropping resume that highlights your strongest skills. Make sure to use the right civil engineer resume keywords to circumvent the applicant tracking system (ATS).
The ATS is a candidate filtering software that recruiters and hiring managers use to make their jobs easier. It works like your favorite search engine — it looks for specific terms within your document to see if you’re a good match. You have to get through this filter, but it’s easy if you follow the right strategy. If you don’t know where to start, have a look at the civil engineer resume sample below.
Kissimmee, FL 34744 • (555) 555-1234 • marcusboyles@email.com • linkedin.com/in/marcus-boyles
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER / CIVIL ENGINEER
High-achieving professional with expertise in geotechnical and civil engineering. Demonstrated success working independently and in team-driven environments to meet challenging targets and timelines on simultaneous priority projects. Skilled in geotechnical design, field investigation with geophysical methods, documentation of the work, and synthesizing technical interpretations and conclusions. Well-versed in conducting research, engaging in lab testing, and troubleshooting and resolving technical issues. Currently working toward licensure as a professional engineer; on track to take the PE exam within 2 years.
Contract management |Attention to detail | Contract negotiation | SAP2000 | Project engineering | Structural engineering | SketchUp | Site execution | Construction management | Autodesk Civil 3D | Project control | Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Multitasking | Building Information Modeling (BIM)
- Investigate complex geotechnical engineering systems by engaging a wide range of analysis and design, laboratory testing, numerical simulation and fieldwork; review findings and draft comprehensive reports. Instrumentation: piezoelectric transducers, bender elements, force sensors, and accelerometers with custom data acquisition coding to coordinate the instruments/hardware.
- Numerical modeling techniques: finite element method, finite difference method, and spectral element methods for efficient modeling. Programming skills: Python and MATLAB, with skills in running and implementing open-source software packages written in C and FORTRAN on high-performance computing systems.
- Credited for developing a novel borehole NDT system for inspecting the structural integrity of deep foundations with verification on large-scale laboratory models; findings were published in the Journal.
- Conducted/executed numerical analysis for NDT inspection of drilled shafts using full-waveform inversion (FWI) tomography of seismic and ultrasonic waves in 2D and 3D domains.
- Acquired data from a large-scale laboratory model to process and analyze ultrasonic reflection data for structural integrity testing of deep foundations with in-house MATLAB coding.
- Simulated cross-hole travel-time (CT) tomography to engage in drilled shafts integrity testing.
- Utilized state-of-the-art simulation for (visco-)elastic seismic wave propagation in 2D and 3D computational domains.
Challenged and engaged students on the subject of soil mechanics and structural analysis as an invited lecturer.
- Led students tasked with conducting standard ASTM tests in the soil mechanics and civil engineering material laboratory.
- Supervised the performance of undergraduate research assistants and senior design project students.
- Trained and supervised students with technical software and programming tools, including Ram Element and LabVIEW.
- Assisted in the instruction of practical engineering courses, including steel and concrete design, foundation engineering, and construction methods and materials.
Developed a novel model to predict the load-carrying capacity of deep foundations based on CPT data. Engaged in bearing capacity analysis of deep foundations using CPT-based methods; verified with full-scale load test data. Determined efficiency of impact rollers for ground improvement by participating in model development.
- Executed slope stability analysis for man-made embankments. Completed deep foundation design.
- Researched and identified techniques to improve data collection and decrease uncertainties in predictive model development, results were implemented in developing a model for the prediction of bearing capacity of deep foundations.
- Examined the performance of artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to develop predictive models in geotechnical engineering applications – in particular deep foundations.
PhD in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering
Master of Science in Geotechnical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
EIT Certification
Engineer in Training | NI CLAD
Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer
National Instruments | Teaching in Higher Education Certification, University of Chicago
Resume written by Erin Kennedy, CPRW
Why this resume works
Civil engineer resume skills and keywords
The right civil engineer resume skills to incorporate into your document will vary from one company to another. Pay attention to the keywords in the job description in the ad, because they give you the hints that you need. They most likely used the exact same on their ATS. If you’re still unsure what these keywords might look like, check out the following examples.
30+ skills for a civil engineer
- Site supervision
- STAAD-Pro
- Stormwater management
- Land surveying
- ArcGIS products
- Budgeting
- CYPE
- Earthworks
- Erosion control
- Construction engineering
- Strategic planning
- HEC-RAS
- Steel structures
- Land development
- Dependability
- Team Leadership
- Mining
- ETABS
- Problem-solving
- Structural analysis
- Project management
- Revit
- Negotiation
- Project planning
- Primus
- Geotechnical engineering
- Contract management
- Attention to detail
- Contract negotiation
- SAP2000
- Project engineering
- Structural engineering
- SketchUp
- Site execution
- Construction management
- Autodesk Civil 3D
- Project control
- AutoCAD
- Architectural design
- Project estimation
- Primavera P6
- Statics
- MATLAB
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
- Multitasking
- Building Information Modeling (BIM)
- Renewable energy
- Presto
- Critical thinking
- Hydrology
- Microsoft project
- Roadway design
- Water resource management
- Transportation engineering
- Feasibility studies
- Construction site management
- MicroStation
- Construction
- Drainage
Now that you have a better idea of what your prospective employer might be looking for, you’re ready to start working on a winning civil engineer resume. If you need a little extra inspiration, follow these recruiter-approved tips that Jobscan put together just for you.
1. Use the right language to grab the recruiter’s attention.
When drafting your resume sections, make sure you’re not using the same lackluster language every other candidate does. You want your statements to create a lasting impression on your prospective employer. Including action verbs whenever possible will make your civil engineer resume pop. Avoid generic terms like:
- Result-oriented
- Hardworking
- Go-getter
- Fast-paced
You need verbs that showcase your skills. If you’re looking for ideas, think about how you would brag about your work to a colleague. Use verbs like:
- Pioneered
- Enabled
- Expedited
- Forecasted
- Cultivated
2. Introduce yourself as a civil engineer.
Adding a short but compelling introduction to your document is a great move. Remember, the average recruiter doesn’t stop to read a resume in detail unless it grabs their attention. A brief section that summarizes the most relevant information about your professional life at the beginning of your resume will make it easy for them to judge your candidacy and move you forward in the process.
Structure your “about me” section like this:
- Start by talking about your years of experience as a civil engineer.
- Follow by describing your most current certifications and credentials.
- Finish with one or two achievements that are relevant to the position.
No experience? No problem! Add a section where you describe your career objectives. Telling your future employer who you want to become while working for them is a great way to showcase your initiative and drive.
3. Use metrics to impress your future employer.
Saying that you’re great at civil engineering isn’t enough to impress a recruiter or hiring manager. They hear the same stories all day long, so they’ve heard it all and know it all by heart. If you really want to sweep them off their feet, you need to back up your statements with the appropriate data. So instead of telling your prospective employer that you:
- Managed a team.
- Lowered costs.
- Reduced material waste.
Try making your list of accomplishments look like this:
- Managed a team of 45 people and mentored new hires.
- Cut down overall cost by 5% by negotiating with our providers.
- Lowered the construction steel needs by 13% by optimizing the design.
4. Make your civil engineer resume scannable and digestible.
Your resume has to be easy to skim through. The reason? Recruiters and hiring managers don’t have time to waste. They have to read dozens — or hundreds— of resumes and cover letters each day.
Make it easy for your potential employer by keeping your entries concise and scannable. Use bullet points where you can — three to six brief bullet points per entry should suffice. Remember, the farther back in time the position was, the fewer bullets you should dedicate to it.
5. Don’t forget to double and triple-check.
Recruiters and hiring managers take typos and bad grammar seriously. They show that you’re not paying attention, or that you’re not taking it seriously. Would you hire somebody for your team who doesn’t pay attention to detail?