Bridging the Gap: How My Mechanical Engineering Background Shaped My Career in Civil Engineering

When I first embarked on my engineering journey as a freshman at Kansas State University , I knew I wanted to be an Engineer, but was open to a variety of possibilities. If you had told me then that I would end up a civil engineer in my home town of Topeka, Kansas, I likely wouldn't have been surprised at all. However, shortly thereafter I chose to specialize in Mechanical Engineering, and experienced a study abroad year at Justus-Liebig-Universit?t Giessen in Germany. These two factors set me on a path that led me far enough from both Civil Engineering and Topeka that if you had told me the same thing as recent as two years ago, I would have thought it very unlikely indeed.

I think it's fair to say that the path I've taken, from structural design of airplane fuselages in Wichita, Moscow, and Munich to analysis of wind turbines in northern Germany to finally come back to be a bridge designer in Kansas has been an unconventional one, but worthwhile all along. To add a bit of humor/irony, typing this out makes me think of the joke; two wrongs don’t make a right, but three left turns do.

In this Article, I hope summarize some of my thoughts in this and share with you my experiences & insights into how my mechanical engineering background prepared me transition across industries and how it adds unexpected value in my current role. ??????

From Gears to Girders: My Mechanical Engineering Journey

Starting out in machine design, I developed general skills in surrounding engineering design in modern practice and in particular all the software and project management tools and practices that make such work possible. Beyond building a strong foundation in understanding the design and production of mechanical products to requisite standards, I also gained the invaluable experience working on multidisciplinary teams of people much different from me. This background not only shaped my technical problem-solving abilities but also fostered the development of emotional intelligence under stress, built on professionalism, empathy, and humility. ???????

Then the world changed, priorities realigned, and I found myself moving back home; initially working remotely for the same employer, but ultimately seeking a job locally. Since directly equivalent roles were harder to find in a limited geography, I was ready to broaden my horizons, and due to the strength of my hometown network, I quickly found a role at a civil engineering company.

There were a few key similarities between mechanical and civil engineering that made me an easy sell to get the job, such as focus on material properties, forces and loads, design optimization, and attention to detail. However, there was still a steep learning curve, and at times in the initial phase, I almost felt like I was starting over, or that I was equivalent to a new college hire. Happily, with the benefit of time and multiple successful projects under my belt, I have come to see how this could not be farther from the truth.

Here are five key areas where my past experience has benefited me in the field of civil engineering:

1. Computer Literacy Any engineering field is heavily dependent on simulation and design software, and at no point in history have the tools to do the job been changing more quickly. Having been required to learn and master a new software suite on average once every three years, I won’t say that I have mastered the process, but I will say that I have gotten better at it. Perhaps more important than the learning is the realization that upgrading software is necessary and a good thing to do – even though it is time-consuming and costly. My willingness to grab the bull by the horns, and learn new software with a good attitude has set me apart in my new role and continues to open doors. ????
2. Exposure to Different Analysis methods Even though the job of strength analysis is fundamentally the same on both sides of the mechanical/civil divide, standard practice has led to a divergence in ways certain methods are used. For example, let’s say a certain equation has terms that cancel out, or coefficients that don’t apply in many cases, whereas the calculation would be much different when applied elsewhere. Working in only one world, you tend to forget that the other factors exist, even though they may impact the end result in minor, but not inconsequential ways. Having a more broad-based experience has helped me to design more confidently with the benefit of knowing ‘the rest of the story’ or ‘why things are the way they are’. ????
3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration In a large multinational company, you build certain relational skills to get things done. At first, I thought this experience didn’t apply to the world of small company consulting, but now I see that working with other small partner organizations is functionally identical to day-to-day work with other divisions within a single company. Internal customers have the same demands as external customers. Working with different departments and asking for help when you need it uses the same skills as managing external subcontractor relationships. Implementing new policy from corporate management is analog to working with a change in government standards. Slightly more nuanced, with different things to pay attention to, but differences are evolutionary and not revolutionary. ??????
4. Efficient OptimizationIn any career, you must specialize and focus on a small subset of problems in order to gain the requisite expertise in any one area. This leads to a design fluency that generates good designs quickly. However, as a designer gets out to the edges of their expertise, they often gloss over the ‘unimportant details’ by making conservative assumptions. This is often cheaper to the final product than paying to outsource these topics (it is possible to over-optimize), but still, it results in a slightly higher cost than the problem requires. There have been several examples where I have been able to take the devil out of these details and improve designs by doing checks that were common for me, but out-of-the-ordinary for the rest of the team. ????
5. Confidence I remember doing an interview for a two-year trainee program during my final semester of college. This particular program would place me in an independent project team as the sole engineer. At the time, I was slightly confused that this traineeship could be shortened to only 6 months for candidates with 5 years’ experience “in any business or engineering role, in any industry”. When I asked the interviewer about this, she merely gave an example of a receptionist she had recently witnessed switch from making coffee to fielding a call from an angry customer, handling both tasks with requisite aplomb. I may not have completely understood her point then (no wonder I didn’t make it to a second interview), but I do now. As a new college hire, even though I was at the top of my class and knew the equations as well as anybody, my work experience was limited to minimum wage and minimum responsibility jobs. Consequently, as I embarked on my engineering career, I often didn’t feel like I belonged. I thought I didn’t know what was going on as well as those around me, and I deferred to others on most points. To develop confidence, I needed to have those years working in the trenches, experiencing the demands on technical knowledge and professionalism that fall to “the engineer.” I needed to witness others ‘handling the situation’ who knew less than me, and see them doing a worse job than I knew I could have done. This recent experience transitioning industries has proved this point all the more and I see how I have been able to ‘hit the ground running’ far better than others who may be more versed in the subject matter than I am. ????

Building Bridges, Not Barriers

As I grow my contribution to the field of civil engineering and beyond, I marvel at the foundation that my career in mechanical engineering has provided me. It's a reminder that, in the ever-evolving landscape of the 21st century, the ability to bridge gaps between disciplines is a valuable asset, and any job is more than just a sum of its parts.

Whether you're a mechanical engineer considering a shift or a civil engineer embracing collaboration from other fields, have a good attitude, rise to your occasion and behave like the uniquely qualified, valued team member wherever you are. Never discount that which takes years to develop when faced with that which can be taught in days or weeks. ??????

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