Top Reasons to Build a Career in Structural Engineering | Palantir Consulting

One of the major benefits of pursuing a career in structural engineering is the chance to create work that makes a genuine and lasting impact. Whether that’s designing a new walkway, elevated structure, or renovating a building, engineers contribute to shaping the world we live in. 

Our team of engineers in Palantir has had the privilege of working on a number of impactful and challenging projects.

When we think about what we love most about engineering, we realize that math (although important) is just a small part of what we do. So, if you are considering a career in structural engineering, we want to dispel the most stereotypical myth related to the image of the lone engineer running calculations all day on his or her computer.

Here are our top reasons why Structural Engineering is both a rewarding and fulfilling career:

1. Impact

There aren’t many engineering fields where what you build will very likely still be standing after you have left this earth. Structural engineers save lives by designing buildings that stand through earthquakes, wind, snow, and a variety of other load conditions. Imagine how many more lives could be saved (especially due to earthquakes) if we were better at getting our technologies into developing countries.

We also know that the design of the places where we live and work has a direct impact on our health. Do you want to live and work in a building with no windows? Or wide-open spaces with natural light? Structural engineers working in close contact with their architectural colleagues make that happen.

2. Ideas becoming a reality

Structural engineers get a real sense of achievement when a project is finished, whether it is a skyscraper, a bridge, or a house.

It is a rush to touch something that you imagined and designed, knowing that your skills were instrumental in bringing it into being.

We’re involved in creating record-breaking structures, beautiful structures, useful structures, and sometimes just cool structures. It’s really rewarding work.

3. Collaboration

It takes a very large team to build a complex large-scale building. There is usually a group of people or an institution who own the building and different groups of people who will use the building (many of which may have conflicting priorities as to the building’s layout and use). There is a team of architects and engineers such as civil, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and geotechnical engineers. There may be specialty consultants for unique types of buildings such as laboratories.

In addition to the design team, we also need a contractor’s team to physically build it. That team will have cost estimators, superintendents, project managers, laborers, subcontractors, and technology people. And let’s not forget that buildings often need to be financed, and there are contracts and insurance (and lawyers, bankers, etc.) needed for all of the above.

That’s a lot of people who spend years of their time completing a project. The stereotypical concept of an engineer doing math alone in their cubicle for days on end with little contact with people could not be further from the truth of how this process actually works. The very best days are when you are problem-solving with the team, trying to balance a whole number of competing priorities with the budget, and finding the best solution for the project. You will not be successful in this field if you aren’t talking to at least some of the team on a daily basis (and much more than that if you aspire to be a successful project manager). And the best, most successful projects? Those team members become like family to you. 

4. Solving problems

It may seem obvious that engineers solve problems, but the less obvious nuance (and fun challenge) of problem-solving as a structural engineer is determining the correct problem to solve. What might appear at first to be an easy structural solution might cause an issue elsewhere. For example, structural engineers tend to be big fans of adding columns (cue laughter/eye rolls from any architects reading this), but imagine your movie theater experience if there is a column in the middle of the theater. What might at first seem to be a no-brainer for the contractor from a construction cost perspective – for example, specific cladding materials to be used on a building -- could be a deal-breaker for the architect or owner from an aesthetic or long-term maintenance perspective.

Ambiguity is often the name of the game when problem-solving. The curious person is rewarded because you are not simply learning about engineering, but about how a particular building type really functions. Problem-solving as a structural engineer requires a deep understanding of why and how all the parts come together. It requires compromise and a lot of really smart people putting their heads together to come up with an agreeable solution. 

5. Respected profession

Structural engineering is not easy, but it rewards hard work. We are widely respected by other construction professionals for our skills, which are a vital part of unlocking the potential of a project, overcoming its challenges, and most of all, ensuring that it is safe.

Do you want to take your career in Structural Engineering to the next level?

Palantir Consulting has over 3000 successful projects of experience in design and engineering projects. As a team, we take a highly collaborative approach – combining our skills to facilitate optimum project outcomes. Individually, each team member brings specialised industry experience to the peer review process.

At Palantir, we incubate, inspire, train, and mentor industry professionals to achieve the best version of themselves in life for the purpose of raising the confidence of the Building Industry of Australia. 

If you see yourself as an appreciative, humble, and coachable person, you will find yourself at home at Palantir. 

If you want to build a lifestyle for you and your family with us, we can help you to build your own business in partnership with us. Start our Partnership Assessment Process today! 

Send us an email at [email protected] or visit https://www.palantirconsulting.com.au/career.

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