Engineers always score highly in job satisfaction surveys. They’re so content in life they make Tigger look glum.
And there can have been no better sense of fulfilment for the engineers working on the new Queensferry Crossing than when it officially opened to traffic.
From laying the steel on the bridge deck to the pouring of huge amounts of concrete, it took a staggering ten million man hours to complete the £1.3billion project.
Now bosses behind the modern marvel – built to stand for 120 years and beyond – hope it will inspire more Scottish kids to become civil engineers.
Although the kind of civil engineering that creates jaw-dropping structures like the Crossing gets all the plaudits, there are many lesser known branches of engineering, all of which are vital for the infrastructure we depend on every day – from our roads and railways, energy and water to waste networks and flood defences.
Let’s take a look at some of them.
Earthquake engineers
Obviously they don’t engineer earthquakes, they do the exact opposite. Their job is to prevent a disaster movie in the making. Specialists in designing buildings that can survive in earthquake-prone areas, they also study the impact seismic activity can have on huge structures such as bridges. The frequency of earthquakes globally could see the currency of seismic engineers rocket.
Geotechnical engineers
When we say they do the groundwork, we mean exactly that. They study the earth, rock and soil on sites to check if they’re suitable for construction, usually for big ticket projects such as bridges, dams, and airport runways.
Water engineers
It’s rain, sewage and flood all the way for them. It might sound a bit wet but these specialists are vital if we’re to have clean water and our sewage taken away safely. Sea defence walls, reservoirs, and pumping stations might also be in these heroes’ remit.
Traffic engineers
You can’t have a brand spanking new bridge without knowing exactly how it’s going to be used. These engineers plan how cars, trucks, trains, bicycles, and pedestrians cross bridges and how bridges connect with roads, tunnels and tracks.
Forensic engineers
These are the people who you don’t want to be calling but are vital. They’re brought in when bridges and other structures fail or don’t function as intended. They investigate the cause of failures or issues and come up with ways to make improvements for the future.
Check out all of the latest Engineering vacancies at s1jobs.com