A few guidelines

I have a Ph.D. in Civil and Coastal Engineering, and, when someone asks what I do, I say that I am a “Coastal Engineer”.

how would you define it? I am evolving the definition day by day, and yet I am far from finding the perfect one.
I sometimes say “I study how waves and currents shape things” or “I design structures on the water” but yet to find a perfect answer.

Opinions?

The Madison Incline climbs 413 ft in 7,012 ft, a 5.89% grade, still the steepest standard gauge main track in the US climbed by wheel-adhesion locomotives. The state built it from 1836 to 1841, and mostly Irish laborers moved 500,000 tons of rock and earth to do it.

The first trip up was 3 November 1841. Horses hauled the cars, then a cogwheel system from 1848 to 1868, then an engine named Reuben Wells until 1898.

It's the straight line up the middle of picture 1, from the town at the bottom to the top. It last saw regular use in 1992.

1. The Madison Incline cut climbing the Ohio River bluff
2. Recent air photo of the same area

Numbered pins on picture 1:
Pin 1: The straight incline cut through the bluff
Pin 2: A winding road climbing the side valley
Pin 3: The town street grid on the river plain

Lidar: USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), public domain.
Imagery: Indiana Geographic Information Office (IGIO) - Indiana Orthoimagery Program, 1970-2025, Public Domain.

I'm coming up on 4 YOE and looking to switch out of my current role, which I've had since I graduated. I'd like to apply for a posting that is looking for someone with 3+ YOE, but the application requires 3 references. Given I'm still at my one and only relevant job, how am I supposed to approach this?

I have one person in mind who's left my company recently, but I'm hesitant to use people I currently work with for the other two references. I work at a consultant and don't want people to be dissuaded from giving me work, or worse (though I know unlikely) telling my supervisor that I'm looking elsewhere. Thoughts?

Starting field work soon and wondering on some good pairs of boots I should get not too worried on price just a nice comfortable pair.

I'm a civil engineering student graduating in May specifically looking for transportation engineering jobs, and it seems I've run out of new grad-level job postings to apply to in my local area, which is a major city. I've applied to about a dozen here, plus some in other locations. Everything else is either an internship or requires 3-5 yrs experience or a PE. I see maybe one or two get posted every week. I'm trying to go to career fairs and use my network as best as possible, but if I have to stick with the traditional job search, is this supposed to be the peak period for new grad hiring? I've heard Oct-Nov is the peak in general, but is it usually different for transportation?

I am ready for a change!

I am a 29 year old PE in a progressive city in a progressive state in the U.S. I work in transportation and I have 7 years of experience. I have experience in designing anything from rural roadways to bike lanes in urban areas to sidewalks and trails.

I feel a little crazy for even considering giving up this life and career I have built for myself, but a few major life transitions have made me want to take a risk and make a change before it’s too late.

Does anyone have experience or advice with securing a job abroad in Ireland or the UK? I know it will come with a pay cut and learning the metric system etc.

Do firms even have an appetite for hiring candidates from the U.S.?

I welcome any constructive feedback or comments.

I’m a student. I obviously love civil or I wouldn’t be studying it, but 60 hour weeks, EVERY WEEK, is a lot. So I’m kind of freaking out.

Is this your experience in the private sector?

Sincerely, an overwhelmed undergrad

Hello, I am a freshman civil engineering student in SoCal attending a community college. I do not have pretty much any engineering experience but I managed to land an interview for a summer internship at a construction company for project management next summer. I plan on studying the company and researching it while also watching the videos they emailed me and reading the handbooks that they have provided.

Is there anything else I should do to get ready for the interview? I am really hoping for this experience and I want to have the best chances at scoring this. How should I approach it and what type of engineering lingo/skills/ knowledge should I dive into and research more on?

Any and all advice is appreciated, and wishes of luck!

Hello, I am a freshman civil engineering student in SoCal attending a community college. I do not have pretty much any engineering experience but I managed to land an interview for a summer internship at a construction company for project management next summer. I plan on studying the company and researching it while also watching the videos they emailed me and reading the handbooks that they have provided.

Is there anything else I should do to get ready for the interview? I am really hoping for this experience and I want to have the best chances at scoring this. How should I approach it and what type of engineering lingo/skills/ knowledge should I dive into and research more on?

Any and all advice is appreciated, and wishes of luck!

I’m working at Kimley horn. Are all consulting firms like this? 45-50 weeks every week? Does a normal 40 exist anymore? I don’t know how I’m supposed to keep a 96% production rate. If I go somewhere else will I be doing the same work and hours but with less pay? Any advice is appreciated.

I could really use any and all advice. I’m 3 YOE and have passed the PE. So I currently work at a consulting firm, doing municipal work, averaging 40 hours a week with OT at my choice if needed. All in, including OT and bonuses, I’ll make roughly 85k this year. So not bad by any means. Though, the work I do currently is something that I’m not all that interested in. A couple design projects a year, more paper pushing, plan reviews, etc. I want to look elsewhere for a job in land development as I think my technical skills are not being worked on enough in my current role, feeling like my growth as an engineer is being stunted. I have started applying to places for LD roles and have interviews lined up. One of these places for instance is KH. And yes I know all about the negativity surrounding the company on here lol. I have a friend who works there and he does work roughly 42-45 hours a week but enjoys the fat bonuses and random money he gets throughout the year. I also had a meeting with them and I brought up work/life balance. They explained that yes the more you work the better you’re compensated but your is what you make of it. I guess my question is, am I taking for granted my current situation in pursuit of a worse one? I enjoy being able to 8 and skate, but I feel like I could be compensated more in a better role for my career goals (ultimately to be a PM). This is really stressing me out. Any help or advice is genuinely appreciated. Thank you.

Need po ba nang trial mix if onsite ang batching and if ready mix concrete may need po ba na documents like certificate para ma approve ang isang RMC?

Looking for advice from all my CE friends.

I'm coming up as 3 years of experience as an EIT, working in traffic engineering at a public works agency. I'm currently making $88k in a HCOL area, with a scheduled increase to $92k in January as an Assistant Engineer.

I recently received an offer from another public works agency for a lateral move into CIP focused work in a MCOL area. Their offer is $100k.

For context, I'm currently at my second job out of school, so accepting this offer would make it my third job in about 3 years.

The biggest thing making me hesitate is that I've received really positive feedback from both my manager and the city engineer at my current agency. I've also been told that the team will be restructuring soon, and I'm confident that the restructuring will provide a promotion to an Associate. With that change, I'd be taking on more responsibility and workload, but also moving up in my career. (The team restructuring and promotion to Associate have been brought up multiple times by management, without me having to initiate the conversation)

My thinking is that moving up to Associate at my current agency would allow me to strengthen my resume. If I eventually wanted to move to another agency, making a lateral move as an Associate rather than an Assistant could open up more opportunities and make the transitions easier.

For those familiar with public works, the typical progression is Junior > Assistant > Associate > Senior, so moving up quickly at my current agency could be meaningful.

I'm torn between taking the 100k offer, and moving to a MCOL area, vs staying where I am, continuing to build relationships, and getting that Associate level experience before considering a move elsewhere.

What would you do in my situation?

EDIT: Benefits are pretty similar, a little better in the MCOL area.

So, this is more of an academic question at this point. I was looking at buying this house, and have run away because my gut instincts say that the neighbours will be dropping by for an unexpected visit at some point, house included.

First image shows the cracks on the retaining wall, the house is a 1920s build. They cracks continued all the way up the wall that I highlighted in the second picture. Behind the property is a limestone cliff face that goes to level with the roof, which is about where the retaining wall stops. The retaining wall is in two sections, I didn't get a picture of the second section, but that also had cracks through it - there was a pebble dashed top section that had a clear variation in height on either side of the crack...

Basically, it's bad right? I'm not overreacting?

Water Resources jobs available at the company but I have never heard of the company. Anyone have any experience?

I’ve had my eye on a firm for a while and finally decided to submit a general application a couple of weeks ago. The company consists of several offices in my region and is hiring roles similar to what I’m looking for, just not based out of the office nearest to me.

What is my next move here?

I’m considering messaging folks on LinkedIn, emailing people from the office, or even stopping in with my resume to introduce myself. Should I apply to the role I want based out a different office and say on my application I would be interested in working at a different location? None or all of the above???

For context I have just short of 4 YOE.