Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
(OP)
Hello all
I have just stumbled upon this site while searching for ASCE info and thought I might try asking a few questions.
My wife (American) and I (British, Welsh actually!) are considering spending a few years living in the states, possible the pacific Northwest or the North East.
I am 27, a Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng) with the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) here in the UK, and currently working for a large UK contractor on big Civils jobs in London as a site Agent (Deputy Project Manager type level).
To finally get to the point! My questions are:
1) Is CEng from the ICE in the UK transferable to the US as PE?
2) Is PE necessary to work as a civil engineer in the US?
3) How do the salaries compare in the US, if you took my pay band in the UK as being the equivalent of $70k to $80k -could I expect the same stateside?
4) Where are construction jobs advertised, especially with the large corporate employers?
I would greatly appreciate any advice on offer, and equally would be willing to answer any questions people may have with regard to working in the UK.
I have just stumbled upon this site while searching for ASCE info and thought I might try asking a few questions.
My wife (American) and I (British, Welsh actually!) are considering spending a few years living in the states, possible the pacific Northwest or the North East.
I am 27, a Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng) with the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) here in the UK, and currently working for a large UK contractor on big Civils jobs in London as a site Agent (Deputy Project Manager type level).
To finally get to the point! My questions are:
1) Is CEng from the ICE in the UK transferable to the US as PE?
2) Is PE necessary to work as a civil engineer in the US?
3) How do the salaries compare in the US, if you took my pay band in the UK as being the equivalent of $70k to $80k -could I expect the same stateside?
4) Where are construction jobs advertised, especially with the large corporate employers?
I would greatly appreciate any advice on offer, and equally would be willing to answer any questions people may have with regard to working in the UK.





RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
2) Is PE necessary to work as a civil engineer in the US? No, not if you are working in an industry position, or working under a PE.
3) How do the salaries compare in the US, if you took my pay band in the UK as being the equivalent of $70k to $80k -could I expect the same stateside? That may be a little high to expect here unless you go into a high cost of living center. You could get double that right now in the Oil Industry if you don't mind spending 6 months at a time on an oil platform in the Gulf dodging Hurricanes.
4) Where are construction jobs advertised, especially with the large corporate employers? Monsters.com and similar sites. There will be plenty of work around New Orleans and East Texas.
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
See Donald Trump on the Golf Part.
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
2) Depends on what you do. The definition of professional engineering is very narrowly defined in the US, a lot of what in Canada needs a P.Eng can be done by anyone in the US.
3) Don’t know about salaries, image that they would vary greatly depending on location duties and local engineering labour market.
4) Try the job boards, search consultants as
they often have a career section on their web page.
I have also found Americans less likely to take a look at a non US citizen than you may be used to. Where in Europe you are used to working with different nationalities, the Americans still have a lot of protectionist nationalistic attitudes. Green card/ work permits may be an issue
You may have to create your own job. It is often easier to create a job than to find one, at least until you are established and have a lot of contacts and an active network.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
www.kitsonengineering.com
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
www.ncees.org
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
I think I should be ok on the visa front as my wife is American by birth. As for the golf, fishing and hunting I like to do all three! But guess it'll take more than that!
Thanks Again.
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
There is some limits on how long the companies have been in business and how long you have worked for the parent company but it might be worth checking out.
As I understand things having an American spouse does not guarantee a green card.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
www.kitsonengineering.com
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
From what I have been told so far I don't think the visa / work permit will be so much of an issue.
Where I am lacking in my knowledge is how the US construction industry differs or mirrors that in the UK.
A lot of job adverts refer to job titles that are unfamiliar to me like Engineers I, II, and inspector, superintendant etc. I guess I am trying to gauge what the equivalent role to my current one would be, are US construction projects run in the same was as those in UK (in terms of roles and responsibilities etc)?
RE: Contractor Moving to the US - Any advice
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
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