×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Part-time Civil Work

Part-time Civil Work

Part-time Civil Work

(OP)
Looking for thoughts/experiences on part-time work with an engineering firm. I have a full-time job that I am happy with, but would like to get something part-time to supplement my income, gain some new experience, and perhaps put my PE to work. All my experience is with county, state, and federal, so I'm not familiar with the inner workings of private firms. Is this something engineering firms are receptive to? I'm thinking I could work stormwater permits, or erosion & sediment control plans as a part-time employee, but maybe there are other areas that are particularly suited for part-timers. What do you all think? Any experiences from those who have done it? Any business owners/managers have opinions on it?

Thanks for your thoughts.

RE: Part-time Civil Work

I suspect that conflict of interest would be one of the biggest hurdles you'd face. Also, there are only so many hours a week a person can work productively.  Many employment contracts include that that is your only employment.

RE: Part-time Civil Work

I think it depends on the firm.  I know that every private firm I have worked for in the past has had at least one part timer.  Currently, I have two part-time employees.  So I would think it would depend on the firm.

RE: Part-time Civil Work

most of the "part timers" are only working the part time job, not two jobs.  You might be better off trying to develop your own work to do on the weekends.  For instance, home inspections, structural design or other engineering tasks for contractors, SWPPP plans, CADD work, quantity takeoffs etc.

RE: Part-time Civil Work

I've got one guy who comes to work part-time every winter. He works for a surveying firm and when the surveying work slows down in the winter he works a couple days per week for me and the rest for his regular employer.

I've also in the past had a guy work one day per week for me to supplement his income - he worked four days a week for the state DOT and came in to help me on fridays (he got 36 hrs/wk in with the DOT).

And then, for 3 1/2 yrs I had a single mom with 3 kids come in 3-4 days per week whenever she could squeeze time in (averaged about 30 hrs/wk).

All different situations, but they all worked pretty well for all involved.

RE: Part-time Civil Work

You may find a firm that would like to hire you part-time.

I have worked for 2 firms that had PEs on as part-timers.
You may find yourself very busy!!

I think you could take on some of the smaller projects as a one-man operation, then get it QA'd by the firm.  On the other hand, you could do QA on small to medium jobs for them, too.

RE: Part-time Civil Work

Great idea.  Our firm (350+ employees) has many.  The typical scenario is a parent, or a person who only wants limited hours.

One just QC'd a proposal for me Fri.  Good thing she did!  She's a wetlands/permitting expert, and I had some huge mistakes on a wetlands/permitting proposal.  I will fix Monday, she will be home with her kids.  Win:win, as I see it.

Make sure you negotiate correctly: PT typically get more per hour, but no benefits.  You also want to be a sub-contractor, not an employee.  That way, you say when you will work and what you will work on.

Signature under construction, sorry about the mess - Steve

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources