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nature of job for geo technical engineer 2
- Thread starter kkr90
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Being that geotech eng'r is what I have done since 1954, here is my comment. I'd not listen to professors that teach it, since they may not have much, if any, practical experience. There is a lot learned on the job. If possible go and visit a firm specializing in consulting for these fields. If there is some difficulty there, check with the professional engineering groups in your area for members that are principals in these firms and through them that may be a way to break the ice. Getting a first hand look at what they do and the various levels of advancement should help a lot. See ASCE and NSPE web sites as a start. Local web sites also may be up and running. As time goes on, become a member also and sign up for the specialty branches since they have seminars, publications, etc. of value. Finally you may not be limited as to what fields are involved, such as roadways, construction materials, construction accidents, etc. in addition to the basic stuff.
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As you might guess I no longer am full time at age 86. Anyhow I started during the Grad school time working part time for the Soil engineering professor in his private business. In addition to drafting I did some laboratory testing and field compaction work verification tests. Also workedthome for a related test boring firm as drill rig helper.
Next job (first one after MS degree) in charge of a field office inspecting drill crews for a major highway job around Chicago. Had to set up the soil testing lab and wrote the investigation reports for each bridge on that roadway, wiht recommendations for bridge foundations (footings or piing). The earlier exposure with the professor was the background for that. When I left, the emloyer nearly cried, and I had only been there less than a year, but the prof was more inviting.
Then went back full time with the professor in his private business as only employee for 3 years. In additon to drafting, I was project engineer for a taxiway design and construction at a navy base. I supervised part time employees.
Next job was the first "soils engineer" as we were called then, for a state highway department as it expandfed to meet post war activity (for 6 years). Supervised three test boring crews, the lab testing needed, drafting and wrote all the investigation reports which included roadway investigations also, such as unsuitable soil evaluation, mostly for super-highways on the Interstate system. Designed all the specalized equipment needed by boring crews, such as truck features, barges and labor saving devices. Had a staff of two engineers and three techs in office. Generally suervised the soils engineers then hired for each of the 8 district highway offfices. I was the head soils engieer guy for the state highway dep't.. Also participated in evaluation of all flexible pavements to then develop a pavement design method (for thickness) which still is used. Left due to difficulty with a mentally disturbed employee, the state would niot fire.
Next as chief geotech engineer in a consulting office (19 years) . Did the same sort of supervision and report work there. Suprvised three geotech engineers and several lab techs and drill crews. Added jobs were landfills and construction materials lab testing and field construction jobs. Part way along became a partner in the firm of 60 people. Was utilized as an expert witness in many legal disputes
Later was self employed. (About 20 years full time). Did not hire employees, but hired them as outside "contractors" for any grunt work needed, such as test borings. I did all the lab testing,which included consolidation, direct shear, triaxial shear, permeability etc. Built most of my specialized tools such as peat sampling, load measurement, Shelby tube sharpening, piston sampling. Wrote the investigation and foundation recommendation reports for hundreds of building sites, roadways and an occasional bridge. Was utilized as an expert witness in many legal disputes. Was geotech engineer on jobs involving improving bad sites with surcharging. As time went on cut back and now am mainly a mentor for a testing and engineering firm I helped start. Get out on a few construction jobs now and then also.
That's a brief summary, not listing everything. A lot of field time in each job, generally as supervisor and expert engineer doing testing, such as direct shear in place, pile load tests. You see much of the work was via training on the job, doing it. I even had to show a drill crwew how to install tire chains on a drill rig stuck in the mud, in my good clothes.
Next job (first one after MS degree) in charge of a field office inspecting drill crews for a major highway job around Chicago. Had to set up the soil testing lab and wrote the investigation reports for each bridge on that roadway, wiht recommendations for bridge foundations (footings or piing). The earlier exposure with the professor was the background for that. When I left, the emloyer nearly cried, and I had only been there less than a year, but the prof was more inviting.
Then went back full time with the professor in his private business as only employee for 3 years. In additon to drafting, I was project engineer for a taxiway design and construction at a navy base. I supervised part time employees.
Next job was the first "soils engineer" as we were called then, for a state highway department as it expandfed to meet post war activity (for 6 years). Supervised three test boring crews, the lab testing needed, drafting and wrote all the investigation reports which included roadway investigations also, such as unsuitable soil evaluation, mostly for super-highways on the Interstate system. Designed all the specalized equipment needed by boring crews, such as truck features, barges and labor saving devices. Had a staff of two engineers and three techs in office. Generally suervised the soils engineers then hired for each of the 8 district highway offfices. I was the head soils engieer guy for the state highway dep't.. Also participated in evaluation of all flexible pavements to then develop a pavement design method (for thickness) which still is used. Left due to difficulty with a mentally disturbed employee, the state would niot fire.
Next as chief geotech engineer in a consulting office (19 years) . Did the same sort of supervision and report work there. Suprvised three geotech engineers and several lab techs and drill crews. Added jobs were landfills and construction materials lab testing and field construction jobs. Part way along became a partner in the firm of 60 people. Was utilized as an expert witness in many legal disputes
Later was self employed. (About 20 years full time). Did not hire employees, but hired them as outside "contractors" for any grunt work needed, such as test borings. I did all the lab testing,which included consolidation, direct shear, triaxial shear, permeability etc. Built most of my specialized tools such as peat sampling, load measurement, Shelby tube sharpening, piston sampling. Wrote the investigation and foundation recommendation reports for hundreds of building sites, roadways and an occasional bridge. Was utilized as an expert witness in many legal disputes. Was geotech engineer on jobs involving improving bad sites with surcharging. As time went on cut back and now am mainly a mentor for a testing and engineering firm I helped start. Get out on a few construction jobs now and then also.
That's a brief summary, not listing everything. A lot of field time in each job, generally as supervisor and expert engineer doing testing, such as direct shear in place, pile load tests. You see much of the work was via training on the job, doing it. I even had to show a drill crwew how to install tire chains on a drill rig stuck in the mud, in my good clothes.
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- #5
It is good to be a geotechnical engineer and what oldestguy say is doing, i was doing it for the last 26yrs. The one thing you have to know is that you will be out there in the field most of the time doing logging, sampling, supervising construction project or supervising geotechnical works. Sometimes i miss my family because some of the projects will be far from home and other are outside of the country. You may go to school to study but in the field is a real challenging because of unexpected variation of materials under the ground .
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