How to Write a Resume for a Structural Engineer

A structural engineer plays a critical role in the safety, stability, and performance of buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure. Employers look for professionals who can blend technical expertise with sound judgment, communication skills, and a strong understanding of codes and standards. A tailored structural engineer resume is essential to show you can design safe, efficient structures, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and manage projects from concept through construction.

This guide explains how to write a structural engineer resume that highlights your technical capabilities, project experience, and professional impact so you stand out to hiring managers and pass applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Key Skills for a Structural Engineer Resume

Your skills section should quickly communicate your core technical competencies and key soft skills. Organize them in a clear, scannable list and mirror the language used in target job descriptions.

Technical (Hard) Skills

• Structural analysis and design (steel, concrete, timber, masonry)
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• Structural modeling and drafting (Revit, AutoCAD)
• Structural design software (ETABS, SAP2000, STAAD.Pro, SAFE, RAM, RISA)
• Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• Load calculations (dead, live, wind, seismic, snow)
• Foundation and retaining wall design
• Seismic design and detailing
• Steel connection design
• Reinforced and prestressed concrete design
• Construction documentation and detailing
• Value engineering and constructability review
• Building codes and standards (IBC, ASCE 7, ACI, AISC, local codes)
• Shop drawing review and RFIs
• Field inspections and site observation reports
• Structural condition assessment and retrofit design

Soft Skills

• Analytical problem-solving
• Attention to detail and quality control
• Project management and time management
• Communication with architects, contractors, and clients
• Team collaboration in multidisciplinary environments
• Technical writing and documentation
• Risk assessment and decision-making
• Mentoring junior engineers and coordination with drafters
• Adaptability to changing project requirements

Formatting Tips for a Structural Engineer Resume

Structural engineering employers value clarity, precision, and organization—your resume should reflect those same qualities. Use a clean, professional format that makes your achievements easy to scan.

General Layout and Length

• Use a reverse-chronological format (most recent experience first).
• Target one page if you have under 8–10 years of experience; two pages is acceptable for senior roles with extensive project portfolios.
• Use clear section headings: Header, Summary, Skills, Experience, Projects (optional), Education, Certifications.
• Maintain consistent margins (0.5–1 inch) and spacing for readability.

Fonts and Styling

• Use professional fonts such as Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, or Times New Roman.
• Font size: 10–12 pt for body text, 12–14 pt for headings.
• Use bold and italics sparingly for emphasis; avoid underlining (can be confused with hyperlinks).
• Stick to black text on a white background; avoid graphics-heavy templates that may confuse ATS.

Header

Your header should make it easy to contact you and quickly identify your specialization.

• Include: full name, city/state, phone number, professional email, LinkedIn URL, and optionally a portfolio or project website.
• Add a title that matches your target role, such as “Structural Engineer,” “Senior Structural Engineer,” or “Bridge Design Engineer.”

Professional Summary

Replace an objective with a concise 3–4 line summary tailored to structural engineering roles.

• Mention years of experience, key sectors (buildings, bridges, industrial, infrastructure), and your strongest technical areas.
• Highlight 2–3 differentiators: codes expertise, software proficiency, leadership, or project types.
• Include a few keywords from the job description (e.g., “seismic design,” “steel and concrete structures,” “BIM coordination”).

Experience Section

• List roles in reverse-chronological order with company, location, job title, and dates.
• Use bullet points starting with strong action verbs: “Designed,” “Analyzed,” “Led,” “Coordinated,” “Reviewed.”
• Focus on accomplishments and impact, not just responsibilities.
• Quantify whenever possible: number of projects, square footage, cost, schedule, efficiency gains, or safety improvements.

Education Section

• Include degree(s), major (e.g., B.S. in Civil Engineering), institution, location, and graduation year.
• Mention structural emphasis, relevant coursework (Structural Analysis, Reinforced Concrete, Steel Design, Dynamics, Earthquake Engineering), and thesis topics if early in your career.
• Include GPA if strong (typically 3.3+ and early in career); omit if mid-senior level unless requested.

Showcasing Structural Project Experience

Project experience is the heart of a structural engineer’s resume. Employers want to see the types of structures you have worked on, your role, and the measurable outcomes.

How to Present Project Experience

• In your Experience section, dedicate bullets to specific projects under each role.
• For major or flagship projects, consider a separate “Selected Projects” section, especially if you work in consulting or design firms.
• For each project, include:
  • Project name/type (e.g., “12-story mixed-use building,” “Highway overpass bridge”).
  • Approximate size and cost (e.g., “250,000 sq ft,” “$80M construction value”).
  • Your specific responsibilities (analysis, design, detailing, coordination, site visits).
  • Key software and codes used.
  • Notable outcomes (on-time delivery, cost savings, design improvements, safety enhancements).

Examples of Strong Project Bullets

• Designed gravity and lateral systems for a 15-story reinforced concrete residential tower (350,000 sq ft, $120M), using ETABS and SAFE in accordance with IBC and ASCE 7.
• Performed seismic retrofit design for a 1960s steel office building, reducing predicted drift by 35% while maintaining tenant occupancy during construction.
• Coordinated BIM workflows with architects and MEP teams in Revit, resolving over 50 structural-clash issues prior to construction and minimizing RFIs.

Highlighting Sector-Specific Experience

• Buildings: high-rise, commercial, residential, healthcare, education, industrial.
• Infrastructure: bridges, retaining walls, culverts, tunnels.
• Specialty: seismic retrofits, existing building assessments, industrial platforms, tanks, towers.

Tailor the projects you emphasize to match the sector of the job you are applying for.

Licensure, Certifications, and Codes Expertise

In structural engineering, professional licensure and codes knowledge significantly influence hiring decisions. Make this information prominent on your resume.

Licenses and Certifications

• Professional Engineer (P.E.) license – list state(s) and license number (if customary in your region).
• Structural Engineer (S.E.) license – highlight clearly if applicable.
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) / Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) – especially important for early-career engineers.
• Relevant certifications or training:
  • OSHA safety training (e.g., OSHA 10/30)
  • LEED credentials (if working on sustainable projects)
  • Specialized seismic or bridge design courses
  • BIM certifications (e.g., Revit professional training)

Highlighting Codes and Standards

Employers often scan for specific code experience. Consider a brief “Codes & Standards” subsection under Skills or within your Summary.

• List major codes: IBC, ASCE 7, ACI 318, AISC 360, AISC 341, AASHTO (for bridges), and relevant local seismic or building codes.
• Indicate if you have experience transitioning between code editions (e.g., designing under both ASCE 7-10 and ASCE 7-16).
• Mention any experience with international codes if applying to global firms.

Tailoring Your Structural Engineer Resume to the Job

A generic resume will rarely stand out. Tailor each application to the specific role, sector, and seniority level.

Analyze the Job Description

• Highlight keywords: software (ETABS, SAP2000, Revit), structure types (bridges, high-rise, industrial), and responsibilities (design, analysis, project management, client interface).
• Note required codes, materials (steel, concrete, timber), and project stages (concept, detailed design, construction administration).

Align Your Content

• Mirror key terms in your Summary, Skills, and Experience bullets to improve ATS compatibility.
• Reorder your skills so the most relevant to the job appear first.
• Emphasize projects that match the employer’s portfolio (e.g., healthcare facilities for a healthcare-focused firm).
• Adjust your Summary to match seniority: focus on leadership and client management for senior roles; focus on technical depth and learning agility for entry-level roles.

Customize Metrics and Outcomes

• For design-focused roles, highlight design innovation, optimization, and code compliance.
• For construction or field-heavy roles, emphasize constructability, RFIs resolved, site inspections, and coordination with contractors.
• For management roles, stress budgets, schedules, team leadership, and client satisfaction.

Common Mistakes on Structural Engineer Resumes

Avoid these pitfalls that can weaken an otherwise strong structural engineer resume.

Being Too Generic or Responsibility-Focused

• Listing only duties like “Responsible for structural design” without context or results.
• Omitting project types, sizes, or your specific contributions.
• Using vague phrases like “worked on various projects” instead of naming and describing them.

Underutilizing Metrics and Technical Detail

• Failing to mention square footage, number of stories, or construction cost.
• Not listing software tools or codes used on each project.
• Overlooking outcomes such as cost savings, schedule adherence, or risk reduction.

Overly Technical Without Context

• Including long lists of software and codes without showing how you applied them.
• Using highly technical jargon without linking it to business, safety, or project outcomes.

Poor Organization and Formatting

• Dense paragraphs instead of concise bullet points.
• Inconsistent date formats, fonts, or spacing.
• Embedding key information in graphics or text boxes that ATS may not read.

Missing or Burying Licensure

• Not clearly stating P.E., S.E., or EIT status near the top of the resume.
• Failing to list the states or regions where you are licensed, which can be critical for certain roles.

Final Thoughts

A strong structural engineer resume clearly communicates your technical capabilities, project experience, and professional judgment. Focus on relevant skills, detailed project descriptions, licensure, and measurable outcomes. By tailoring each resume to the specific role, emphasizing the structures and sectors that matter most to the employer, and avoiding common mistakes, you will present yourself as a reliable, high-impact structural engineer ready to take on complex projects.