Guide To A Site Engineer Career Path

As with construction site managers, site engineers oversee construction projects, make sure timelines are met, and supervise the staff on site. However, they are focused on providing more specific technical knowledge for managing projects. As such, the site engineer career path is often interesting and versatile. 

Site engineers typically come from several engineering disciplines, including civil, structural, electrical, or mechanical backgrounds. They can also work on a variety of construction and infrastructure projects, alongside the rest of a site management team.

What does a site engineer do?

A site engineer’s roles can vary depending on the type or scale of a project. A railway construction project, for example, will have different needs and engineering expertise requirements from a housing project. In general, most site engineers are expected to take on technical, supervisory, and organisational roles.

A site engineer’s core responsibilities include:

• Managing specific areas of construction projects
• Supervising construction staff
• Coordinating with project managers 
• Communicating and negotiating with clients, subcontractors, consultants, and other project specialists
• Setting out, levelling, and surveying locations
• Overseeing building or infrastructure construction
• Ensuring that technical designs and drawings are applied correctly, and project budgets and deadlines are met
• Preparing site reports, cost-effective proposals, and other paperwork
• Implementing health and safety protocols as well as sustainability policies

Salary Range

Since many site engineers start out as civil engineers, they also typically share the same salary range. JobStreet Salary Insights shows that the average salary of a civil engineer is MYR 3,200 monthly, or MYR 38,400 annually. 

The exact monthly salary of a site engineer also depends on the company, location, and industry of the employer. It also increases with years of experience, with 3-8 years going up to MYR 5,000 and 7 years or more up to MYR 7,700.

What is the career path of a site engineer?

Site engineers come from different engineering backgrounds, so career paths vary, depending on specialisation. Here is an overview of the various career paths a site engineer can take, depending on years of experience.

Junior Level (1-3 years experience)

• Site Engineer
• Geotechnical Instrumentation Engineer

Mid Level (4-8 years experience) 

• Civil and Structural (C&S) Site Engineer
• Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Site Engineer

Senior level (8 years or more) 

• Site/Project Engineer - Road Construction

What requirements do you need to become a site engineer?

Different companies, industries, and construction projects will have different and more specific skill requirements. However, these are some of the commonly listed and most in-demand skills for a site engineer.

Required skills

• Engineering knowledge

Site engineers must have ample knowledge of the engineering discipline/s and technical skills required by the construction project they are working on. 

• Management skills

They must have the ability to oversee different elements of a project, such as safety, timelines, budget, materials, and workforce.

• Problem-solving skills

The ability to resolve unexpected problems — including technical, safety, quality, construction and contractual issues — at the project site comes in handy for this role.

• Physical fitness

Site engineers must be able to travel and perform physically demanding activities during site inspections.

• Writing skills

The ability to write well-written progress reports and other documents is also important for site engineers.

Other skills

• Teamwork

Site engineers must be able to work with other site managers and project engineers who are also working on the same construction project.

• Communication skills

Good communication skills are important since site engineers interact with many different people involved in a project. 

• Negotiation skills

In most cases, site engineers must be able to apply different negotiation skills in securing, executing, and completing a contract.

• Understanding of relevant construction, health, sustainability, and safety regulations

Site engineers also need to make sure that the project complies with government laws and guidelines for construction work.

Educational background

A Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, or other related Engineering disciplines is necessary for most Site Engineering jobs. Those with Postgraduate Degrees and training in specialised fields are often prioritised in many positions and sub-fields, and even offered overseas career opportunities. 

Required certification and training

To qualify as a Professional Engineer in Malaysia, site engineers must be certified by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM). 

Upon receiving their graduate degree, they must register as Graduate Engineer with BEM. After obtaining at least three years of working experience — including a minimum of 1 year in Malaysia — they can apply for Tier 1 - Professional Engineer (PE) to be considered as Professional Engineers. They must also have a minimum design experience of 6 months and a minimum site experience of 12 months.

Later in their career, Site Engineers may also decide to start an engineering consultancy practice. They must apply for a Tier 2 - Professional Engineer with Practicing Certificate (PEPC) before they can do so.

Both tiers will require a Professional Exam, but Tier 2 requires a separate exam called the Professional Competency Exam (PCE). After passing the exams, they can apply for Professional Engineer registration or Professional Engineer with Practicing Certificate with BEM. 

Opportunities for Continuous Education

Pursuing postgraduate studies, workshops, and training programs will certainly equip you with highly specialised skills that will advance your career as a site engineer. A Master’s Degree or PhD will also give you an edge for many mid-level and senior-level positions. Working on your transferable skills is also a good idea to add value to your expertise. 

In addition, Tier 1 Professional Engineers must record 25 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) every year, while Tier 2 Professional Engineers must log 50 hours of CPD annually. These include self-study, on the job training, workshops, lectures, and training courses.

How to write a site engineer resume?

Download the Site Engineer resume template here

Related Careers

Do you want to know more about engineering or construction industries? Here are other related career paths that you can explore.

• Civil Engineer
• Electrical Engineer

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