What Does A Field Engineer Do?

In this blog, I’ll explain the crucial duties of a field engineer, their mindset, main responsibilities, and how to succeed in the role. This is a topic I love! Every construction project, in every company around the world, should have field engineers. While we often see project engineers handling the office side of things, it’s the field engineers who truly enable the craft in the field. If I ever found myself back in the construction industry, I wouldn’t take on a job or work at a company that didn’t have field engineers. Their role is vital to the systematic training of future superintendents and the development of a builder mindset across all teams. Even if your company doesn’t currently have this role, there’s still time to create a culture and program that will nurture and train future leaders. Let’s dive into what field engineers do and why they’re so important.

What Field Engineers Focus On

Unlike project managers or engineers who focus on “what,” “why,” “how,” and “when,” the field engineer’s focus is on “where.” They determine where critical components like embankments, walls, reinforcing structures, and building gridlines go. Without a field engineer, companies can lose hundreds of thousands of dollars due to mistakes in location and quality control.

The Role of Field Engineers in Construction

The primary role of field engineers is to train future superintendents. Their number one skill? Figuring things out. Many current superintendents struggle with technology, understanding plans, and adopting new methodologies like Lean Construction. Field engineers, however, excel at learning, adapting, and solving problems. Field engineers also serve to enable the craft. When field engineers collaborate with craft workers—doing layouts, checks, and placements together—it forms a deep connection. This experience ensures that future superintendents respect the craft workers throughout their careers.

Field Engineers Are the Honey Badgers of Construction

Field engineers are fearless. They’re like honey badgers—bold and determined, getting things done no matter the challenge. They embrace the grind, solve problems, and do what it takes to support their craft. This mindset allows them to execute their duties with confidence and determination.

Learning Construction as a Field Engineer

To succeed, field engineers must learn construction as fast as possible. They’re responsible for frontline safety, ensuring safety plans are executed in the field. Field engineers are the “boots on the ground,” enforcing safety protocols and holding the line on quality.

Quality Control and Layout

Field engineers are integral to maintaining quality. They participate in pre-construction meetings, create quality checklists, and conduct thorough inspections. They are also responsible for layout and control, ensuring proper placement and elevations in a building. Field engineers visualize and coordinate the work in 3D, which becomes invaluable when they transition to roles as superintendents.

Creating Lift Drawings and Solving Problems

Field engineers are responsible for creating “lift drawings” to coordinate complex installations like electrical, structural, and equipment layouts. This process helps them spot potential problems early, reducing errors and delays. Moreover, field engineers act as problem solvers. They handle technical issues, respond to RFIs (requests for information), and review submittals. They are a valuable resource for the project team, alleviating the burden on superintendents by solving problems before they escalate.

Supporting Superintendents and Office Duties

Field engineers also assist with various office duties, from preparing reports to reviewing submittals and even helping with subcontractor payments. Their support extends to field crews, ensuring everything runs smoothly on-site.

The Importance of Field Engineers in Construction

The role of field engineers is crucial for growing the next generation of superintendents. You can’t expect to have superintendents without field engineers to nurture and develop them. If you want to grow your construction team, you must invest in field engineers. They are the future of successful, sustainable construction projects. In the resources section below, you’ll find links to a podcast series that dives even deeper into this topic. I hope this blog helps you understand the importance of field engineers and inspires you to integrate them into your construction projects.