In our ‘day in the life’ blog series, we aim to showcase the work of our talented team and help you get to know the faces behind our projects a little better. This month we sat down with Jonathan, a Senior Civil Engineer in our Sydney office, to chat a bit more about the dynamics of our design team and his best advice for anyone considering a career in civil engineering.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what interested you in Civil Engineering.
From a young age I was always interested in how things were built, and I also had a mild obsession with Lego (no surprise there). Fast forward to school, I had a natural inclination to maths and science subjects and enjoyed problem solving which led me to study Civil Engineering an Uni. I have also always had an interest in computers, and so favoured the office environment, ending up in a design consultant role.
What does a typical workday look like for you and what brings you the most joy in your role?
My day always starts with checking and answering emails and making a list for the tasks ahead. Most of my time is spent doing design work, checking plans, attending meetings, preparing proposals, or helping others in the team.
I find it incredibly satisfying seeing a project come to life from the early masterplan stages, right through the construction and to have the chance to be responsible for designing something that people rely on every day.
What’s it like being part of Barker Ryan Stewart’s engineering team, are there any standout projects you’re currently working on?
Its great being part of the engineering team at BRS as we work on a large variety of projects differing in scope, location, and market sector with different end users. Another great thing about the team is being able to work with different members of the team, including those in other locations and disciplines, on each project. To name one, the CURA residential subdivision in the Northern Rivers Region has been a standout project, due to the sizeable scope and sheer number of constraints the site presented while still trying to deliver a high-quality product to benefit the community.
Since joining our team, what’s been the most memorable aspect of working at Barker Ryan Stewart so far?
It has got to be the annual BRS conference and various social activities we engage in throughout the year.
Looking back at your career, is there anything that’s surprised you about working as a Civil Engineer?
The thing that has surprised me the most is the variety and number of specialisations available within civil engineering field, be it on-site or in the office, to choose as a direction in your career.
Also, the large amount of overlap with other disciplines, such as planners, ecologists, architects etc, that require you to have a deeper understanding of their fields to satisfy each of their requirements.
Finally, what advice do you have for anyone considering a career in a Civil Engineering role?
Civil Engineering is such a broad sector with a lot of sub-disciplines and gives you the opportunity to explore which role suits you best. I think the best way to find your feet is to get experience working within the industry as early as possible, as the exposure will naturally point you to the direction/discipline you favour.
Want to get to know our team a bit better?
Check out our other ‘day in the life of’ blogs to learn more about our talented team.
