What does a planning engineer do?
Planning engineers, also known as project planners or engineering planners, are responsible for planning and co-ordinating the materials, plant, equipment and labour for large construction projects. They produce tenders, gathering information from estimators, buyers and quantity surveyors to plan a contract programme, scheduling the project in the most logical and economic way.
If the tender is successful, planning engineers liaise with construction managers and sub- contractors to check the project’s progress, and make any necessary adjustments to the schedule in order to meet deadlines for completion. Engineering planners are responsible for ensuring that all resources are used in the most cost-effective and efficient way. They are also sometimes known as construction project managers.
What's the working environment like for a planning engineer?
Planning engineers generally work a 40-hour week, although this will vary where deadlines must be met.
The work is mainly office-based involving extensive use of computers, but also includes visits to sites which may be cold, dirty, dusty and noisy. This involves long or short stays away from home and a considerable degree of travel.
What does it take to become a planning engineer?
To be a planning engineer you should:
- Have an interest in engineering and construction
- Have a sound knowledge of health and safety requirements
- Have a meticulous and logical approach
- Have strong planning and organisational skills
- Be able to anticipate problems and provide effective solutions
- Have good verbal and written communication skills
- Have computer skills and be numerate.
Planning engineer job opportunities
Most planning engineers jobs are with large or medium- sized building contractors and civil engineering contractors. There are also engineering planner job opportunities with large organisations which have regular construction requirements, such as local and national government bodies, and major retail, industrial and commercial firms. In addition, there are job opportunities abroad for those with language skills.
It is possible for planning engineers to move up the construction management chain, perhaps starting as contracts manager. Beyond that there are opportunities to move into more general construction management careers. Alternatively, it is possible to work independently as a consultant planner to a number of different construction contracts.
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