Overview
Engineers in state government design, maintain and improve the infrastructure the public relies on every day. They inspect facilities, plan projects and implement improvements that ensure public safety and quality of life.
These roles help to protect communities that depend on strong infrastructure, modern public facilities and systems designed to function long-term. Engineering work is great for those who want to combine technical skills with design and the management of large-scale systems.
What You Might Work On
In state government, professionals in this field often:
- Support the design, construction and maintenance of public infrastructure
- Evaluate facilities and systems to ensure safety and regulatory compliance
- Collaborate with agencies and contractors to deliver state-wide projects
- Review data to assess facility performance and plan new facilities, systems and upgrades across the state
Is This a Good Fit?
While roles and responsibilities vary, you might enjoy this field if you:
- Have strong quantitative reasoning skills
- Enjoy solving practical problems with efficient and durable solutions
- Are motivated by improving safety and sustainability
- Collaborate well with teams and external partners
Where You Could Work
State government is broad — so where do you start?
One approach is to focus on a type of role. Another is to focus on a mission area or the kind of impact you want to make (i.e., in public health, education, transportation or elsewhere).
Keep in mind: mission areas often span multiple agencies, so you may find relevant roles in places you wouldn’t expect!
Professionals in this field work across many state agencies depending on mission area, including:
- Transportation and infrastructure: Maine Department of Transportation
- Environmental quality: Alabama Department of Environmental Management
- State facilities: Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration
- Energy and utilities: Alaska Energy Authority
Sample positions
Staff 1, Associate Engineer
| Employer / agency | Department of Transportation |
| Location(s) | Carson City, Nevada |
| Mission context | This role helps to maintain safe and reliable highways throughout Nevada to enhance public safety and economic development. |
In this role, you may:
- Participate in the planning, design, analysis and inspection of construction and maintenance of transportation and highway systems, bridges and other structures
- Design and evaluate pavement structural sections for new and existing roadways; develop new structural section or develop appropriate rehabilitation strategy
- Conduct on-site highway construction inspections to ensure adherence to specifications and recommend corrective action when needed
Engineer
| Employer / agency | Department of Natural Resources |
| Location(s) | La Crosse, Wisconsin |
| Mission context | Engineers in the Department of Natural Resources’ Water Management Program provide technical engineering analysis to help protect and manage natural resources while supporting the economy and the well-being of the public. |
In this role, you may:
- Provide engineering analysis of dams and other physical alterations of surface waters within the assigned area
- Interpret engineering plans, maps (topographic, land survey aerial photo, GIS), using databases and writing technical reports and letters
- Work with waterway, wetland, shoreland or floodplain regulations or zoning ordinance development
- Review, manage or authorize projects for compliance with laws and conducting project site investigations
Environmental Engineer IV
| Employer / agency | Department of Health, Environmental Health |
| Location(s) | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Mission context | This role oversees and enforces Rhode Island’s environmental engineering programs to ensure safe drinking water and to protect public health. |
In this role, you may:
- Be responsible for the supervision, direction and oversight of a statewide environmental engineering program
- Supervise program staff engaged in environmental engineering reviews, inspections, field work, data entry and reporting
- Review, analyze and interpret data and environmental samples, both directly and as summarized by subordinates, including but not limited to groundwater, soils, surface water, wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, sewage and air
- Oversee and actively participate in the development, preparation and review of permits, letters, enforcement actions, reports, engineering plans and other materials related to source pollution or threats, drinking water quality and/or public pool water quality
Engineering Associate
| Employer / agency | Department of Transportation and Public Facilities |
| Location(s) | Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Mission context | This position works to deliver transportation projects that improve safety, modernize infrastructure and enhance quality of life for Alaskans. |
In this role, you may:
- Work as a lead designer in developing projects from simple concepts to bid-ready plans and specifications
- Coordinate with support resources such as geotechnical engineers, hydraulic engineers, environmental staff, right-of-way and utility specialists
- Maintain and improve roads, bridges, airports, ports and public facilities while using a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities
- Work in various locations, including remote locations and urban centers, addressing a wide range of transportation needs
