Structural
Meet Ioannis, a structural engineer…
I chose to work for Arup because in 2004 I interned in the steel structures department of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Hong Kong has the highest density of skyscrapers in the world and the city took my breath away. When I learned that Arup was responsible for the structural design of a large portion of them, I knew it was the firm for me.
What I enjoy most about working for Arup is the flexibility. There is a big variety of projects in the office and you can work on multiple jobs at a time in different disciplines to build your skills. I have worked on structural glass design and footfall analyses for stairs in New York, floor framing of a 350m tall tower in China and I am currently working on a Platinum LEED-certified building in Songdo City in South Korea.
I would highly recommend Arup to other graduates. With more than 10,000 staff in 92 offices world-wide there is a huge pool of knowledge to immerse yourself in. From day one I was working on signature projects using cutting-edge methods and software. Arup takes great care to stay abreast of developments in the industry and to ensure that its employees’ skills and abilities are constantly being updated. If you want to work in a pioneering and expanding company, Arup is the place to be.
What do structural engineers at Arup do?
Arup structural engineers approach both building and infrastructure projects with the objective of identifying and developing unique building designs that epitomize structural efficiency and cost effectiveness wherever possible. Engineers bring value to the project table by delivering solutions that enhance or maximize qualities such as architectural potential and end-user service delivery. At Arup, structural engineers are regularly faced with notable geometric and multidisciplinary complexity and maintain a constant search for enhanced design techniques and technologies. Arup engineers utilize their creativity and skill to realize not only a competitive design, but a competitive design process.
What would my first few years be like?
The following description lists a fairly typical approach to foundational training in your discipline; however business needs, project task availability, and your training interests will also influence the scope and order of training.
For your first six months, you will learn the following skills:
- Structural software skills (training course, on-the-job)
- Structural analysis modeling (on-th-job)
- Learning about the Arup Structural Skills Network (introduction course, on-the-job)
- Learning to navigate through codes and/or guidelines
The typical tasks you will perform will be as follows:
- Design of individual structural members on a project
- Structural analysis using structural software
- Attending meetings and learning from listening, asking questions and discussion
During your second six months, you will learn both drawing production skills and report production skills on-the-job, as well as 3D CAD skills through both coursework and on-the-job training. You will learn how to effectively use architectural digital information to create structural models. The tasks you will perform include putting together simple drawings, calculations and reports, using Revit and AutoCAD as well as Rhino/SketchUp, and creating more sophisticated analysis models from architectural digital data.
For the first half of your second year, you will learn about multidisciplinary design as an on-the-job introductory course. You will participate in a multidisciplinary project and will put together complete sets of structural drawings.
For the latter half of your second year, you will start to understand the construction industry and our place in it. You will progress to advanced structural analysis skills with introductory courses, self-study, and on-the-job-training. You will learn about connection design and how structures are put together. You will assist in construction administration such as contractor submittal reviews and addressing contractor questions. You will perform connection design tasks, create drawing sections and details, and learn to apply your new advanced structural analysis knowledge. You will continue the development of your detailed engineering design skills as learned in your first 18 months, and begin to teach skills to new graduates.
Want to join us?
The ideal candidate for an entry-level position would have the following characteristics:
Technical abilities
| Necessary | Preferred |
| BS in Civil or Architectural Engineering with emphasis on structures (1) | 3.5 GPA or higher, Master’s with emphasis on structures |
| Coursework in structural analysis, advanced steel design and advanced reinforced concrete design | Coursework in structural dynamics, earthquake engineering Internship experience with a design firm FE/EIT classification |
| Structural software skills, AutoCAD skills, Revit skills, 3D modeling skills (Rhino, SketchUp, etc) |
Intangible and interpersonal characteristics
| Necessary | Preferred |
| Professional demeanor | Evidence of past internship or extracurricular activity in the field |
| Skills in planning and organizing | Proven ability to perform in a deadline environment |
| Ability to communicate thoughts and technical ideas in an accessible way | Past history of technical presentations and technical writing |
| Attitude of taking initiative, enthusiasm and eagerness to learn | Evidence of personal investment in academic or extracurricular field |
Click here to apply for a Graduate Structural Engineer position with Arup.
