| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Engineering |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Design Engineering Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 3 to 6 years in structural design |
Structural Design Engineer job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Structural Design Engineer
Department: Engineering
Reports to: Design Engineering Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Structural Design Engineer designs the load bearing structures for plants, buildings and equipment. They model and analyse steel and concrete structures, size members and connections, and produce drawings that are safe and code compliant. The role sits in the design office. A good Structural Design Engineer gets the analysis and load cases right, designs economical members, and delivers GA and fabrication drawings the site and shop can build without queries.
Key responsibilities
- Build structural models and run analysis for steel and concrete structures under all load cases.
- Size beams, columns, foundations and connections to the relevant Indian and international codes.
- Prepare general arrangement, reinforcement and fabrication drawings for the structure.
- Work out load cases for dead, live, wind, seismic and equipment loads.
- Design steel connections, base plates, anchor bolts and gusset details for fabrication.
- Coordinate with piping, equipment and electrical teams for openings, loads and supports.
- Check junior drawings and calculations before they are released for construction.
- Review vendor and fabricator drawings for structural adequacy and code compliance.
- Answer site queries on structures and issue revised drawings and calculations.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in civil or structural engineering
- Master's in structural engineering is an advantage
- Command of IS steel and concrete codes
- 3 to 6 years in structural design
KRAs and KPIs for a Structural Design Engineer
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Analysis accuracy | Structural analysis and member sizing correct with no recheck failure at review |
| Economy | Steel tonnage kept within the estimated budget for the structure |
| Drawing release | Structural drawings issued on the dated schedule |
| Code compliance | Designs pass third party proof check with no major comment |
| Connection design | All connections designed and detailed before fabrication starts |
| Query closure | Site structural queries closed within 2 working days |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: STAAD.Pro, ETABS or SAP2000, AutoCAD, Tekla Structures, MS Excel.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Design Engineer, Design Engineering Manager, Structural Lead
Interview questions for a Structural Design Engineer
- How do you set up load combinations for a structural analysis?
- Walk me through designing a beam to column connection.
- How do you decide between a steel and a concrete solution?
- How do you check a junior structural drawing before release?
- How do you handle equipment loads and vibration on a structure?
- Which Indian codes do you use for steel and seismic design?
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What does a Structural Design Engineer do?
A Structural Design Engineer designs load bearing structures. They model and analyse steel and concrete, work out load cases, size members and connections, and produce GA, reinforcement and fabrication drawings. They also review vendor drawings and answer site queries. Their job is a safe, economical, code compliant structure the site can build.
What is the difference between a structural and a civil design engineer?
Structural design focuses on the strength and stability of the load bearing frame: steel, concrete, connections and foundations. Civil design is broader, covering roads, drainage, water, layout and general civil works. Structural is a specialisation within civil engineering, and many engineers move between the two.
What software does a Structural Design Engineer use?
The common tools are STAAD.Pro, ETABS and SAP2000 for analysis, AutoCAD for drawings and Tekla Structures for steel detailing, with Excel for design checks. Command of the relevant IS codes for steel, concrete, wind and seismic loads matters as much as the software.