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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Assistant Engineer

💰 $45,000 - $80,000

EngineeringConstructionCivilMechanicalElectrical

🎯 Role Definition

An Assistant Engineer provides hands-on technical support to senior engineers and project teams across design, construction, testing, commissioning, and maintenance phases. This role combines fieldwork and office responsibilities — preparing drawings and calculations, performing inspections and tests, coordinating contractors and suppliers, and producing technical reports. Ideal candidates are organized, safety-focused, technically competent in engineering tools (CAD, measurement instruments, testing devices), and able to communicate clearly with multidisciplinary teams, clients, and regulatory authorities. This job is commonly found across civil, mechanical, electrical, and industrial contexts and is a critical stepping-stone toward licensed engineer and project leadership roles.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Engineering Intern / Co-op
  • Recent graduate (B.Eng, B.Sc. Engineering or Diploma)
  • Technician / Field Service Technician

Advancement To:

  • Junior Engineer / Project Engineer
  • Site Engineer / Commissioning Engineer
  • Design Engineer / Systems Engineer

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Engineer
  • Maintenance Engineer / Reliability Engineer
  • Estimating / Cost Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Assist senior engineers with the preparation, review and revision of engineering drawings, schematics, CAD models (AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Revit) and as-built documentation to ensure constructability and compliance with project specifications and applicable codes and standards.
  • Carry out routine engineering calculations (structural checks, load calculations, sizing, pressure drop, energy estimates) and prepare supporting technical notes and justification for design decisions under supervision.
  • Perform site inspections, surveys and measurements to verify existing conditions, collect field data, identify discrepancies, and issue site instructions or punch lists to contractors and trades.
  • Support installation and assembly activities on-site by interpreting drawings, setting out works, checking tolerances, and ensuring correct materials, orientation, and alignment during construction and installation.
  • Conduct testing, commissioning, calibration and functional verification of equipment and systems (mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, HVAC, pumps, valves, PLCs), document test procedures and results, and log commissioning checklists.
  • Monitor contractor performance and workmanship, observe safety compliance, report non-conformances, and support corrective action follow-up in coordination with the site manager and QA/QC team.
  • Prepare method statements, work packs, safe work procedures and permit-to-work documentation for routine field tasks; support risk assessments and job safety analyses to maintain site safety standards.
  • Generate and maintain project documentation including daily site reports, progress photos, material submittals, inspection records, test certificates, and as-built markups for handover and asset management.
  • Assist with procurement activities by preparing specifications for materials and equipment, reviewing vendor data and shop drawings, evaluating quotes, and supporting material inspection and receiving processes.
  • Support cost control and scheduling by tracking labor, material and equipment usage, updating progress schedules (MS Project, Primavera), and reporting variances to project leads.
  • Conduct routine quality control and quality assurance checks on workmanship, materials, welds, concrete, and installations to make sure they meet contract requirements and industry standards.
  • Troubleshoot operational issues in the field by performing root cause analysis, isolating faults, recommending repairs or rework, and coordinating with specialist suppliers for remedial actions.
  • Assist in developing and updating standard operating procedures (SOPs), maintenance instructions, and equipment operation manuals to ensure consistent, repeatable processes for operations teams.
  • Collect and analyze test and monitoring data (vibration, pressure, temperature, flow rates), prepare simple data analyses, and present findings and recommendations to engineering supervisors.
  • Support permit application and regulatory compliance efforts by preparing technical inputs, drawings, and documentation required for planning, environmental and safety approvals.
  • Liaise with clients, subcontractors, utility providers and stakeholders to schedule works, coordinate site access, and resolve day-to-day interface issues that affect project delivery.
  • Participate in design reviews, constructability reviews and kickoff meetings to provide field perspective, identify risks and propose pragmatic buildable solutions.
  • Assist with small project packages end-to-end (scope, scheduling, material take-offs, supervision, commissioning) under the mentorship of a project or senior engineer.
  • Manage and update project tracking systems, document control platforms and BIM/asset models to keep all team members working from the latest, auditable documentation.
  • Conduct routine maintenance inspections, planned preventive maintenance (PPM) tasks, and warranty follow-ups to support operational reliability and long-term asset performance.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives by collecting lessons learned, participating in post-project reviews, and proposing efficiency gains, cost savings, or safety improvements.
  • Provide on-call technical support for after-hours troubleshooting or emergency response when required, including site visits, temporary repairs, and coordination with emergency services.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc technical requests, field investigations, and exploratory testing to support design iterations and decision-making.
  • Contribute to the organization's engineering documentation strategy and roadmap by suggesting template improvements, proper metadata tagging, and revision control best practices.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams (procurement, planning, QA/QC, health & safety, operations) to translate project and operational needs into engineering deliverables.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile-style engineering reviews when working within multidisciplinary or product-engineering teams.
  • Provide mentorship and on-the-job coaching to technicians and junior trainees, helping them develop field skills, safety awareness, and basic design understanding.
  • Assist the sustainability and environmental team by executing site checks, documenting waste management, and supporting emissions reduction measures on projects.
  • Support vendor and supplier site audits by preparing required documentation, facilitating access, and verifying adherence to technical specifications.
  • Maintain and calibrate portable test equipment, measurement tools, and instrumentation; ensure equipment calibration records are current and available for audits.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in CAD software such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or Revit for producing and redlining engineering drawings.
  • Familiarity with engineering calculations and analysis tools (Excel engineering spreadsheets, MATLAB, hand calculations) to support basic structural, mechanical or electrical sizing.
  • Experience with site measurement tools and surveying instruments (laser levels, total stations, theodolites) and the ability to produce accurate as-built data.
  • Knowledge of construction and installation standards, building codes and industry regulations relevant to civil, mechanical or electrical disciplines (e.g., ASME, ASTM, NEC, IEC, local building codes).
  • Practical experience with commissioning and testing procedures for mechanical and electrical systems including functional tests, loop checks, insulation tests and FAT/SAT processes.
  • Working knowledge of quality assurance and inspection techniques, non-destructive testing basics, and documentation of NCRs and corrective actions.
  • Competence in reading and interpreting technical specifications, bills of materials (BOM), piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID), single line diagrams (SLD) and schematic drawings.
  • Experience with project scheduling and tracking software such as Microsoft Project, Primavera P6 or equivalent, and familiarity with earned value basics.
  • Basic familiarity with PLCs, industrial controls, and instrumentation or the willingness to learn programming and logic troubleshooting for control systems.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience using document control platforms, BIM viewers or cloud collaboration tools (SharePoint, Aconex, Procore).
  • Ability to perform field testing with common measurement devices (multimeters, clamp meters, flow meters, pressure gauges, thermography cameras).
  • Knowledge of procurement and vendor management processes, reading and checking vendor datasheets and shop drawings for compliance.

Soft Skills

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, able to produce clear site reports, technical notes and client-facing correspondence.
  • Excellent teamwork and stakeholder management: collaborates effectively with contractors, clients, and multidisciplinary engineers.
  • Strong attention to detail and methodical approach to inspections, testing protocols and document control.
  • Problem-solving mindset with the ability to perform structured troubleshooting and apply practical engineering judgement in the field.
  • Time management and prioritization skills—capable of managing multiple tasks, site visits and documentation deadlines simultaneously.
  • Adaptability and resilience to work in variable site conditions, travel between locations, and manage changing project priorities.
  • Initiative and a willingness to learn: seeks mentorship, asks clarifying questions and proactively follows through on assigned tasks.
  • Customer and client-focused attitude with a professional demeanor when representing the company on-site or in meetings.
  • Safety-first mindset with the ability to enforce and demonstrate PPE, permit, and safe-work requirements.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to maintain meticulous project and asset records for audits and handovers.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Diploma in Engineering Technology or Associate Degree in Engineering, or
  • Bachelor's degree (B.Eng, B.Sc. Engineering) preferred where available

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial or Construction Engineering
  • Certifications such as EIT (Engineer in Training), NICET, CWI, or vendor-specific commissioning training are an advantage

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Construction Management / Engineering Technology
  • Structural Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Instrumentation & Control Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–3 years of relevant engineering, field support, internship or technician experience.

Preferred:

  • 1–4 years assisting on construction, commissioning, site supervision or design projects with verifiable field exposure.
  • Demonstrated hands-on experience with CAD, site measurements, testing equipment, and project documentation processes.
  • Exposure to regulated industries (building, infrastructure, oil & gas, utilities, manufacturing) and familiarity with relevant codes and standards.
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