Structural Engineer / PE or EIT – Residential & Small Commercial
Higgins-Designs, PC | Austin, Texas
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Higgins-Designs is a small structural engineering and design firm in Austin working on a wide variety of residential, commercial, renovation, and specialty structural projects throughout Central Texas.
We are looking for a Structural Engineer to join our team and help with a growing project workload. We are open to discussing full-time employment, part-time employment, or an ongoing contract arrangement depending on experience and fit.
Our projects move quickly and tend to require practical engineering judgment rather than repetitive production work. The ideal candidate is comfortable taking a project from architectural drawings and existing conditions through structural design, calculations, coordination, and construction documents.
We also periodically perform existing-building assessments, condition evaluations, repair investigations, and forensic engineering work, so experience evaluating structures in the field is valuable.
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Typical Projects
Our workload includes:
Custom homes and residential additions/remodels
Wood framing and foundation design
Pier-and-beam and slab-on-grade foundations
Structural steel framing
Cold-formed steel framing
Historic building renovations
Tenant finish-outs
PEMB modifications and reinforcement
Retaining walls
Steel stairs, decks, canopies, and miscellaneous structures
Existing-building evaluations and structural assessments
Investigation of distress, deterioration, and construction issues
Repair and reinforcement design
Occasional forensic engineering and failure investigation
Construction observation and field reports
Projects range from small engineering evaluations and site investigations to complete structural drawing packages.
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Responsibilities
Depending on experience, responsibilities may include:
Structural analysis and design
Preparing structural framing and foundation plans
Designing wood, steel, concrete, masonry, and cold-formed steel components
Reviewing architectural drawings and identifying structural requirements
Preparing engineering calculations
Developing structural details
Reviewing shop drawings and submittals
Responding to contractor and architect questions
Performing site observations and existing-condition assessments
Documenting structural distress and construction deficiencies
Developing repair recommendations
Assisting with occasional forensic investigations
Preparing field reports and engineering letters
Coordinating directly with architects, builders, owners, and other consultants
Reviewing the work of other team members
We are particularly interested in someone who can gradually take ownership of projects rather than functioning solely as a production drafter or calculation engineer.
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Qualifications
We are interested in candidates at several experience levels.
Preferred qualifications include:
Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering
Experience with residential or small-commercial structural design
Working knowledge of wood, steel, concrete, and masonry design
Ability to read architectural and construction drawings
Good understanding of structural load paths and practical construction
Strong written communication skills
Ability to work independently and identify problems without needing highly detailed instructions
Experience with existing buildings, renovations, structural assessments, repair design, construction defects, or forensic investigations is especially valuable.
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PE Candidates
A Texas Professional Engineer license is strongly preferred for senior candidates.
A PE who is comfortable independently reviewing, designing, assessing existing structures, and eventually taking responsibility for projects would be especially valuable to our practice.
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EIT / Developing Engineers
We are also open to an experienced EIT or younger engineer with strong fundamentals who wants significant exposure to real-world building design, existing structures, field investigation, and repair work.
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What We Are Looking For
Because we are a small firm, fit matters.
We are looking for someone who:
Exercises good engineering judgment
Notices when something does not make sense
Is willing to investigate unusual conditions
Can distinguish between observed conditions, likely causes, and engineering conclusions
Can communicate clearly with architects, contractors, owners, and clients
Understands that constructability matters
Is comfortable working on many different types of structures
Is comfortable visiting existing buildings and documenting field conditions
Wants to become more independent over time
You do not need to know everything on day one. Breadth, curiosity, sound engineering fundamentals, careful observation, and the ability to learn quickly are more important than having worked on every project type listed above.
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Position
Location: Austin, Texas
Work arrangement and schedule can be discussed based on the candidate.
We are open to:
Full-time employment
Part-time employment
Contract engineering
Ongoing subcontract support
Compensation will depend on experience, licensing, and the level of responsibility the candidate can assume.
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How to Apply
Please send:
Resume
Brief description of your structural engineering experience
PE/EIT status and states of licensure, if applicable
Examples of project types you have worked on
Your comfort level designing with wood, structural steel, concrete, masonry, and cold-formed steel
Any experience with structural assessments, existing-building investigations, repair design, or forensic engineering
Any drawing, calculation, or report samples you are able to share
Whether you are interested in full-time, part-time, or contract work
Please also tell us a little about the types of projects you enjoy working on and the level of project responsibility you are comfortable handling.
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