What Are the Different Types of Civil Supervisor Jobs?

There are many types of civil supervisor jobs available, including positions overseeing projects such as public bridge, road and tunnel building. Other civil supervisor jobs are available in sewer maintenance, dam building and power generation. There are civil supervisor jobs relating to all types of civil construction, including building airfields, jails and shipping ports. Roles of other civil supervisors include overseeing the construction of railroads, overpasses and railway terminals.

Most civil supervisor jobs are intended to keep a watchful eye over private contractors and civil engineers as they perform contracted duties, while also making certain that all required health, safety and building codes are strictly adhered to. Many civil supervisor jobs are held by seasoned construction veterans who have a firm grasp on local and federal building and construction codes pertaining to particular types of projects. On projects that involve more than one local jurisdiction, the civil authority often has the power to override local authorities in matters of code. In most cases, the civil supervisor sets the schedule, makes sure all time lines are adhered to and motivates work crews to meet deadlines.

Overseeing bridge building projects are some of the most technically involved for workers in civil supervisor jobs. Bridges must meet not only the requirements for road traffic, but for nautical traffic and safety as well. Monitoring the construction of bridge pilings and supports, civil supervisors are required to meet project deadlines and adhere to federal laws governing wetlands, waterways and migratory fishes and wildlife. With many rivers being used as dividing lines between different government territories, the roadways on either side of the bridges may be required to adhere to different regulations.

The planning and construction of airports creates special problems for those filling civil supervisor jobs. The layout must allow for smooth flow both on the ground and in the air for the aircraft using the airport. Noise issues for those living in surrounding areas must be taken into account, as well as power lines and other above-ground structures that could potentially become a problem for low-flying aircraft. The supervision of tunnel building crews commonly requires supervisory officials for both the tunneling and the road-building crews to make the job flow smoothly. The task of tunneling through a mountain can often involve the tunneling crew, road building crew and a railroad building crew as some tunnels provide a mix of vehicle, pedestrian and train traffic.