A good field engineer makes superintendents and PMs more effective.
In this article
The role
A field engineer works on site, solving technical questions and documenting the work.
RFIs
Find conflicts and write clear questions.
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Submittals
Track and verify.
Layout
Check dimensions and elevations.
Quality
Inspections before covering work.
Documentation
Photos and daily records.
Coordination
Help subs with information.
Where to start
Write a one-page responsibility list for field engineers and pair each one with a superintendent mentor.
An example
A GC assigned a field engineer to track RFIs on a school project. Response times improved and fewer issues reached the critical path.
What to track
Track open RFIs, average response time, inspections completed and rework found before cover-up.
Questions to ask
Do our field engineers have a clear mentor? Which tasks should move from the superintendent to them? What do they need to grow into project engineers or supers?
Common mistakes
Using field engineers only for paperwork, giving them no authority to resolve simple questions and never rotating them through different project phases. Field engineers who only file documents rarely grow into strong project leaders.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a field engineer do?
Field engineers support the superintendent and project manager with RFIs, submittals, layout checks, quality inspections, documentation and coordination with subcontractors.