Profession drainage engineer

Drainage engineers design and construct drainage systems for sewers and storm water systems. They evaluate the options to design drainage systems that meet the requirements while ensuring compliance with legislation and environmental standards and policies. Drainage engineers choose the most optimal drainage system to prevent floods, control irrigation and direct sewage away from water sources.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Hydraulics

  The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.

• Flood remediation equipment

  The operation of the necessary tools and equipment used in flood damage and remediation activities, such as pumping flooded properties.

• Engineering principles

  The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.

• Types of pipelines

  Know various types of pipelines and their different usages. Differentiate between pipelines used to transport goods over short and long distances, and understand their respective feeding systems.

• Hydraulic fluid

  The various types, qualities and applications of hydraulic fluids used in metalworking processes such as forging and moulding, consisting out of mineral oils and water.

• Technical drawings

  Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.

• Engineering processes

  The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.

Skills

• Ensure regulatory compliance in pipeline infrastructures

  Ensure that the regulations for pipeline operations are met. Ensure pipeline infrastructure compliance with legal mandates, and compliance with regulations governing the transportation of goods via the pipelines.

• Design drainage well systems

  Design systems which are found in residential properties as well as in public properties such as on streets and public building rooftops, and which function to drain excess water from these areas. They function to aid in flood remediation, remove rain, and minimise risk from heavy storms, and subsequently transport the untreated water into nature.

• Adjust engineering designs

  Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

• Consider the impact of material characteristics on pipeline flows

  Consider the characteristics of goods in order to ensure that pipeline flows are uninterrupted. Anticipate the density of goods in the design of pipelines or in daily maintenance of pipeline infrastructures.

• Identify risk of flooding

  Identify the areas which are most at risk to be damaged by floods, such as areas close to rivers, as well as identifying the events which would cause floods such as changes in the weather.

• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation

  Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.

• Mitigate environmental impact of pipeline projects

  Strive to mitigate the potential impact that pipelines and the goods transported in them can have on the environment. Invest time and resources into consideration of the environmental effects of the pipeline, the actions that could be taken to protect the environment, and the potential increase in the costs of the project.

• Approve engineering design

  Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

• Create designs for pipeline engineering

  Design pipeline infrastructure considering engineering principles. Create blueprints, measure sites, define materials, and present functional proposals for their construction.

• Perform scientific research

  Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.

• Ensure compliance with safety legislation

  Implement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.

• Analyse route possibilities in pipeline projects

  Analyse sufficient route possibilities for developing pipeline projects. Ensure that crucial elements such as environment, the features of a location, purpose, and other elements are considered. Analyse the best route possibilities while attempting to maintain a balance between budget and quality.

• Use technical drawing software

  Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.

• Survey sites for pipeline installation

  Perform surveys of different kinds of sites, such as inland or maritime site, for the planning and construction of pipeline infrastructure.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB