Get your civil engineer resume past ATS screening. Paste any job description below, get your keyword match score, and generate a tailored CV in 60 seconds.
These keywords appear most frequently in civil engineer job descriptions. Missing even a few can drop your ATS score below the screening threshold.
Hard and soft skills that civil engineer ATS systems look for
Common mistakes that cause civil engineer resumes to fail ATS screening
List your PE license state, number, and expiration - engineering ATS at government agencies and large firms filter on active PE licensure as a mandatory requirement
Name specific CAD and analysis software: 'AutoCAD Civil 3D', 'HEC-RAS', 'SAP2000' - not generic 'engineering software proficiency'
Include the FE/EIT exam pass if you don't yet have PE - it signals you're on the professional licensure track
Specify project type and scale: 'led design of $12M municipal stormwater infrastructure project' tells ATS ranking algorithms both specialization and project magnitude
Include federal agency and regulatory framework keywords for government-adjacent roles: 'NEPA compliance', 'FHWA standards', 'Section 404 permitting', 'AASHTO design'
Add 'LEED AP' or LEED project credits explicitly - sustainability literacy is a growing ATS filter at municipal, state, and federal engineering agencies
Top civil engineer ATS keywords include: PE license (with state), AutoCAD Civil 3D, HEC-RAS (for water resources roles), structural analysis software (SAP2000, STAAD), your subspecialty (structural, transportation, water resources, geotechnical, environmental), project management (PMP, Primavera P6), DOT or AASHTO standards, and LEED credentials. Match every technical requirement listed in the job posting exactly.
The PE license is essential for any role that involves signing and sealing engineering documents - design, review, or certification responsibilities. Most senior civil engineer and project manager roles require an active PE. Government and DOT roles almost universally require it. Entry-level roles accept EIT/FE with expectation of PE within 4 years. Getting PE-licensed broadens your job market access significantly and triggers higher salary filters.
Quantify project value, duration, and scale: 'Designed $8M highway interchange improvements reducing peak-hour congestion by 25%', 'Led stormwater drainage design for 450-acre mixed-use development', 'Managed $25M bridge rehabilitation project from preliminary engineering through construction closeout'. Include project owner names (if public) and your role on the project delivery team.
Civil engineer resumes span infrastructure broadly: transportation, water resources, geotechnical, site development. Structural engineer resumes focus specifically on: building and bridge structural analysis, concrete and steel design, seismic / wind loading, finite element analysis (SAP2000, ETABS, RISA), and IBC / ACI / AISC code compliance. Both require PE license but structural roles filter additionally on specific structural codes and software.
Highlight: project delivery experience, client-facing communication, cost estimating and budget management, and proposal/business development participation. Public sector engineers often undervalue these - reframe regulatory process knowledge as a competitive asset ('deep familiarity with NEPA, Section 404, and state DOT review processes' is extremely valuable to consulting firms that navigate these daily).
Guides to help you pass ATS screening faster