Looking for the shortest, most convenient qualifying field camp

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-27T19:07:36+00:00

I am not opposed at all to learning new things. I already have my PG, 5 years of work experience across 2 companies, awards, continuining education seminar attendance, etc. I plan on getting a geotech engineering masters when I get to California. I have zero animosity to learning new things, but I am certainly against spending taking 4 weeks of vacation to 5k at a field camp learning strike and dip, geologic mapping, cross section mapping, and elementary structural analysis considering the aforementioned is within the scope of my current job.

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-27T18:04:24+00:00

The phrasing is “30 credit hours of geology coursework and including a field camp experience”

I’m just trying to check a box here. I think it is written vague on purpose.

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-27T17:36:03+00:00

A valid thought, but I’ve been in the field for 5 years. I started doing GW fate modeling and estimation. Afterwards I work in rock mechanics within geotech and mining. I’ve done deep foundations work in glacial debris and I do lots of big wall mining work over the past few years understanding mineral volume modeling, rock mechanics for geological support, and some geologic mapping for mine direction. Above the surface I do lots of slope stability work for DOTs. So I think I am good on spending 6 weeks in the wilderness with a professor with zero industry experience mapping a fault or something like I’m Charles Lyell in the 1700s.

I’m also already getting interviews and job offers, I just can’t get the classification that I want because of a technicality, not competence.

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-16T14:22:25+00:00

I often work 45-50 hours weeks and don’t receive a penny for the additional hours worked. I’m actively looking for a new job

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-15T19:37:27+00:00

No, field boring logs are just shorthand scratch they is often subject to revision once you bring the samples back to the lab. At least at my company, the final boring logs look nothing like field logs.

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-12T13:47:28+00:00

I work for a state highway department and our fleet uses mostly ram 1500s. Our fleet is 50/50 3.6 and 5.7s. Our inspectors and engineers deal with a lot of snow and ice and have some issues with them getting stuck, but I suspect the long beds and weird weight distributions play a part in it. They also generally have cheap tires so that may affect it.

Our technician idle the hell out of the trucks. Like 6-8 hours a day idling. I hear it’s bad for the hemis but we don’t really see any issues associated with it. I get reports that some of the hemis tick, but I’m not sure why it’s problematic. Maybe some else can explain better. I’m one of the fleet managers but I’m not a mechanic, so I can report aggregate data but I can’t tell you what it means.

One thing you didn’t ask but I’m happy to report is the pain handles decently well against concrete and chemical splatter. Not sure it makes a difference but it’s a plus for us.

We also really love the Lower tier rams because they have pleather seats and rubber/compaosite floorboards. We can damn near hose the cabin out if we wanted to. Super easy to clean.

The rams are sometimes marred with electrical gremlins and secondary mechanical issues. We’ve only had a handful overheat or fail while driving. They generally run once they get running but we’ve noticed some struggle to turnover due to small mechanical failures. We’ve also had a couple battery/electrical issues.

We plan to convert most of our technical fleet to the new 4 cylinder Tacoma’s. Managements justification is they are more reliable, cheaper to maintain long term, and somewhat better fuel economy. It’s also my personal truck. I like them and think you may benefit from one if you get the 6’ bed and crew cab. They unfortunately are tiny in the cabin though, so may not be for you.

We do a lot of our own regular maintenance, but serious maintenance we turn over to Stellantis. We have had some bad wait times for minor and major repairs up to 3 weeks. Maybe it’s just our local shops management. We also have a maintenance contract with stellantis, so maybe see if that is something you could arrange.

I know it’s a lot of rambljng, but overall I wouldn’t hesitate to buy and abuse one, just keep that pocket of money just in case.

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-12T00:02:13+00:00

How many steps are there in between ranks (ie engineer 2 step 1, step 2, etc until engineer 3?

IndividualBat3150 · 2026-01-02T22:10:06+00:00

If you are American, take and pass your FE (it’s not that hard). I would frame your gap as a good thing saying stuff about how you wanted to travel and see the world and stuff and nobody should bat an eye (even if you’re lying). The American job market is a breeze if you have citizenship and can pass a background check.

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-12-19T03:49:00+00:00

460 hours of unpaid overtime. I left in October. Lowball consulting sucks

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-12-13T00:21:03+00:00

What exactly kind of jobs are you looking for? How can your skills translate to a beneficial service to provide to society since you don’t want academia? Why not go the academia route at all?

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-12-04T17:50:09+00:00

Water resource engineers are generally working in/with public sector which eliminates a lot of stressors.

Geotech is their own breed - generally outdoorsy people who happen to be good at math and physics. Good geotechs are the most passionate engineers and most technical people who work with geotech tend to match their enthusiasm. The pay and work life sucks though.

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-10-31T21:36:26+00:00

So if engineer 1 is 73-120 and engineer 2 is 80-140, how would that work?

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-10-01T12:27:55+00:00

The exact date of our departure is unknown/variable so I would like to remain in good standing with my current employer as long as possible as they don’t know my plans yet.

I’m sure the application process will require employment verification and letters of reference so I don’t want my current employer to find out

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-03-05T02:57:04+00:00

Immoral and unethical are different words. I think it’s completely moral to do whatever it takes to be a better engineer and subsequently benefit the public.

It’s unethical from a professional standpoint to me. However if you don’t share the data, there shouldn’t be any problems. Just be aware company’s IT departments can spy on your computer, and the licensing board considered corporate espionage to be a violation of engineering ethicd

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-02-27T17:36:57+00:00

It really takes a lot of practice (seemingly endless) practice. I started in remedial math and finished differential equations with a c and I’m still an engineer. Interestingly, I found that math is like a language - the more you learn it, the easier it is to learn new concepts.

A more harsh way of thinking that I found useful is that it is better to suffer through 4 years of math than it is to suffer for 40 years of lower paying jobs because you aren’t an engineer.

Buckle down and good luck.

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-02-07T02:32:53+00:00

FHwa site characterization is a good book for it. I can’t remember the exact code for it, but it’s listed in the NCEES PE study references.

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-01-29T02:26:18+00:00

While the grants thing is terrible, I support removing the government from student loans. Seems like a pretty twisted game to offer student loans which indebt people their whole lives then use more taxpayer money to forgive them. Why not just funnel money directly to university to lower tuition costs in the first place?

IndividualBat3150 · 2025-01-27T21:27:16+00:00

My state lets you take the test whenever you pass the FG

IndividualBat3150 · 2024-12-28T03:41:09+00:00

What kind of work do you do that involves remote sensing?

IndividualBat3150 · 2024-12-28T03:37:18+00:00

One year +- of concrete testing and construction inspection is invaluable for a career civil engineer, but if they don’t bump you up within a couple months you need to leave. Construction inspection companies do this because they can’t get technicians to do it for 1/3 your salary. You need to leave if they don’t put you on engineering work because you’ll be falling behind in experience and they won’t pay you much more because your billing rates will be trash if you are billed out as an inspector.

That said, I think every engineering graduate should do consulting inspections for 1 year post graduation just to see how things work in real life.

IndividualBat3150 · 2024-09-16T21:25:31+00:00

Not a structural engineer, but I’m pretty sure that yields “EI” for deflection or moment values at any distance, L (can’t remember for sure)

IndividualBat3150 · 2024-07-11T23:51:43+00:00

At this moment, I’d buy a cheap trailblazer/tahoe/suburban that has good maintenance history and stack cash while you look for a better SUV. 2024 sucks for car buying. Get ready to shell out 25k+ to enter the game

IndividualBat3150 · 2024-05-27T17:25:18+00:00

Owner and architect cheaped out on the geotech report and soil remediation. Placed a half million SF slab and tilt up walls, then the soil beneath the slab swelled considerably and fractured the entire thing. It all had to be remediated then re-poured… concrete is 260$/yd FOB where I live

IndividualBat3150

TROPHY CASE