Role Description

Engineering > Plumbing

Salary National Average

Low Medium High
53180.0000 69720.0000 81750.0000

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Candidate Supply: 5,117 Job Openings: 1,725

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Short Description:

Plumbing designers or engineers duties revolve around creating plumbing systems. Responsibilities could include working to create a residential 
plumbing system, a fire suppression “sprinkler” system, drainage networks, or municipal or commercial plumbing systems.

This job involves managing project budgets, designing and implementing plumbing systems, and managing teams. May use CAD or Revit design software to visualize the piping and fixtures. Plumbing designers work to design the project to the client’s specifications and then include information about necessary materials, size of pipes, and requirements for installations and drainage

Duties / Responsibilities:

  • Develop Designs - Plumbing engineers work closely with clients to develop designs, performing design calculations and choosing the appropriate equipment and systems for installation.
  • Prepare Marketing Materials for Clients - Plumbing engineers prepare the schematics and materials required to present their proposal to their clients.
  • Draft Technical Documentation - From drawing projects to amending designs, plumbing engineers draft the technical documentation associated with each project.
  • Perform Quality Assurance Reviews - Plumbing engineers are also responsible for carrying out quality assurance reviews on projects, which involves evaluating all of the technical drawings.
  • Oversee Project Staff - Plumbing engineers oversee junior engineering staff and provide training for them when required to ensure that each project is completed to the appropriate standard.

Skills / Requirements / Qualifications

  • Technical design – plumbing engineers spend much of their time creating technical drawings to map the logistics of plumbing systems
  • Computer skills – plumbing engineers work regularly with word processing programs and spreadsheet software, so they should have the skills to use computers well and pick up new programs efficiently
  • Attention to detail – working with detailed technical drawings and instructions requires plumbing engineers to be detail oriented
  • Communication skills – plumbing engineers present their work to clients and collaborate with project managers, so they need excellent communication skills, both written and oral
  • Leadership skills – plumbing engineers should have strong leadership skills, since they oversee the work of junior team members and manage contracts

Job Zones

  • Title: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
  • Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Related Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
  • Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Job Zone Examples: These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
  • SVP Range: (6.0 to < 7.0)

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