Engineering Jobs in Idaho (Boise, Idaho Falls: how much, new home, employment)

[Jones88]

I going to graduate from college with a degree in civil engineering within the next year. I have lived in Georgia for my entire life and just wanted to live somewhere different when I finish school. I am tired of living in a big city and would like to move somewhere that is not too big, but I still have to be able to get a job. I am currently thinking about Montana, Idaho, or maybe Colorado. I love to be in the outdoors whether hiking, fishing, or skiing and I think these areas would fit nicely. My question is really, can I get an entry level job in Civil Engineering or Construction in a smaller city in Idaho or am I just going to have to deal with living in a big city like Atlanta? I also know the economy especially in these fields is in the tank, hopefully it might recover a little by next year. I am just trying to get some ideas, thanks.

[valkyrieh]

Check out Idaho Falls. It's not a "big" city and even if it were, there are plenty of teeny tiny towns in the outlying area that you could live in and commute from. Idaho National Labs is in IF. Idaho Falls has the best of everything. You are only a couple of hours away from world famous skiing (Jackson Hole). Fishing, camping, hiking, the Snake River runs through it. It's a nice little city.

[Nsomniac66]

You can also check out Power engineers in Hailey, ID. It's right outside of Sun Valley and they have been doing very well over the past 10 years. I have a friend who works for them and he loves it. Good luck in your search.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Needless to say, this is a tough time to be looking anywhere, given the economic situation. Most cities in Idaho aren't that large, but there are a fair number of small civil engineering companies in every town. Site survey, water management, residential and small commercial building engineering, etc. There aren't that many large infrastructure firms that I'm familiar with though.

CDA has some possiblities, with a reasonable commute to Spokane, or the Spokane Valley for work. I'm sure some Boise areas people will have some input. INEEL might also have possibilities, I'm not sure just how much civil vs mechanical engineering they have.

[norcalmom101]

I just heard that alot of economic stimulus money is about to flow into SE Idaho for projects at the site as well as some other public works projects. Anyone have any more info on this? MSR?

[Jones88]

I appreciate all of the input. It is amazing how much help you can get on the internet. I was thinking about coeur d'alene myself after looking at the map and seeing how close it is to Spokane. I still have a pretty good bit of time to look, but just trying to plan ahead and get some ideas.

I don't necessarily philosophically agree with tremendous amounts of government stimulus, but I think it might open up some job prospects in the short term. I will try to keep an eye on where some of that money is going.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Jones, do you have any particular specialty within the civil engineering field? There is quite a lot of work around the CDA and Sandpoint areas to meet stormwater management plans for residential lots near the lakes (or any body of water)-this might not be the most exciting specialty but there may be demand.

There is also a fair amount of road construction and residential developments going in, this area sees lots of smaller construction projects, most all of which will have civil engineering requirements.

You have the right idea, I spent far too long in the east before making the move. If you like outdoor activities, you'll love it here. Just don't plan on getting rich here working for someone else.

[zedd]

URS Corporation (formerly Washington Group International, formerly Morrison-Knudsen) has historically been a large employer of civil and related engineers in the Boise area. They have a nice building not far from downtown. However the office, recently purchased by URS, has been through a lot of upheaval in the past 10 years so you might want to tread carefully. I know they were hiring last year, but with the current economic malaise that could have changed.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by norcalmom101

I just heard that alot of economic stimulus money is about to flow into SE Idaho for projects at the site as well as some other public works projects. Anyone have any more info on this? MSR?

Thanks, NCM101. Idaho Nuclear Lab has many missions, not all are publically known. I'm not sure of their need for a civil engineer, but it doesn't hurt to look.

INL is west of Idaho Falls. Pending reg approval, the Areva will be building a $2 Billion plant west of Idaho Falls as well. Several of the other national labs have either spin offs or have opened offices in the Idaho Falls area.

I'd check the www.INL.GOV website for employment opportunities. I had a close relative who had a degree exactly like yours who worked there for many years.

Also, at INL, there are several companies, not just one. If you search the CD site, there are a few threads on INL and one on Areva. Areva will absolutely require many more support companies.

Some of the other companies I've heard about, I honestly don't know if they could use a civil engineer.

The other thing to check is with the Idaho Job Service. This is a general link to the Idaho Dept. of Labor. You can follow the links for whatever interests you. labor.idaho.gov/IW/default.asp

Good luck in your search for where your new home will be. I hope this helps.

MSR