A highway engineer has an important, rewarding mission: to design and supervise the construction of the fast, well-traveled roads that we rely on to get us where we're going. Highway engineering is a branch of civil engineering (which deals with projects that are part of the physical environment), and it can be a tricky balancing act. Not only do these experts have to consider where the highway should be and what materials to use, they also must consider factors like safety and speed. After all, you want your interstate to move traffic efficiently, but you also need to minimize the risk of crashes. And the work doesn't end once the construction is complete. Highway engineers, who usually work for the government or at private firms, are also responsible for the ongoing maintenance of their projects—for example, if a harsh storm results in a landslide above the road, they'll need to figure out a fix. Along with behind-the-scenes design work, you'll be expected to present your plans at public hearings, where grumpy locals might be wondering how roadwork is going to affect their commute. So your people skills might be almost as important as your engineering ones.