Interview: Graduate Structural Engineer – Freya Zhao

Introduction: In this month’s article, we are going to give an insight into working with LSY Engineering Consultants Ltd as a Graduate Structural Engineer. This article is presented by Freya Zhao, who has successfully completed MEng Civil Engineering from Imperial College London and is now working with LSY Engineering Consultants Ltd as a Graduate Structural Engineer. 

Interview: 

What got you into engineering: My interest in engineering developed from a curiosity about how buildings and structures work, particularly how loads are transferred through structural systems and how engineering principles translate into safe and practical designs. 

This led me to study Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London. During my studies, structural engineering stood out as the area I enjoyed most, as it combines analytical thinking with real-world application. 

Joining LSY Engineering Consultants as a Graduate Structural Engineer has allowed me to build on that interest through involvement in live projects across the UK and to better understand how structural design works in practice. 

What do you most enjoy about the job: One of the aspects I enjoy most about structural engineering is solving practical problems. 

At LSY, I have been involved in projects including residential refurbishments, retail structural modifications, and coordination with specialist contractors such as glazing designers. Each project presents different constraints, whether that involves working with existing structures, developing new structural elements, or coordinating design information between different parties. 

I particularly enjoy developing calculations, reviewing drawings, and working through how a design can be both structurally sound and practical to build. It is always rewarding to see a design develop from initial calculations into something that can ultimately be delivered on site. 

Refurbishment projects have been especially interesting. Existing buildings often contain structural systems not typically encountered in university courses, such as hollow pot slabs or other older construction methods. Understanding how these structures behave before deciding how they can be safely modified makes the work both technically challenging and engaging. 

What do you most dislike about the job: One of the less enjoyable aspects of the role is dealing with uncertainty when information is incomplete or changes late in the design process. 

Projects typically involve architects, contractors, specialist designers and clients working to different timescales. As a result, structural design sometimes progresses alongside evolving information, requiring flexibility and clear communication. 

However, this also reflects the reality of how construction projects develop and provides valuable experience in understanding the wider project process. 

Industry and university differences: One of the biggest differences between university and professional practice is the complexity of real projects. 

At university, problems are usually clearly defined and based on simplified assumptions. In practice, engineers often work with incomplete information and must consider additional factors such as existing structural conditions, construction methods, sequencing and coordination with other disciplines. 

Although the same design standards, such as the Eurocodes, are used both in university and in practice, the process of arriving at a design solution can be quite different. In real projects, engineers must balance many constraints, and there is rarely a single “correct” answer. 

Thoughts on structural engineering after starting work : Since starting work as a structural engineer, I have gained a much greater appreciation for the role engineers play in shaping the built environment. 

Structural engineering is not only about calculations but also about judgement, coordination and ensuring that designs are safe, efficient and buildable. Even relatively small structural interventions can have a significant impact on a wider project. 

Working on refurbishment and structural modification projects has been particularly interesting, as it requires careful assessment of existing buildings and thoughtful design solutions that respond to real site conditions. 

The most challenging aspect of the job : One of the most challenging aspects of structural engineering is developing the judgement required to balance technical accuracy with practical constraints. Engineers must consider safety, design standards, construction methods, coordination requirements and programme pressures at the same time. 

As a graduate engineer, I see this as one of the most important parts of the learning process. Observing how experienced engineers approach problems has been particularly interesting. Senior engineers can often assess a structural condition and quickly estimate a reasonable range for a member size or solution based on their experience. Seeing how this judgement develops over time is fascinating and something I hope to build through experience.