Insights • July 22, 2025
How Milhouse Helped Me Build a Career in Transportation Engineering
Ciro Mercado, Civil Engineering I
Ciro Mercado, Civil Engineering I, on Milhouse’s Transportation team, helps design the infrastructure that keeps communities connected.
From site planning to roadway design, Ciro helps bring projects to life through collaboration and innovative thinking. His professional journey reflects what many early-career engineers experience- learning by doing, growing through mentorship, and finding purpose in work that directly serves the public.
Keep reading to learn more about his career journey and see what a typical day at Milhouse looks like for Ciro.
Can you describe a typical day in your role? What tasks and responsibilities do you handle regularly?
As a transportation engineer, my typical day involves a mix of design work, meetings, and coordination. I regularly meet with clients, contractors, and internal teams to review project progress, address design issues, and align on next steps. Much of my time is spent developing and reviewing plan sets, including roadway geometrics, traffic control, utility coordination, and drainage, while ensuring compliance with state, local, and federal guidelines such as AASHTO, MUTCD, IDOT, CDOT, CCDOTH, and Illinois Tollway standards. I also coordinate with permitting agencies, review survey and right-of-way data, and contribute to cost estimates and schedules.
How did you get started on this career path?
I began my career right out of college by joining the gas team at Milhouse, where I focused on utility design and coordination. During my first two years, I was heavily involved in reviewing utility conflicts on IDOT roadway plans, which sparked my interest in transportation engineering. These reviews helped me understand the complexities of roadway design, how various infrastructure systems interact, and the importance of integrating utilities within broader transportation projects. As my curiosity grew, I expressed my interest in transitioning to the transportation group to my supervisors. Over time, I took on tasks that aligned more closely with roadway design and built relationships within the transportation team. After two years of gaining relevant experience and demonstrating my commitment, I officially made the switch to the transportation department and have been working on a range of civil and roadway projects ever since.
“Milhouse gave me the flexibility and support to grow from utility design to transportation engineering.”
– Ciro Mercado, Civil Engineering I
What’s your favorite aspect of working in Civil Engineering and Transportation, and what do you find most rewarding about your work?
My favorite aspect of working in civil engineering and transportation is seeing our designs come to life in the real world. There’s something incredibly rewarding about being involved in a project from the early planning and design stages all the way through to construction. Watching a concept on paper transform into a completed roadway or infrastructure improvement that benefits the public is a fulfilling experience. I especially enjoy providing construction management support during Phase 3, where I get to respond to RFIs, review submittals, and help resolve field issues to ensure the project is built according to plan. Being part of the entire project lifecycle allows me to see the direct impact of our work on communities, and that sense of contribution and collaboration is what I find most meaningful in this field.
Why should someone pursue a career in Civil Engineering?
People should consider pursuing a career in civil engineering because it offers a strong balance of stability, growth, and meaningful impact. The field provides excellent job security with opportunities across both public and private sectors and allows for a mix of office and occasional field work that keeps the day-to-day dynamic and engaging. Civil engineering also offers the chance to be part of professional organizations, which helps expand your network and stay connected with others in the industry. Projects are often complex and fast-paced, involving many moving parts, which keeps the work exciting and intellectually stimulating. While it can be a challenging career path, it is equally rewarding, especially as you gain experience, take on larger responsibilities, and work toward milestones like earning your PE license.
How has Milhouse supported your professional growth and development? Are there specific training programs or advancement opportunities that have been valuable to you??
Milhouse has played a significant role in supporting my professional growth and development. Since joining the company, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide range of impactful projects across the gas, roadway, and aviation sectors, which has helped me strengthen both my technical skills and project understanding. One of the most valuable aspects of working at Milhouse has been the flexibility and support I’ve received in transitioning between teams, particularly during my move into the Transportation group. This transition has allowed me to broaden my engineering experience, gain exposure to new industry standards and clients, and continue developing as a well-rounded civil engineer. Milhouse also encourages continuous learning through internal trainings, mentorship, and hands-on project experience, which has been instrumental in helping me reach the next stage of my career.
What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on?
One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on has been the Illinois Tollway project. It was my first time working on a tollway job, and it turned out to be an incredible learning experience. I had the chance to dive deep into the standards, expectations, and level of detail required for Tollway work, which significantly enhanced my understanding of transportation infrastructure design. What made this project especially rewarding was that our pavement marking and signage plans were later used as shop drawing examples for future Tollway projects, serving as a reference for how these plans should be properly presented. Knowing that our work set a standard for others to follow was a proud moment and a testament to the quality and effort our team put into the project.
