Women in Engineering: Building Careers, Solving Challenges, and Shaping the Future
By Jennifer Briggs | June 23, 2026
Scaffold Design
Engineering is about more than calculations and technical expertise, it’s about creativity, problem-solving, and finding innovative ways to bring complex projects to life. As the engineering profession continues to evolve, women are making significant contributions across every discipline, helping shape the built environment and drive the industry forward.
In recognition of Women in Engineering, we sat down with two of our talented in-house engineers to learn more about their professional journeys. From what first inspired them to pursue engineering, to the experiences that helped shape their careers, each engineer shares their unique perspective on the industry, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the projects that have left a lasting impact.
Join us as we explore their backgrounds, career paths, and favorite projects and gain insight into what it’s like to build a rewarding career in engineering with D. H. Charles Engineering, Inc.
Meet the Engineer –
Victoria Lewis
Office Location: Portland, Oregon
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Originally, I’m from Oahu, Hawaii, but now I live in Oregon and work out of DHC’s Portland branch. I grew up going to the beach, fishing, and playing sports, all the while never thinking I’d end up on the mainland. Now I enjoy experiencing four different seasons and all the activities that come and go with them like berry picking, crawdad catching, and watching the leaves change color.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
When I was growing up, my dad was constantly telling me to become an engineer. So, I took that and decided I would never become one! However, in high school, math and physics were more enjoyable than most other classes to me. And for most students -at least at my school- that meant going into engineering or accounting. So, despite deciding I’d never do it, I chose engineering. But I decided to study civil engineering which, by the way, was the one department of engineering my dad told me not to do. From there it’s less dramatic. I went to a small college, learned a little bit of everything through their civil program, and ended up in structural engineering at DHC by the end of it.
Q: How has your career evolved since you first entered the engineering field?
I’ve been at DHC for around two years now working in the excavation shoring department. I work with many different types of shoring equipment – most often slide rail, trench boxes, and soldier piles. I also design temporary utility supports, some as simple as a single utility crossing a trench, and some more complex with multiple overlapping and crossing utilities.
Before DHC, I did a research internship at George Fox University. The research was focused on sustainable and environmentally friendly additives for stabilizing and strengthening soil.
Q: What has been your favorite project to work on and why?
One project that stands out to me in my time at DHC is the Morena Pump Station project out in San Diego, CA which is a large utility installation project. Over the course of a few years, we designed many soldier pile shoring and utility support plans across multiple locations at this site. The design required many different conditions with varying widths, depths, braced and unbraced requirements, and traffic proximities.
This project included some unique geometry to keep the amount of excavated earth to a minimum which posed additional challenges and required creative solutions due to the varying pile spacings and bracing needs. Because we were able to combine all those different elements, such as the soldier piles, traffic plating, and utility supports, this one stood out to me. It was great to be able to help our customer with the different pieces of their project and keep things moving quickly and efficiently.
Meet the Engineer –
Jennifer Briggs
Office Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
Growing up, I had a love for taking things apart to figure out how they work and putting them back together. I was fortunate enough to have family that encouraged these interests that blossomed into a career in engineering. Despite spending most of my childhood in California, engineering has opened the door for many experiences from travelling abroad to study in Lithuania, to interning in Washington and travelling to new cities for various competitions.
Q: What experiences reinforced your decision to pursue a career in engineering?
While considering education paths in high school, a family friend helped me see that civil engineering would be a great way to combine my love of buildings with my interest in how things are made. I would reevaluate this decision periodically throughout my education, until meeting practicing engineers at a career fair. Talking to these women succeeding in their careers helped me see that being a woman in engineering was a strength and something that is needed for the growth and betterment of the profession.
Q: Can you walk us through your engineering career journey?
Once I graduated from university, I took a few months off to travel and spend time with my family before starting work at a structural engineering company in the Los Angeles area. While I enjoyed my time there, I got a new opportunity in Sonoma County to help rebuild the community after some wildfires that I decided to pursue before eventually joining DHC. While at DHC, I’ve worked mainly with scaffolding, structural shoring, and various permanent works. In my 9 years of working in the field of civil engineering, I have had the privilege of experiencing an array of project types and materials that have made me into the well rounded engineer I am today.
Q: Which projects are you particularly proud to have worked on here at D. H. Charles Engineer, Inc.?
Since joining DHC I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide array of projects, the most intriguing of which has been working on fall protection systems for existing buildings. While often overlooked, safety systems are the silent backbone of large buildings by providing safe access for building maintenance operations. Despite not being the most glamorous line of work, there is immense satisfaction in knowing that the work done will help protect users from unnecessary harm.