Engineering in Context

Some engineers focus on the details. Others focus on the big picture. At Miller Consulting Engineers, we value professionals who do both—and Eric is one of them.

With 10 years in structural engineering—all of them at Miller—Eric has built a career on curiosity, clarity, and a commitment to continuous learning. From podium buildings to fire training towers, he thrives on understanding how things fit together, not just on paper, but in the real world. His approach to engineering is both analytical and intuitive: a balance of modeling complex forces and clear communication.

In this Q&A, Eric Davis shares what drew him into the profession, what keeps him engaged, and how mentorship and collaboration have shaped his path. Whether he's modeling steel moment frames or helping a junior designer reach their lightbulb moment, Eric brings thoughtfulness and perspective to everything he does.

Building Bones is a Miller Consulting Engineers (MCE) series of articles highlighting the fascinating work being done by a small, Oregon-grown structural engineering firm located in Portland, Oregon. We hope you enjoy meeting our team.

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MEET ERIC

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING?

10 Years. I was doing special inspections before structural design, which gave me a solid foundation and helped confirm that I wanted to be on the design side of things.

WHY STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING?

I love understanding how things work and how pieces of a whole fit together. As a kid, it was LEGO—all the time. Later, it became science. I loaded up on science classes in school, even choosing them over electives. Earth sciences, physics, chemistry—anything that helped me understand how the world works.

Initially, I considered aerospace engineering because it seemed to align with my love of physics. But I wanted to work on things where I could see the full system and be involved in the whole picture. Structural engineering checks all those boxes—it lets me solve puzzles, think at a systems level, and understand the “why” behind how things hold together.

WHAT’S FUN?

What aspects of structural engineering do you find most exciting?

I really enjoy the process itself—collaborating, problem-solving, and seeing everything come together in a way that enables others to do their work well.

I also get a lot of fulfillment from the challenge of explaining what we do to newer engineers and to people outside the profession. There’s power in being able to communicate complex ideas clearly—it shows true understanding. That’s what consulting is, really: taking your technical knowledge and distilling it to the relevant parts so others can make informed decisions within their own context.

Structural engineering is never done in a vacuum. We’re building the bones of something bigger, and our work has to harmonize with all the other disciplines involved. When done well, our work results in a structure that not only stands up, but serves a purpose to its community. That’s the most meaningful part for me—knowing our structures help enable what happens inside them, whether it’s learning, healing, working, or creating. A lot of a structural engineer’s work is covered up in a finished building, but we support a wide range of people (in many industries) from behind the scenes, by helping create the places where they live and work.

A LEARNING PROJECT

What’s one project that sticks in your memory as pivotal or a great learning experience?

One project that stands out started off in a pretty unassuming way. It was a Friday, about a year and a half since I had started at Miller, and I had finished the projects I had been assigned, so I asked Andrew (one of the principals at the firm, and one of my cubicle neighbors at the time) if he had work I could help with. He handed me some basic tasks—sizing and spacing studs in a bearing wall for a podium building. At the time, I didn’t know much about the project. He gave me the loads, and I started working through them. While I was looking at the plans, I noticed some preliminary footing labels and asked, “Why are we calling this one F-C—it’s 6’-0” square, couldn’t we just name them according to their size? So this one would be F-6. I think that’d make it easier for the contractor to build and easier for you to check.” Andrew agreed, and that small question snowballed into involvement in larger and larger portions of the project. By a year or so later, under Andrew's careful supervision, I had essentially designed an entire podium building. Up until then, I hadn’t worked on a full structure from start to finish.

That experience taught me how all the pieces of a building connect, from roof to foundation, and gave me my first real look into bigger-picture structural design—where shear walls go, or how to size and reinforce an elevator core so it is robust enough to resist the seismic loading of the building. That’s the kind of work I want to keep doing. One thing I really value about working at Miller is the opportunity to see and shape a project from beginning to end like that. In other firms, you might get siloed into designing only a single component of a larger project. But here, we often get to stay connected throughout the whole design process—and that’s what keeps me engaged and growing.

YOUR PERSONALITY INFLUENCES YOUR WORK

How do you think your personality influences your engineering style?

I think my personality shows up most in how I approach communication. I try to be really clear—because there’s the potential for a lot of space between what I’m thinking and what someone else might interpret. Our drawings are ultimately a form of communication to the contractor, telling them how we intend this project to be in it’s finished state. This shear wall needs nails at this spacing, there needs to be a gap here to allow different portions of the building to move independently—that kind of detail matters, but it HAS to be presented in a way that’s easy to understand. If those details don’t get communicated well to the team actually constructing the building, they won’t get built. I aim to be complete and precise, but also concise enough that people don’t tune out when they look at the drawings. There’s a certain level of complexity that naturally comes with designing buildings, but I try to simplify wherever possible so the intent shines through. Ideally, a contractor can look at our plans and quickly understand what we meant. We’re not on-site during every step of construction, so our documents need to bridge that gap and invite conversation when needed. In a way, I try to extend myself into the job—through clear, thoughtful documentation that supports collaboration in the field.

PROS/CONS WORKING IN-OFFICE OR VIRTUAL

With the option to work from the office and from home, compare the pros and cons of both environments for the way you like to work.

There’s really no substitute for the kind of collaboration that happens in the office—especially when you’re sitting right next to someone. You overhear how they’re answering contractor questions on the phone, what they’re asking colleagues, and you pick up things you didn’t even know you needed to learn. That kind of informal exposure is incredibly valuable, especially early in your career when the learning curve is steep. Honestly, the reason I ended up working on the CCC project was partly because I sat next to Andrew—he was the first person I talked to. I definitely used up a lot of his time asking questions, but being able to get quick, in-person answers helped me grow a lot faster.

On the other hand, working from home has its advantages too—especially when my scope of work is really well-defined. The ability to focus without distractions makes it easier to get deep work done. I also really appreciate the flexibility that remote work provides. We’ve all seen how much more efficient collaboration can be now that we don’t have to drive across town for every meeting. Remote collaboration tools have made it possible for project teams to stay connected and often lead to more frequent check-ins and, ultimately, better-coordinated buildings. Both environments have their place, and I think having the option to move between them is ideal for the way we work.

TODAY’S PROJECTS?

Fire Training Tower

Right now, I’m working on a fire training tower for a fire department in South Carolina. It’s a really unique project—designed to simulate shipboard fires and helicopter emergencies to prepare firefighters for the challenges presented fighting fires in those environments. The tower includes features like doors with raised thresholds similar to those on ships and a helicopter simulator on the roof. It’s a steel-framed structure using moment frames, and we’re working closely with a contractor who’s built several of these before and has a clear method for how he likes the moment frames to be configured. We’ve had quite a bit of design freedom with the overall layout though, especially in the early stages, and the scope has evolved significantly—the third floor doubled in size to accommodate the helicopter trainer at one point. I’ve been able to model the entire building in 3D, including the moment frame beam-column joints, plates, bolts, and geometry. It’s been a great opportunity to "flex my BIM muscles" and dive deeper into high-detail modeling early in the design process.

Tillamook Estuary Project

Another project I’m excited about is the Tillamook Estuary Project. It’s a new build that combines lab space with public exhibits—sort of a hybrid between a research facility and a museum. Part of the building will have a mass timber green roof. It has a community meeting space and housing for resident scientists. It’s a small but meaningful campus that ties into environmental education and stewardship.

Lincoln City Visitor Center

And one that’s personally meaningful to me is a visitor center and exhibit building near the D River in Lincoln City. It’s at the exact beach my family and I would go to when I was growing up, so working on a project there feels like coming full circle! It’s rewarding to contribute to places that hold personal memories and know that our design team is playing a small part in helping others create memories of their own.

SHARED LEARNING

You’re very helpful and generous with your time when it comes to training or brainstorming with other engineers and designers. What is your motivation?

Part of it is selfish. I just really enjoy it. Helping others think through a problem often helps me identify the edges of my own understanding—especially when someone asks a great question or needs a concept explained in a different way. It pushes me to be better. A big part of it is also paying it forward. I’ve had incredible mentorship here at Miller—people who invested time, patience, and insight into my development. I feel a responsibility to pass that along. And honestly, there’s just something deeply satisfying about seeing someone have a lightbulb moment. That “aha” expression, whether it’s from someone new or a seasoned colleague, is incredibly motivating. I chase those lightbulb moments—they’re what make collaboration so fulfilling.

MILLER CULTURE

You're involved in several areas of the firm’s leadership—from professional development planning and the marketing committee to strategic planning initiatives. From your vantage point, what do you see as a particular strength or defining quality of MCE?

One of the things I really appreciate about Miller is how intentionally we invest in our people—especially early in their careers. There’s a genuine focus on learning and growth without the immediate pressure to be highly efficient or perfectly billable right out of the gate. From my experience, that’s a defining quality. I was given the time and space to really learn—not just how to complete tasks, but how to understand them deeply enough to build a strong knowledge foundation for future projects. In my first couple of years, expectations were framed more around my growth as an engineer than around budget targets. That kind of support makes a huge difference. There’s an openness here and a willingness to invest in people to set them up for long-term success. That mindset carries through everything—from professional development planning to how we collaborate day-to-day.

LIFE AWAY FROM WORK

Outside of work, a lot of my time and energy goes into teaming up with my wife to raise our new daughter—which is both a joy and an adventure. (I say ‘new’, but she’ll be one in September!) Seeing her experience so many things for the first time is an overload of those lightbulb moments I chase! I also enjoy running and a few years ago, I ran a marathon. As a new parent, there’s been less time for that lately, but my wife and I have been talking about signing up for a half marathon to get back into it. She’s fully on board—insisting we bring our daughter along in her stroller! I also love hiking when I get the chance—it’s a great way to reset. And when I’m not out moving around, I really enjoy watching basketball, especially the Blazers.

Typically working behind the scenes on projects, structural engineers are the innovators and problem solvers that move the artist's vision into real, workable plans that contractors can use to actually build the structures. Stay tuned for more interviews behind the screens, with the folks whose passion it is to make our structures possible and safe. You can learn more about our team at miller-se.com.

Jane Mayfaire, Business Development | Miller Consulting Engineers | 06/2025 BB20

Series Index

Article 1 | "A Glimpse of the Magic Behind the Screens" 11-2023 | Kevin McCormick, PE, SE, Managing Principal

Article 2 | "Structural Sleuths" 12-2023 | Lane Jobe, PE, SE, Principal

Article 3 | "It's About the People" 01-2024 | Sherri Mansur, Controller

Article 4 | "Tree Forts & Geodesic Shapes 02-2024 | CJ Marquardt, PE

Article 5 | "A Heart for Math & Mentorship" 03-2024 | Michelle Juarez, PE

Article 6 | "Engineering for Joy & Inclusivity" 04-2024 | Ben Steer, PE

Article 7 | "The Haiku Project" 05-2024 | Jordan Toews, PE

Article 8 | "Peru to Portland" 06-2024 | Jennylin Lopez, Structural Designer

Article 9 | "Numbers Tell a Story" 07-2024 | Kylean , PE

Article 10 | "Life + Work = Balance" 08-2024 | Evan Altorfer, PE

Article 11 | "Value People. Foster Relationships." 09-2024 | Andrew Leichty, PE, SE, Principal

Article 12 | "Cultivating Leaders" 10-2024 | Eric Watson, PE, SE, Principal

Article 13 | "All the Other Hats" 11-2024 | Jenn Adamy, Office Manager

Article 14 | "Intern Spotlight" 12-2024 | Emma Mason, Structural Design Intern

Article 15 | “Design in Action” 01-2025 | Barry Maslen, PE, SE

Article 16 | “The Art & Precision of Structural Engineering” 02-2025 | Paul Albertine, PE, SE, Principal

Article 17 | “The Power of Mentorship” 02-2025 | Anthony Boudon, PE

Article 18 | “Carpentry & Calculations” 04-2025 | Sergey Vasilenko, Designer

Article 19 | “Drafting the Details” 05-2025 | Brian Hogue, Computer Aided Design Technician

Article 20 | Engineering in Context | 07-2025 | Eric Davis, PE