Superior Celebrates National Engineers Week: Meet Austin Ashley

Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (February 21, 2025) — Even as a kid, Superior Construction Project Engineer I Austin Ashley knew a career behind a desk wouldn’t work for him. Growing up around his dad’s landscaping company, he developed an early appreciation for seeing projects transform from plans into physical reality.

“I always knew I wasn’t the type to sit at a computer all day,” Austin says. “I wanted to be able to see what I’m working on and to be out in the field and understand it better through direct observation.” 

This hands-on mindset led him to join Superior Construction as a project engineer intern in 2023. After graduating the following year with a civil engineering degree from Florida State University (FSU), Austin moved to Fort Walton Beach and joined Superior full time.

As a Project Engineer I, Austin spends about half his time in the office and half in the field. He identifies safety concerns, coordinates material deliveries, and helps plan complex operations like crane lifts. Working on the Brooks Bridge replacement in Fort Walton Beach — the toughest project he’s been a part of, Austin says — he faces new challenges daily that push him to expand his knowledge and skills. Sometimes these challenges come in unexpected ways, like this January when his Florida Panhandle jobsite was blanketed in seven inches of snow! It reminded him how crucial adaptability is in construction, since even the most detailed plans can’t anticipate every challenge a project might face.

“In construction, you have to be prepared for anything,” Austin says. “When conditions aren’t ideal, that’s when you really need to slow down, think things through, and make sure everyone stays safe while keeping the project moving forward.”

Austin strongly embraces Superior’s Core Value of Empowerment in his daily work. “I want everyone to feel like they have a say in what’s going on,” he emphasizes. “When I’m in the field, I’m not just there to give directions. I’m there to learn from everyone’s experience and perspective.”

Austin’s enthusiasm for emerging construction technologies shows in his work with tools like Propeller, a drone-based mapping system that helps track project progress. “Being able to visualize the entire project from above and track progress monthly gives us invaluable insights into our work,” he says.

For engineering students interested in heavy civil construction, Austin has some practical advice: “Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions. But most importantly, get out in the field. You can’t truly understand construction just by looking at plans — you need to see how things come together in real life.”

Having the right mentor can make all the difference for a young engineer, and Austin received that vital guidance from Panhandle Division Manager Evan Lawrence, who recruited him from FSU. “Those first couple of months, I practically lived in Evan’s office,” Austin recalls with a smile. “I’d constantly pop in with questions about plans, specifications, or construction methods, and he always took the time to explain things thoroughly. He didn’t just give me answers – he helped me understand the ‘why’ behind everything we do.”

Under Evan’s mentorship, Austin continues to grow and take on more responsibilities. “From day one, Superior has really empowered me to develop my skills,” he says. “As time goes on, I’m getting more opportunities to handle bigger tasks and more complex challenges. Having someone like Evan, who’s willing to share his knowledge and experience, has been invaluable in helping me build confidence as an engineer.”

Austin says he hopes to emulate Evan’s leadership style one day, empowering future Superior employees and helping them succeed in the same way he was set up for success from day one.