JANEY CHAN
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Public Works senior structural engineer Janey Chan loves her job. But she knows it isn't always the most flashy work.
“For example, sewage water treatment plants are not necessarily glamorous,” Chan said with a laugh.
But somebody has to do the important work of inspecting pipes and tanks and other parts of the vital infrastructure and, sometimes, that work falls to Chan. And while some are video inspections, others are more hands on.
“You focus on the work, right?” Chan said of the times she dons protective gear and heads into the sewage tanks. “But when you’re about to get out, you’re like, ‘I can’t wait to get out!’”
Chan is a veteran of public service. She joined Public Works about 12 years ago with a four-year detour at the City’s Department of Building Inspection along the way.
Listen to Janey talk about her career at Public Works.
“I think I was always drawn to buildings and structures.”
Public Works’ Bureau of Engineering provides technical services in a variety of engineering disciplines, including hydraulic, civil, electrical, mechanical and structural. Each group plans and designs highly technical work for projects throughout San Francisco, from library renovations and streetscape improvements to hillside stabilizations and plaza makeovers.
Chan had an affinity for building early on. She remembers walking by an architecture firm in North Beach every day as a kid.
“And in the window I would see these architectural models, which was really cool,” Chan recalled. “I think I was always drawn to buildings and structures.”
Structural engineers like Chan inspect the City’s bridges, retaining walls, public stairways and tunnels to make sure they are structurally sound and safe. They work on earthquake resiliency features for new projects and retrofits of existing structures. And they take on structural work for important infrastructure improvements, including the Better Market Street project.
"I think I was drawn to the City only because I really wanted to serve the public."
“We design the backbones for the structure,” Chan said. “Making sure – whether it’s buildings, bridges, roadways – structures are safe and to some extent resilient.”
Among the projects Chan is working on is the ambitious renovation of the historic Mission Branch Library.
The Public Works-led project, delivered on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library, will help restore the beloved neighborhood branch – more than 100 years old – to some of its original glory while adding much-needed upgrades to transform the facility into a less cramped, more accessible and more climate-resilient space for staff and patrons. Seismic improvements also are part of the makeover.
Before dedicating a career to public service, Chan worked in the private sector as a structural engineer.
But something was missing.
“I think I was drawn to the City only because I really wanted to serve the public and work on projects where more than just a private entity can enjoy,” Chan said. “In other words: I was working late and long hours and I was just thinking about who would benefit from this, right? And I’d just really rather have the public benefit from my hard work.”