The Sims 4 Civil Designer Career

Saving the World as a Civic Planner or Green Technician

Which branch to choose? Green Technician and Civic Planner are both career branches in The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Civil Designers get to choose between the Green Technician and Civic Planner Career Branches.

Civil Designer is a new work from home Career in The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion. Its focus is either on Neighborhood Action Plans or the new Fabrication Skill, depending which branch you choose. Both branches receive a hefty sum of extra Influence points, used to purchase votes on policies and usage of community lots, which will make it much easier to tailor a community's NAPs how you would like through regular gameplay.

Early Levels: Civil Designer

Using the Fabricator in Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
The Green Technician Career takes advantage of the Fabrication skill more so than Civic Planner

There isn't much to say about the early levels of this career. You will get an Electronic Drafting Tablet that is mainly used for work from home tasks. You can find this in your inventory. Interviewing homeowners can fail, and it's best to build up a bit of a positive conversation before you attempt it.

Civil Designer Career Levels 1-3

RankJobWagesSchedule$/DayDaily Task & Promotion RequirementsReward for Promotion
1Junior Draftsperson$31/hourMon-Fri 9AM-6PM$279/dayInterview a Homeowner about UtilitiesN/A
2Architectural Apprentice$42/hourMon-Fri 8AM-5PM$378/dayInterview Homeowner about Utilities. Reach Level 2 Logic, Level 2 Handiness$350, Electronic Drafting Tablet, Draft a Municipal Concept
3Construction Technician$57/hourMon-Fri 10AM-7PM$513/dayInterview a Homeowner about Utilities. Reach Level 3 Logic, Level 3 Handiness$475, Atomized Mist (Using Eco-Upgrade Parts), Succulent Earrings

Civic Planner

Civic Planner in Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Civic Planners use the design tablet too, only this time for more Civic functions. This branch is more focused on making money through the career itself and getting gobs of Influence points through its fantastic reward trait.

The Civic Planner branch is the one to choose if you do not care about Fabrication as much and want to make a respectable income from the career itself. You'll work longer hours at max rank and make about double the money. This branch will also get a special Champion of the People Reward Trait that gets extra influence points every time you get Influence. An interesting side effect of this is that you'll also get Satisfaction, which can be spent in the Rewards Store.

Civic Planner Career Branch

RankJobWagesSchedule$/DayDaily Task & Promotion RequirementsReward for Promotion
4Utilities Assistant$68/hourMon-Fri 9AM-6PM$612/dayGain Influence, Reach Level 4 Logic, Level 2 Charisma$585, Store No More Home Fabricator, Interview about Neighborhood Action Plans, Civic Planner Uniform
5Urban Surveyor$76/hourMon-Fri 9AM-6PM$684/dayGain Influence. Reach Level 5 Logic, Level 3 Charisma$750, Rally Voters
6Policy Planner$112/hourMon-Fri 10AM-6PM$896/dayGain Influence, Reach Level 6 Logic, Level 4 Charisma$900, Succulent Necklace
7Civic Archivist$145/hourMon-Thu, Sat 10AM-6PM$1160/dayGain Influence, Reach Level 7 Logic, Level 5 Charisma$1,200, Ground Solar Panel
8Neighborhood Improvement Officer$216/hourMon-Fri 9AM-4PM$1,512/dayGain Influence. Reach Level 8 Logic, Level 6 Charisma$2,100, Solar Jumpsuit
9Municipal Engineer$280/hour^Mon-Tue, Thu-Fri 6AM-3PM$1,960/dayGain Influence. Reach Level 9 Logic, Level 7 Charisma$2,550, Civic Solace
10City Master Planner$350/hourTue-Fri 6AM-3PM$3,150/dayGain Influence. Reach Level 10 Logic, Level 8 Charisma$3,075, Champion of The People

Green Technician

A Green Technician in The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Green Technicians use the Tablet to design blueprints for use on the Fabrication Machine.

Green Technician is the path to choose if you want the Meat Wall and to focus heavily on Fabrication as your main money-maker. This branch has more recipes. Mainly things you can make elsewhere, but on the Fabricator instead. They also get the Smog Vacuum, so while Civic Planner can direct the neighborhood through their OP influence point gains, this branch will have more luck at changing the world with their inventions and can directly influence the smog level. Definitely useful if you want to keep things trashy.

Smog Vacuum in Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
The Smog Vacuum seen in Eco Lifestyle's Trailer is found in this career branch.

Their Reward Trait is Eco Engineer. Having this reward trait means they'll get more Eco-Upgrade parts from recycling (as in always) and will finish those upgrades to objects faster than normal. In the grand scheme of things, I like the other reward better personally but the smog vacuum and lighter work schedule may appeal to some players.

If you wonder How to Get the Smog Vacuum and Meat Wall this Career branch is the answer. The Meat Wall is unlocked at rank 5 as seen in the table below. You can convert any Vertical Garden (in build/buy outdoor activities) into a Cruelty-Free Meat Wall. The Smog Vacuum is unlocked by creating design blueprints on the tablet you get and submitting them at the mailbox. It will be unlocked randomly as a level 1 Fabrication recipe. If you submit only mid to high quality designs, you'll improve your chances.

Green Technician Career Branch

RankJobWagesSchedule$/DayDaily Task & Promotion RequirementsReward for Promotion
4Installation Intern$65/hourTue-Sat 10AM-7PM$585/dayFabricate an Eco-Upgrade Part. Reach Level 4 Logic, Level 2 Fabrication Skill$600, Store No More Home Fabricator, Green Technician Uniform, Draft Eco-Invention Concept
5Design Guru$70/hourMon-Tue, Thu-Sat 10AM-7PM$630/dayFabricate an Eco-Upgrade Part. Reach Level 5 Logic, Level 3 Fabrication$650, Grow Cruelty-Free Meat
6Machine Modifier$95/hourTue-Sat 9AM-5PM$760/dayFabricate an Eco-Upgrade Part. Reach Level 6 Logic, Level 4 Fabrication$725, Fabricator Recipes for Garden Salad, Granola, Protein Plate and Veggie Dumplings
7Eco-Tech Scientist$101/hourMon-Fri 10AM-6PM$808/dayFabricate an Eco-Upgrade Part. Reach Level 7 Logic, Level 5 Fabrication$950, Scrapper's Dew Collector
8Device Savant$149/hourSun-Mon, Wed-Fri 9AM-4PM$1,043/dayFabricate an Eco-Upgrade Part. Reach Level 8 Logic, Level 6 Fabrication$1,025, Blueprint Suit
9Expert Fabricator$199/hourMon-Thu 11AM-5PM$1,194/dayFabricate an Eco-Upgrade Part. Reach Level 9 Logic Skill, Level 7 Fabrication$1,450, Eco Artisan
10Master Inventor$237/hourTue-Fri 10AM-4PM$1,422/dayFabricate an Eco-Upgrade Part. Reach Level 10 Logic, Level 8 Fabrication$1,900, Eco-Engineer

Eco Lifestyle Guides



Sims 4 Career Guides
Actor  |  Astronaut  |  Athlete  |  Business  |  Civil Designer  |  Conservationist  |  Criminal  |  Critic  |  Culinary  |  Detective  |  Doctor  |  Education    Engineering    Entertainer  |  Gardener  |  Military  |  Painter  |  Politician  |  Scientist  |  Scouts (Children/Teens)  |  Secret Agent  |  Social Media  |  Style Influencer  |  Tech Guru  |  Writer


How You Can Support The Site and Channel

If you like my sites and Youtube Channel, consider supporting me on Patreon to help me to continue.

Back to The Top


Check Out My Youtube Channel!

We now have a Youtube Channel with over 50 guides in video format to go along with the huge site I've already created. Check it out and consider subscribing if you like my style.


Add Comment

* Required information
2000

Comments (9)

Gravatar
Regular
Aurelia Auritasays...

I've got two questions:

Do you keep the recipes you unlocked even after changing careers or are they only active while working as a civil designer?

Are there any information about if university degrees have been considered?

At least the civic planner might work well with economics, communications or history as they all focus on charisma and logic. Maybe the developers thought about that.

Gravatar
New
Lousays...

University degrees are considered, but they haven't updated the enrolment list descriptions as to which majors gives you a boost. I do know the communications degree goes towards civic planner at least, as I just had a sim do that one! Haven't tested the rest yet.

Gravatar
New
RaeAn Bazzettsays...

Physics is what you need for the Green Technician path

Gravatar
New
Samuelsays...

What is the 'Eco Artisan' from level 9 of the Green Technician branch?

(Not the 'Eco-Engineer' from level 10).

I have searched high and low in the game itself and online, and there's nothing at all about it.

Gravatar
Senior
Carlsays...

Hi Samuel. I saw that too, and I initially thought it was a lower rank of the trait you get... but that's not the case. I should've brought it up in the body of the page but try to avoid talking about bugs. In the game files, it appears as a build buy catalog unlock, but when you filter all the items in the pack in buy mode, not one of them indicates that it unlocks at rank 9 of the career and I didn't see anything in my inventory or family inventory. I think this is a mistake and they left it out on accident. I believe it was possibly a weaker version of the big trait but I have no evidence to support it other than their similar naming.

Gravatar
New
Reneesays...

The Eco Artisan is a room unlock like the Civic Solace under the styled rooms!

Gravatar
New
linearabbitsays...

Eco Artisan refers to the Career Room (in the pre-styled rooms).

Gravatar
New
Júliasays...

How do you unlock the hydroponic planters? Is it through a branch of this career? I've searched everywhere and the only way I've found it is through the showhiddenobjects cheat.

Gravatar
New
Molly Burnssays...

I believe you obtain the hydroponic planter via the "Enthuse about Fabrication." There's information on it under Secret Recipes on this page.

Gravatar
New
fysays...

I've been the Civic planner but would now like to use the same Sim to be the green technician but I can't figure out how to. any tips?

Gravatar
Admin
Playalotsays...

One Sim can't complete both branches of the same career, it's been this way since the game launched in 2014

Gravatar
New
LJsays...

I was able to unlock the smog vacuum using the Civic Planner branch of this career, so it's not exclusive to the Green Technicians. I actually did it without even trying about three weeks into the career.

Gravatar
New
BlackjackWidowsays...

I've found that you can unlock the fabrication recipes from the Civic Designer branch when your Design Concepts are accepted. This started happening for me at level 9 when I submitted Perfect Design Concepts. I had other levels of design concepts accepted earlier in the career, so can't say for certain if it was due to the career level or the concept quality (both happened at the same time).

Gravatar
Admin
Playalotsays...

I had to remove your links sadly BlackjackWidow, as your comment wouldn't approve with it. I think your post is clear enough without any additional information but if you want to you can try posting your link without embedding it and I should be able to approve it that way.

Gravatar
New
BlackjackWidowsays...

No worries on the link, I figured that would happen but thought I'd give it a try anyway, in case the pics might be more helpful. The only additional info that I wanted to explain is that you can get the smog vacuum in both branches by submitting designs via the mailbox.

Gravatar
New
Austinsays...

My son is early in the civil career and I'm having issues trying to interview a homeowner. It keeps saying the other Sims are unimpressed by the interview technique in questions even if I build the friendship up to 100. It's still marked me off as having complete the task but I'm wondering if there is a way to actually get a response

Gravatar
New
Marasays...

Hi. Thanks for the guide and everything you guys have done. I just wanted to share this tidbit I just found: The Communications degree unlocks the Civic Planner branch and the Physics degree unlocks the Green Technician. Hope this was useful and that you guys can check this out.

Gravatar
Senior
Carlsays...

Hey, thanks for sharing that tip. I forgot to check which degrees are involved :)

Gravatar
New
Misttie Burnssays...

How do I "Present an Eco-Invention Concept" and "Submit an Eco-Invention Concept" if my Sim can no longer use the Electric Drafting Tablet? I'm new to this pack and don't understand what to do really

Gravatar
Admin
Playalotsays...

You can't, but if your Sim is in the career then they should be able to use the drafting tablet.



Make Seasons Better!

Sims 4 Seasons CheatsThe Sims 4 Seasons expansion now has options! Want to disable weather or make plants in season year-round? You can do so with my new Seasons Tuner Mod

  • Disable Seasons individually
  • Always Sunny! Set to Base Game Weather
  • Grow Year Round - Make Plants Always in Season!
  • Healthy Year Round - No more Winter twigs
  • Disable Color Changes - on ALL Plants & Trees
  • Disable Fall Leaves
  • Disable Ground Snow
  • Keep the Stuff You Paid For!

A Deeper Game

The past month, I've spent every day tinkering The Sims 4, making quality of life improvements, gameplay changes, and new difficulty settings for the game. If you'd like to learn more about my project, visit the post on Patreon where you can download it now.

Cottage living

The Sims 4 Cottage LivingCottage Living Guide! Here is my guide to new features in the Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion

You can also find handy Cottage Living Cheats

I have much more to come, since you can actually write a few guides about this pack!

Calling all Blender Users

Blender has been incredibly useful in video production, so I made my own Physics and Simulation Improvement Addon that lumps a ton of unique tools into one compact interface.

Sims 4 Snowy Escape

The Sims 4 Snowy Escape launches November 13, 2020 and my coverage has started. Until I get my review ready, you can learn about the following:

Snowy Escape Cheats
Lifestyles in Snowy Escape
Climb Mt. Komorebi
Sentiments in Snowy Escape
Rock Climbing
Skiing Skill
Snowboarding Skill

Sentiments & Platforms (Free Patch!)

I've released a guide to Sentiments in The Sims 4 & Snowy Escape.

There is a new platform tool in The Sims 4. There's also a new Sentiments system, but it'll take some time to create a guide to that. Players can also use rental lots in any world now by changing lot types of builds in manage worlds.

Best Mods in Sims 4

I've created a massive List of The Best Mods in The Sims 4 that should be very helpful to new players and those who have not yet explored modding and how much it can do for your gameplay.

Search my Sims 4 Site

Support Us

Readers who use adblock or those who'd like to thank me for my efforts can now pledge $1/$5 monthly via Patreon. This helps a lot with server costs and provides some stability for my business.

Super Sim Checklist + Other News

Super Sim Text + Checklist and Video Guide! Here is my Super Sim Challenge Guide and Checklist to accompany my video guide to making Super Sims in The Sims 4 that you can view on Youtube.

This is inspired by a new series in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to the full playlist!

I now have a guide page to Tiny Living Stuff where you can learn about Murphy Beds, the new death, as well as the lot bonuses you'll receive if you manage to keep the size of your lot down with this new pack's Tiny Home Lot Type.

Let's Play Playlist

Super Sim Gameplay in The Sims 4

New I now have a guide to Making Super Sims in The Sims 4. Look for a text version within the next 72h. It won't have THAT much more info but it will help out as a checklist.

This was inspired by a series, "Let's Play a Super Sim" in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to each part for people who are interested. You can also see the Let's Play as a Playlist on Youtube.