Construction doesn’t solely rely on blueprints and hard hats; it also relies on curiosity, hands-on learning, and people who make the buildings come to life. For those who step into job sites, success is measured by attitude, adaptability, and willingness to ask questions. From building psychological safety to leveraging technology like robotics, the modern superintendent is constantly learning how to work smarter by balancing human expertise with innovation.
Erin Saiki is a superintendent at DPR Construction who started her career pursuing civil engineering at UC Berkeley and discovered a passion for construction during a 2018 summer internship with DPR. After her graduation, Erin joined DPR as a project engineer but quickly realized her strengths and enthusiasm were better suited to the field rather than an office environment. Aligning herself with DPR’s field engineer program, she moved to site leadership and has since progressed to become a superintendent.
Key Takeaways
- Curiosity beats credentials.
Coming into the field with no trade background, Erin relied on relentless curiosity and question-asking to learn fast, earn respect, and add value. - Collaborative leadership is a competitive advantage.
Instead of “command and control,” Erin builds rooms where foremen and trades can speak up, challenge ideas, and co-create plans—then she makes the final call based on what’s best for the job.
- Psychological safety drives performance and physical safety.
Jobsites where people feel safe to speak up about issues, constraints, and concerns are cleaner, safer, more productive, and have higher morale.
- Superintendents are most powerful in preconstruction.
Erin can be “10x more impactful” when involved early in design and coordination—using her constructability lens in BIM/VDC to prevent RFIs, safety issues, and rework before they ever reach the field.
- Tech and robotics are tools for people, not replacements.
DPR’s use of BIM, layout robots, and “cobotics” is about boosting productivity and safety (e.g., robots flipping breakers) while keeping craft workers central—and explaining the business case is key to overcoming skepticism.
Listen or Watch the Episode
Connect with Erin Saiki
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- 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-saiki/
👉 More from Construction Genius
- 📘 Get the book Construction Genius: https://www.amazon.com/Construction-Genius-Effective-Hands-Leadership/dp/B0BHTRDY1T/
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