Description
Apply engineering principles to plan, execute, and manage land, geodetic, and construction surveys. Establish control, determine boundaries and topography, and deliver precise geospatial data and models for design, construction, and asset management while ensuring accuracy, standards compliance, and integration with CAD/BIM and GIS.
- • Calibrate, test, and maintain surveying instruments and GNSS base/rover configurations.
- • Set and verify control monuments, benchmarks, and construction baselines.
- • Use GNSS, robotic total stations, digital levels, LiDAR, and UAS photogrammetry to acquire data.
- • Plan and direct unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and aerial mapping missions; specify sensors and flight parameters.
- • Process point clouds and imagery; perform feature extraction, surface modeling, and quality checks.
- • Conduct deformation monitoring, as-built surveys, and utility or hydrographic surveys as required.
- • Develop and enforce survey standards, safety procedures, and quality management plans.
- • Train, mentor, and direct field crews and drafters; manage schedules, logistics, and budgets.
- • Analyze project requirements; prepare survey proposals, estimates, and technical scopes.
- • Perform geodetic computations; manage datums, coordinate systems, and map projections.
- • Prepare stakeout files and perform construction staking for earthwork, structures, and utilities.
- • Integrate with GIS workflows; deliver geospatial datasets and metadata for asset management systems.
- • Provide technical support or expert testimony on survey matters for permitting and dispute resolution.
- • Develop survey plans, scopes, and methodologies for engineering and construction projects.
- • Establish and maintain horizontal and vertical control networks using GNSS, total stations, and digital levels.
- • Perform and oversee topographic, boundary, and construction layout surveys.
- • Verify and adjust survey measurements and calculations; perform QA/QC and least-squares network adjustments.
- • Prepare and, where licensed, sign and seal maps, plats, reports, and legal descriptions.
- • Produce and manage CAD/BIM surfaces, alignments, corridors, and control files for design and machine control.
- • Compute coordinates, elevations, volumes, and alignments; perform tolerance checks for engineering layouts.
- • Record, manage, and archive survey data, metadata, and deliverables per company and regulatory standards.
- • Research deeds, plats, and survey records to resolve boundary and right-of-way issues.
- • Write property descriptions for deeds, easements, and right-of-way acquisition.
- • Coordinate survey deliverables with civil and structural engineers, architects, contractors, and clients.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026