Surveyors

Career Description: Make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.

Industry: Architecture and Engineering

Other Job Titles for Surveyors:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.
• Verify the accuracy of survey data including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.
• Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.
• Record the results of surveys including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
• Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain.
• Prepare or supervise preparation of all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.
• Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.
• Plan and conduct ground surveys designed to establish baselines, elevations, and other geodetic measurements.
• Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
• Coordinate findings with the work of engineering and architectural personnel, clients, and others concerned with projects.
• Adjust surveying instruments to maintain their accuracy.
• Establish fixed points for use in making maps, using geodetic and engineering instruments.
• Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS).
• Train assistants and helpers, and direct their work in such activities as performing surveys or drafting maps.
• Analyze survey objectives and specifications to prepare survey proposals or to direct others in survey proposal preparation.
• Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.
• Develop criteria for survey methods and procedures.
• Develop criteria for the design and modification of survey instruments.
• Conduct research in surveying and mapping methods using knowledge of techniques of photogrammetric map compilation and electronic data processing.
• Locate and mark sites selected for geophysical prospecting activities such as efforts to locate petroleum or other mineral products.
• Survey bodies of water to determine navigable channels and to secure data for construction of breakwaters, piers, and other marine structures.
• Direct aerial surveys of specified geographical areas.
• Determine specifications for photographic equipment to be used for aerial photography, as well as altitudes from which to photograph terrain.
• Produce presentations of surface and mineral ownership layers by interpreting legal survey plans.
• Design and supervise the development of systems processes or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.

Emerging Tasks

• Testify as an expert witness in court cases on land survey issues, such as property boundaries.
• Evaluate product designs for safety.
• Provide expert testimony in litigation cases.
• Keep documentation of service histories on all biomedical equipment.
• Manage team of engineers by creating schedules, tracking inventory, creating and utilizing budgets, and overseeing contract obligations and deadlines.
• Write documents describing protocols, policies, standards for use, maintenance, and repair of medical equipment.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• analyze spatial data
• analyze technical data, designs, or preliminary specifications
• bid engineering, construction or extraction projects
• collect scientific or technical data
• communicate technical information
• conduct geological surveys
• conduct land surveys
• conduct plant location surveys
• conduct topographical surveys
• determine project methods and procedures
• draw maps or charts
• estimate cost for engineering projects
• estimate time needed for project
• evaluate costs of engineering projects
• examine engineering documents for completeness or accuracy
• interpret aerial photographs
• interpret maps for architecture, construction, or engineering project
• judge distances
• maintain records, reports, or files
• obtain land survey data using surveying instruments
• operate land or site surveying instruments
• prepare long term or short term plans
• prepare safety reports
• read blueprints
• read maps
• read tape measure
• read technical drawings
• research property records
• resolve engineering or science problems
• understand engineering data or reports
• understand property documents
• use building or land use regulations
• use computer aided drafting or design software for design, drafting, modeling, or other engineering tasks
• use drafting or mechanical drawing techniques
• use knowledge of regulations in surveying or construction activities
• use land surveying techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use physical science research techniques
• use project management techniques
• use scientific research methodology
• draw prototypes, plans, or maps to scale
• estimate time needed for project
• evaluate costs of engineering projects
• evaluate engineering data
• evaluate manufacturing or processing systems
• evaluate tool designs
• examine engineering documents for completeness or accuracy
• explain complex mathematical information
• explore for oil or gas
• follow safe waste disposal procedures
• improve test devices or techniques in manufacturing, industrial or engineering setting
• inspect facilities or equipment for regulatory compliance
• inspect project operations, or site to determine specification compliance
• lead teams in engineering projects
• perform safety inspections in construction or resource extraction setting
• perform statistical analysis in physical science or geological research
• plan construction of structures or facilities
• plan oil or ore extraction
• plan production processes
• plan scientific research or investigative studies
• plan testing of engineering methods
• prepare reports
• prepare safety reports
• prepare technical reports or related documentation
• provide analytical assessment of engineering data
• read blueprints
• read schematics
• read technical drawings
• resolve engineering or science problems
• supervise petroleum workers
• test equipment as part of engineering projects or processes
• understand engineering data or reports
• understand properties of gases or liquids
• use computer aided drafting or design software for design, drafting, modeling, or other engineering tasks
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use drafting or mechanical drawing techniques
• use government regulations
• use hazardous materials information
• use intuitive judgment for engineering analyses
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use long or short term production planning techniques
• use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
• use physical science research techniques
• use pollution control techniques
• use project management techniques
• use quantitative research methods
• use relational database software
• use research methodology procedures within manufacturing or commerce
• use scientific research methodology
• use spreadsheet software
• use technical regulations for engineering problems
• use underwater engineering techniques
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• work as a team member
• write business project or bid proposals
• use pollution control techniques
• use project management techniques
• use quantitative research methods
• use relational database software
• use research methodology procedures within manufacturing or commerce
• use robotics systems technology
• use scientific research methodology
• use spreadsheet software
• use technical regulations for engineering problems
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• work as a team member
• write business project or bid proposals
• use technical regulations for engineering problems
• use underwater engineering techniques
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• work as a team member
• write business project or bid proposals

Overall Experience
A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education
Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$24.82
• Average annual wage (2007) - $51,630.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 23.67%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 14,211
• Employment (2006): 60,032

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