What does a Survey Party Chief do?

The survey party chief is in charge of a field survey crew that creates surveys for construction, topographic, right-of-way, and control surveys. He or she works with local officials, supervisors, engineers, and contractors during the planning phase. The surveying work is overseen the chief, who also provides advice and expertise. He or she also instructs the survey crew on how to properly map and use surveying equipment.

Using a global positioning system, a field survey crew collects survey data (GPS). They measure elevations, distances, and angles with surveying tools like a total station, theodolite, and level. Construction stakes are commonly used the crew to map out horizontal and vertical controls for proper construction. They’re also in charge of establishing right-of-ways and property lines. This crew is led the chief, who ensures that their work is accurate.

To develop relationships with the many parties involved in a construction project, this job necessitates excellent communication skills. The chief is in charge of coordinating and overseeing all survey tasks until they are completed. He or she must work with utility companies to ensure proper surveying of public streets and easements, and the surveys must take into account and conform to the utility infrastructure’s design.

When meeting with private property owners about surveying needs, the survey party chief is the designated representative of the local government. He or she reads construction maps to create a physical survey of the area under investigation and determines which surveying techniques will be used on a particular project. This individual ensures that all necessary safety precautions are taken on the survey site.

This worker creates construction elevations and reads the engineering level to establish benchmarks while on the job. He or she will make any necessary adjustments to the surveying equipment. The chief creates survey drafts based on the information gathered and submits them to project managers and other engineers. He or she converts broad bearings to precise angles and calculates the slope required.

Someone who can ensure that crew members are properly trained and capable of completing assigned tasks is needed, according to the job description. Because it is his or her job to ensure that all surveying data is accurate, this person performs mathematical calculations to complete surveying tasks and check for errors. All surveys performed are described the survey party chief. If a crew member is unable to complete a task, it is the chief’s responsibility to complete it.