The daily work activities of an engineering field survey crew are directed a project surveyor, also known as a survey party chief. This highly-trained journey-level classification’s primary responsibility is to train other project survey crewmembers in order to ensure their success and safety. At most job sites, deputy county surveyors are likely to give project surveyors work assignments and general directions.
Project surveyors typically perform many of the more technically complex surveying tasks involved in a project, such as plane and geodetic surveys for control, right-of-way, topographic, and construction projects, in addition to their administrative duties. Project surveyors coordinate various engineering tasks on some job sites. This often entails directing the layout of the project’s construction work, compiling field survey data, and assisting in the planning and scheduling of meetings with contractors, project managers, and on-site engineers.
A project surveyor’s responsibilities include the construction and improvement of roadways, bridges, and flood control areas, to name a few. Both indoors and out, the work can be done. Indoor work usually takes place in an office setting and entails tasks such as determining boundaries, researching legal descriptions, and analyzing topographic survey data. A project surveyor’s outdoor work includes visiting construction sites and landfills. The ability to lift and move equipment and other objects weighing up to 75 pounds (34 kgs), knowledge of laws and regulations governing land subdivision, and the ability to write technical reports are all common job requirements.
When it comes to supervising a crew of field workers, a project surveyor or party chief can assign, prioritize, and schedule tasks. Project surveyors are typically responsible for evaluating employee performance, enforcing safety regulations and procedures, and training crew members directly. It’s also necessary to be able to build and maintain positive working relationships with members of the public, coworkers, and government officials from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Engineer calculators, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and computer-aided design (CAD) programs are expected of project surveyors and survey party chiefs. They use these tools to do a variety of things, such as measure angles, calculate distances, and record elevations. Following that, the information is compiled into detailed field notes and drawings. Most project surveyors earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a related academic discipline in order to learn all of these skills. Those interested in becoming a project surveyor typically work as an engineering technician, cartographer, or surveying and mapping technician after graduation to gain the necessary work experience to apply for certification as a Land Surveyor-In-Training (LSIT).