What Do Mapping Technicians Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Mapping Technicians calculate mapmaking information from field notes, and draw and verify accuracy of topographical maps. They also check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.

Other tasks include:

• Design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data.
• Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.
• Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales.
• Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters.
• Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.
• Analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data.

We asked Mapping Technicians how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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69% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 50% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Mapping Technicians design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data. They analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data.

A typical day for a Mapping Technician will also include:

• Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.
• Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.
• Supervise or coordinate activities of workers engaged in plotting data, drafting maps, or producing blueprints, photostats, or photographs.
• Trace contours or topographic details to generate maps that denote specific land or property locations or geographic attributes.
• Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.

We asked some Mapping Technicians a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	52% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	27% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	43% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	14% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	32% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Mapping Technicians also create survey description pages or historical records related to mapping activities or specifications of section plats. They may also produce presentations of surface or mineral ownership layers by interpreting legal survey plans.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Mapping Technicians Calculate latitudes, longitudes, angles, areas, or other information for mapmaking, using survey field notes or reference tables. They might also Enter Global Positioning System (GPS) data, legal deeds, field notes, or land survey reports into geographic information system (GIS) workstations so that information can be transformed into graphic land descriptions, such as maps or drawings.

In addition, they Answer questions and provide information to the public or to staff members regarding assessment maps, surveys, boundaries, easements, property ownership, roads, zoning, or similar matters.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Train staff members in duties such as tax mapping, the use of computerized mapping equipment, or the interpretation of source documents.

To some Mapping Technicians, it is also their responsibility to Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Mapping Technician, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/architecture-and-engineering/surveying-and-mapping-technicians.htm

http://www.aagsmo.org/

http://www.asprs.org/

http://www.nsps.us.com/