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

Job Description

Surveying Technicians adjust and operate surveying instruments, such as the theodolite and electronic distance-measuring equipment, and compile notes, make sketches and enter data into computers. They also search for section corners, property irons, and survey points.

Other tasks include:

• Adjust and operate surveying instruments such as prisms, theodolites, and electronic distance-measuring equipment.
• Conduct surveys to ascertain the locations of natural features and man-made structures on the Earth’s surface, underground, and underwater, using electronic distance-measuring equipment and other surveying instruments.
• Collect information needed to carry out new surveys, using source maps, previous survey data, photographs, computer records, and other relevant information.
• Prepare topographic and contour maps of land surveyed, including site features and other relevant information, such as charts, drawings, and survey notes.
• Position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations.
• Set out and recover stakes, marks, and other monumentation.

We asked Surveying 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, Surveying Technicians conduct surveys to ascertain the locations of natural features and man-made structures on the Earth’s surface, underground, and underwater, using electronic distance-measuring equipment and other surveying instruments. They maintain equipment and vehicles used by surveying crews.

A typical day for a Surveying Technician will also include:

• Compare survey computations with applicable standards to determine adequacy of data.
• Record survey measurements and descriptive data, using notes, drawings, sketches, and inked tracings.
• Adjust and operate surveying instruments such as prisms, theodolites, and electronic distance-measuring equipment.
• Collect information needed to carry out new surveys, using source maps, previous survey data, photographs, computer records, and other relevant information.
• Direct and supervise work of subordinate members of surveying parties.

We asked some Surveying 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?	54% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	71% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	89% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	21% 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?	50% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Surveying Technicians also set out and recover stakes, marks, and other monumentation. They may also search for section corners, property irons, and survey points.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Surveying Technicians Run rods for benches and cross-section elevations. They might also Lay out grids, and determine horizontal and vertical controls.

In addition, they Place and hold measuring tapes when electronic distance-measuring equipment is not used.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Prepare topographic and contour maps of land surveyed, including site features and other relevant information, such as charts, drawings, and survey notes.

To some Surveying Technicians, it is also their responsibility to Compile information necessary to stake projects for construction, using engineering plans.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Irregular work schedule that changes depending on weather conditions, customer demand or contract duration.

In a typical work week as a Surveying 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 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..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

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/